Sophocles
Subtitle: Ajax
By: Jon Hesk.
Series: Duckworth companions to Greek and Roman tragedy
Publisher: Duckworth
Published: 2003
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 208
Subjects: Sophocles. -- History and criticism; Ajax (Greek mythology)
Other titles: Ajax
Description: "Sophocles' Ajax is one of the most disturbing and powerful surviving ancient tragedies. But it is also difficult to understand and interpret. What are we to make of its protagonist's extremism? Does Ajax deserve the isolation and divine punishment he experiences? Why is his state of mind so difficult to determine? Jon Hesk offers answers to these and many other questions by drawing together the very latest critical work on the play, and introduces the reader to key frames for its interpretation, including Sophoclean heroism, language and form, Homeric intertextuality, Athens''masculinist' culture and the post-classical, contemporary reception of Ajax."--Bloomsbury Publishing

Sophocles' Ajax is one of the most disturbing and powerful surviving ancient tragedies. But it is also difficult to understand and interpret. What are we to make of its protagonist's extremism? Does Ajax deserve the isolation and divine punishment he experiences? Why is his state of mind so difficult to determine? Jon Hesk offers answers to these and many other questions by drawing together the very latest critical work on the play, and introduces the reader to key frames for its interpretation, including Sophoclean heroism, language and form, Homeric intertextuality, Athens''masculinist' culture and the post-classical, contemporary reception of Ajax
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 187-197) and index.