Alcestis and Other Plays by Euripides

165 Pages, Penguin Classic Paperback

180mm x 110mm x 10mm (L x W x T)

Condition: GOOD - A typical, average used book.  Will have small/minor signs of wear, though no tears on either cover or pages.  Binding is sound.  All of our books are second hand (Unless stated otherwise) and may contain markings, signatures and/or gift inscriptions

Genres: Classics / Plays / Drama / Mythology / Ancient History / Theatre / Greece / Poetry

Contained herein are the tragedies Alcestis, Hippolytus, and Iphigenia in Tauris.

The dramatic works of Euripides, even in his own era, stirred considerable contention, presenting to his audience unexpected turns of fate and passions of fierce extremity. To many readers and spectators of our time, his insights appear uncannily modern. Euripides served as the principal artisan in transforming the familiar figures of Hellenic mythos, from awe-inspiring but distant heroes, into recognizable and fallible mortals. His characters, each endowed with surpassing eloquence, engage in the fervent debates of their age, concerning the essence of justice, the conduct of politics, and the nature of piety. His portrayals of women, perhaps the most sympathetically and powerfully rendered in ancient literature, stand as testaments to his artistry. Alcestis, the earliest surviving work of the dramatist, proves less harrowing than its companions, bordering upon the realm of tragicomedy. The Children of Heracles examines the conflict between brute force and righteous conduct, while Hippolytus and Medea, two of his most renowned plays, reveal his profound comprehension of destructive passions.

This new rendering into dignified English prose restores one of the greatest Hellenic playwrights to the reach of a broad audience.