Oxford Readings in Classical Studies: Euripides

The revival of Euripides' work during the final decades of the 20th century, was fuelled by the contemporary flavour of his subject matter - the emotions of the marginalized members of society. This work illustrates the main strands of Euripidean criticism since the 1960s.
Few ancient authors are as challenging as Euripides, and few have provoked so many diverse critical opinions through the ages: Aristotle described him as "most tragic", and yet many of his plays have been condemned by critics as barely qualifying as "proper" tragedies at all. In general he has enjoyed a revival in reputation during the last three decades of the 20th century - his manipulation of convention and the skill of his dramaturgy are perhaps more widely admired than at any time since the Renaissance. Moreover, his exploration of the emotions of the marginalized sections of Athenian society - women, slaves, foreigners - has given his work strong contemporary resonances. This volume aims to bring together for students some essays illustrating the main strands of Euripidean criticism since the 1960s.