Medea and Other Plays

Author Euripides
Introduction by Richard Rutherford
Translated by John Davie
Four plays by the Greek dramatist who started to interpret human behavior without reference to the wisdom of gods.


Little is known of the life of Euripides. He was born about 485 B.C. on the island of Salamis and may have begun a career as a painter before writing in the drama competitions in 455 B.C. During his lifetime his plays were often produced, but he won the Athenian drama prize only four times. He died in 406 B.C.

Euripides was a prolific writer, the author of some eighty-eight or more plays, of which nineteen have survived under his name. He was criticized by the conservatives of his time for introducing shabby heroes and immoral women into his plays, a practice that they considered degrading to the noble form of tragedy. However, audiences to whom his predecessors were cold and remote found Euripides direct and appealing.

Euripides became immensely popular after he died and his influence altered drama forever. Considered by George Bernard Shaw to be the greatest of the Greek dramatists, Euripides is now regarded by many as the originator of the dramatic sensibility that developed into what we call "modern" European drama. View titles by Euripides
Medea and Other PlaysGeneral Introduction
Note on the Text
Chronological Table
Translator's Note

Preface to Alcestis
Alcestis

Preface to Medea
Medea

Preface to The Children of Heraclea
The Children of Heracles

Preface to Hippolytus
Hippolytus

Notes
Bibliography
Glossary of Mythological and Geographical Names

About

Four plays by the Greek dramatist who started to interpret human behavior without reference to the wisdom of gods.


Author

Little is known of the life of Euripides. He was born about 485 B.C. on the island of Salamis and may have begun a career as a painter before writing in the drama competitions in 455 B.C. During his lifetime his plays were often produced, but he won the Athenian drama prize only four times. He died in 406 B.C.

Euripides was a prolific writer, the author of some eighty-eight or more plays, of which nineteen have survived under his name. He was criticized by the conservatives of his time for introducing shabby heroes and immoral women into his plays, a practice that they considered degrading to the noble form of tragedy. However, audiences to whom his predecessors were cold and remote found Euripides direct and appealing.

Euripides became immensely popular after he died and his influence altered drama forever. Considered by George Bernard Shaw to be the greatest of the Greek dramatists, Euripides is now regarded by many as the originator of the dramatic sensibility that developed into what we call "modern" European drama. View titles by Euripides

Table of Contents

Medea and Other PlaysGeneral Introduction
Note on the Text
Chronological Table
Translator's Note

Preface to Alcestis
Alcestis

Preface to Medea
Medea

Preface to The Children of Heraclea
The Children of Heracles

Preface to Hippolytus
Hippolytus

Notes
Bibliography
Glossary of Mythological and Geographical Names

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