Euripides and the spirit of his dramas.
By: Translated by James Loeb.
Publisher: Kennikat Press
Published: 1968
Place of publication: Port Washington, N. Y
Language: eng; fre
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 392
Subjects: Euripides -- Criticism and interpretation.; Mythology, Greek, in literature.; Tragedy.
Notes: Bibliographical footnotes.
Translation of Euripides et l'espirit de son théâtre.
Table of contents: title: Life and character of Euripides. His influence -- Relations of Euripides with philosophers and sophists. The personal opinions of the poet -- The indications by which they may be recognized -- The philosophers -- Criticism of the tradition which makes Euripides a disciple of Anaxagoras -- To what extent he may have come under the latter’s influence -- Probable relations between Euripides and Socrates -- He is not, however, a follower of Socrates -- Euripides’ relations with Protagoras -- Traces of the sophistical spirit in his dramas -- Criticism of religious traditions in Euripides. The spirit of doubt before his time and among his contemporaries -- Criticism of mythological legends, as condemned by common sense and opposed to morality -- Doubts regarding the gods -- The nature of Zeus -- The drama of the bacchanals -- The orphic mysteries -- Soothsaying and soothsayers -- The right of asylum -- The sanctity of the oath -- Euripides’ philosophical views. The poet’s pessimistic views about life and man’s estate -- What is death? -- Various answers -- Philosophical hypotheses -- Society. Satire on women -- Criticism of social prejudices -- The nobility -- The common people -- The slaves -- Political views of Euripides. The domestic politics of Athens -- Foreign policy -- The children of Heracles -- The suppliants -- Choice of subjects. Euripides in relation to Aeschylus and Sophocles -- The lost tragedies -- Their sources -- Immorality of certain subjects -- Aristophanes criticisms -- Dramatic situations. Terror -- Attempt to secure tragic effects -- Pity -- Children and mothers -- Unfortunate heroes -- Admiration -- Self-sacrifice -- Action. Multiplicity of incidents -- Recognitions -- Double plots -- Hecuba -- Heracles -- Daughters of troy -- Phoenician maidens -- Euripides as a critic of Aeschylus -- Comparison of the plays in which both poets dealt with the same subjects -- Comic elements -- Action (continued). Happy endings and divine interventions -- The prologue -- The role of the chorus. Movement of the chorus from the stage to the orchestra and from the orchestra to the stage -- The “epiparodos” in Euripides -- Analysis of the songs and spoken utterances of the chorus in their relation to the action -- Conclusion : the choruses that do not manifest interest in the drama are exceptions -- The lyrics. Preamble -- Forms and rhythms of the different choral parts -- The poetry of the choruses -- Ideas and imagery -- Duets and monodies -- Aristophanes’ criticism of Euripides’ lyrics -- Conclusion -- Analytical index.