Greek Tragedy Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz Greek Tragedy BLACKWELL INTRODUCTIONS TO THE CLASSICAL WORLD This series will provide concise introductions to classical culture in the broad- est sense. Written by the most distinguished scholars in the fi eld, these books survey key authors, periods and topics for students and scholars alike. Published Greek Tragedy Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz Roman Satire Daniel Hooley Ancient History Charles W. Hedrick, Jr. Homer, second edition Barry B. Powell Classical Literature Richard Rutherford Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory Thomas Habinek In Preparation Ancient Comedy Eric Csapo Ancient Fiction Gareth Schmeling Augustan Poetry Richard Thomas Sophocles William Allan Euripides Scott Scullion Catullus Julia Haig Gaisser Cicero Robert Cape Roman Historiography Andreas Mehl Ovid Katharina Volk Greek Historiography Thomas Scanlon Greek Tragedy Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz © 2008 by Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz BLACKWELL PUBLISHING 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK 550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia The right of Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz to be identifi ed as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. First published 2008 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd 1 2008 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rabinowitz, Nancy Sorkin. Greek tragedy / Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz. p. cm. – (Blackwell introductions to the classical world) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4051-2160-6 (hardcover : alk. paper) – ISBN 978-1-4051- 2161-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Greek drama (Tragedy) – History and criticism. 2. Theater–Greece–History–To 500. I. Title. PA3131.R26 2008 882′.0109 – dc22 2007036295 A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. Set in 10.5 on 13 pt Galliard by SNP Best-set Typesetter Ltd., Hong Kong Printed and bound in Singapore by C.O.S. Printers Pte Ltd The publisher’s policy is to use permanent paper from mills that operate a sustainable forestry policy, and which has been manufactured from pulp processed using acid-free and elementary chlorine-free practices. Furthermore, the publisher ensures that the text paper and cover board used have met acceptable environmental accreditation standards. For further information on Blackwell Publishing, visit our website at www.blackwellpublishing.com Dedicated to the memory of Patricia Francis Cholakian and Jonathan Walters, with whom I shared so much, and my beloved mother and editor extraordinaire, Sophie Wax Sorkin Contents List of Figures ix Preface x Introduction 1 Part I Tragedy in Its Athenian Context 11 1 What Was Tragedy? 13 Defi nitions of Tragedy 13 What Did It Do? 16 Where Did It Come From? 18 How Were the Plays Performed? 20 2 Tragedy and the Polis 33 Democracy 36 Empire and Hegemony 39 Performance Setting 43 Rhetoric 47 Referentiality 48 Ideology 51 Nothing to Do with the City? 58 3 Tragedy and Greek Religion 60 Dionysos 60 Sacred Time and Space 65 Ritual Practices 67 viii CONTENTS Ritual Practice in Tragedy 73 Greek Gods and Mortals 76 Tragedy and Myth 79 Euripides’ Bacchai 81 Part II Thematic Approaches 85 4 War and Empire 89 Aeschylus’ Persians 89 Aeschylus’ Oresteia 95 Euripides’ Iphigeneia at Aulis 108 5 Family Romance and Revenge in the House of Atreus 116 Euripides’ Elektra 117 Sophocles’ Elektra 122 6 Victims and Victimizers 133 Euripides’ Trojan Women 133 Euripides’ Hekabe 138 Euripides’ Medea 146 7 The King and I 155 Sophocles’ Antigone 155 Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannos 166 8 Epilogue: Modern Performances (with Sue Blundell) 180 References 199 Index 205