Greek Drama and Dramatists

by Sommerstein,Alan H.

• ISBN13: 9780415260282
• ISBN10: 0415260280
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2002-02-22
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The history of European drama began at the festivals of Dionysus in ancient Athens, where tragedy, satyr-drama and comedy were performed. Understanding this background is vital for students of classical, literary and theatrical subjects, and Alan H. Sommerstein's accessible study is the ideal introduction. The book begins by looking at the social and theatrical contexts and different characteristics of the three genres of ancient Greek drama. It then examines the five main dramatists whose works survive - Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes and Menander - discussing their styles, techniques and ideas, and giving short synopses of all their extant plays.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
History of the Dramatic Genres	1	(32)
Introduction	1	(3)
Festival, theatre, performance	4	(11)
Tragedy	15	(7)
Satyr-drama	22	(3)
Old Comedy	25	(5)
Middle and New Comedy	30	(3)
The Authors	33	(44)
Aeschylus	33	(8)
Life and works	33	(1)
Surviving plays	34	(2)
Profile	36	(5)
Sophocles	41	(7)
Life and works	41	(1)
Surviving plays	42	(2)
Profile	44	(4)
Euripides	48	(12)
Life and works	48	(2)
Surviving plays	50	(4)
Profile	54	(6)
Minor tragic poets	60	(3)
Aristophanes	63	(7)
Life and works	63	(1)
Surviving plays	64	(3)
Profile	67	(3)
Menander	70	(5)
Life and works	70	(1)
Surviving plays	71	(1)
Profile	72	(3)
Minor comic poets	75	(2)
Chronology of Greek Drama	77	(10)
Anthology of texts	87	(72)
Production records	87	(2)
Fasti	87	(1)
Didaskaliai	88	(1)
Nikai	88	(1)
Didascalic hypotheses	89	(2)
Aeschylus' Suppliants and companion plays	89	(2)
Aristophanes' Frogs	91	(1)
Synopses of lost plays	91	(2)
Euripides' Stheneboea	91	(1)
Cratinus' Dionysalexandros	92	(1)
Aeschylus	93	(7)
The Persians, ll. 796--831	93	(1)
Seven against thebes, ll. 631--676	94	(2)
Agamemnon, ll. 160--217	96	(2)
Choephoroi, ll. 869--930	98	(2)
Sophocles	100	(7)
Ajax, ll. 646--692	100	(2)
Antigone, ll. 332--375	102	(1)
Oedipus the King, ll. 1119--1185	103	(3)
Electra, ll. 1126--1170	106	(1)
Euripides	107	(11)
Medea, ll. 465--519	107	(2)
The Trojan Women, ll. 308--340	109	(2)
Helen, ll. 437--482	111	(1)
The Bacchae, ll. 370--430	112	(2)
The Cyclops, ll. 519--589	114	(4)
Minor tragedians	118	(7)
Euphorion (?), Prometheus Bound, ll. 907--940	118	(1)
Critias, Sisyphus, fr. 19. 1--40	119	(1)
Chaeremon, Oeneus, fr. 14	120	(1)
Theodectas (unknown play), fr. 8	121	(1)
Moschion (unknown play) fr. 9	121	(1)
Anonymous, Candaules and Gyges, fr. 664. 18--32 from Tragica Adespota	122	(1)
Ezechiel, Exagoge, ll. 1--58	123	(2)
Aristophanes	125	(11)
The Acharnians, ll. 43--133	125	(4)
The Wasps, ll. 1015--1059	129	(3)
The Birds, ll. 209--262	132	(2)
The Women at the Thesmophoria, ll. 1098--1135	134	(2)
Menander	136	(12)
The Curmudgeon (Dyskolos), ll. 189--232	136	(2)
The Arbitration (Epitrepontes), ll. 218--360	138	(6)
Shorn (perikeiromene), ll. 486--525	144	(2)
The Necklace (Plokion), fr. 296. 1--16	146	(1)
Unknown play, fr. 602. 1--18	147	(1)
Unknown play, fr. 804	148	(1)
Minor comedians	148	(11)
Telecleides, The Amphictyons, fr. 1	148	(1)
Cratinus, Cheirones, frs 258 and 259	149	(1)
Eupolis, The Flatterers (Kolakes), fr. 172	150	(1)
Plato, Phaon, fr. 188. 5--21	151	(1)
Antiphanes, Poetry (Poiesis), fr. 189	151	(1)
Epicrates (unknown play), fr. 10	152	(2)
Alexis, Linus, fr. 140	154	(1)
Philippides, The Lover of Euripides (Phileuripides), fr. 25	155	(1)
Philemon, The Soldier (Stratiotes), fr. 82	156	(1)
Anonymous, fr. 1000 from Comica Adespota	157	(2)
Testimonia	159	(13)
Aeschylus	159	(2)
Sophocles	161	(2)
Euripides	163	(4)
Aristophanes	167	(2)
Menander	169	(3)
Select Further Reading	172	(9)
Texts and translations	172	(2)
Drama and Theatre	174	(1)
Drama and Society	175	(2)
Tragedy and Satyr-drama	177	(1)
Individual tragic dramatists	178	(1)
Aristophanes and Old Comedy	179	(1)
Middle Comedy	179	(1)
Menander and New Comedy	180	(1)
Index	181