Books › Literature & Fiction › Dramas & Plays

Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides (New York Review Books Classics)

Name: Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides (New York Review Books Classics)
Price: 13.93 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.8 (112 reviews)

4.8 of 5 Stars: Dramas & Plays - Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides (New York Review Books Classics)

112

$13.93

Buying Options

Description

Book Synopsis: Now in paperback.Euripides, the last of the three great tragedians of ancient Athens, reached the height of his renown during the disastrous Peloponnesian War, when democratic Athens was brought down by its own outsized ambitions. “Euripides,” the classicist Bernard Knox has written, “was born never to live in peace with himself and to prevent the rest of mankind from doing so.” His plays were shockers: he unmasked heroes, revealing them as foolish and savage, and he wrote about the powerless–women and children, slaves and barbarians–for whom tragedy was not so much exceptional as unending. Euripides’ plays rarely won first prize in the great democratic competitions of ancient Athens, but their combustible mixture of realism and extremism fascinated audiences throughout the Greek world. In the last days of the Peloponnesian War, Athenian prisoners held captive in far-off Sicily were said to have won their freedom by reciting snatches of Euripides’ latest tragedies.Four of those tragedies are presented here in new translations by the contemporary poet and classicist Anne Carson. They are Herakles, in which the hero swaggers home to destroy his own family; Hekabe, set after the Trojan War, in which Hektor’s widow takes vengeance on her Greek captors; Hippolytos, about love and the horror of love; and the strange tragic-comedy fable Alkestis, which tells of a husband who arranges for his wife to die in his place. The volume also contains brief introductions by Carson to each of the plays along with two remarkable framing essays: “Tragedy: A Curious Art Form” and “Why I Wrote Two Plays About Phaidra.” Read more

Details

Looking for a gripping read that will transport you back to ancient Athens? Look no further than Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides. This extraordinary collection, now available in paperback, showcases the genius of Euripides, the last of the three great tragedians of ancient Athens.

In these four plays - Herakles, Hekabe, Hippolytos, and Alkestis - Euripides fearlessly explores the depths of human nature, revealing the flaws and follies of heroes and challenging societal norms. His powerful storytelling captivates audiences, leaving them breathless and craving more.

Not only will you be immersed in Euripides' spellbinding tales, but you'll also gain a deeper understanding of the struggles faced by the powerless - women, children, slaves, and barbarians. Through his poignant portrayals, tragedy becomes an unending reality for these marginalized groups.

Thanks to the exceptional translation skills of poet and classicist Anne Carson, you can now experience the true essence of Euripides' works. Carson's mastery of language brings these ancient plays to life, allowing you to fully appreciate the realism and extremism that fascinated audiences throughout the Greek world.

Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the turbulent world of ancient tragedy. With Carson's insightful introductions and two remarkable framing essays, "Tragedy: A Curious Art Form" and "Why I Wrote Two Plays About Phaidra," Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides is not only a captivating read, but also a journey into the depths of human emotion.

Embark on this literary adventure by getting your copy of Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides today and rediscover the timeless power of Greek tragedy.Order now.

See All Buying Options...

More Details...