Greek Drama and Culture

A survey of ancient Greek drama and the society that produced it. The course will examine a representative sample of the major plays of the tragedians Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, as well as the comic playwright Aristophanes. Among the topics considered will be: the tragic and comic festivals, tragedy's relationship with Athenian democracy, the nature of Greek theaters and ancient theatrical production techniques, reeligion and drama, women and tragedy, tragic and comic heroism, myth and tragedy, and the legacy of Greek tragedy in the modern world. Plays to be read include the Oresteia, Bacchae, Medea, Frogs and Ajax. Dr. Robin Mitchell-Boyask, Associate Professor of Classics. [Greece] [Resources]