Synopses & Reviews
During the past century, the interpretation given by the various directors staging Greek drama has varied, and the critical reception accorded the productions has also altered. While the texts of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides remain constant, the meanings drawn from their plays do not. The director who decides to offer a Greek tragedy in the modern American commercial theater believes in the ability of the text to reach the contemporary audience, and the reviewers assess the success of the venture: their words become a record of both a particular performance and the time in which it played. Hartigan explores how drama and society interact and witnesses the continued vitality of the Greek tragedy.
Review
Lucidly written and handsomely produced, this book will appeal to all readers interested in interpretation of classical drama and in the theater as a mirror of social and intellectual history.Choice
Synopsis
This assemblage of the performance history of Greek tragedies produced on the American commercial stage with accompanying critics' comments reflects the changes in the social and political climate in each decade of the last century.
About the Author
KARELISA V. HARTIGAN is Professor of Classics at the University of Florida.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
The Earliest Plays
Greek Tragedy Gains Recognition: 1900-1915
Greek Tragedy Comes of