CONTENTS
General Editor's Foreword
Acknowledgements
General Introduction to the Series
General Bibliography
BIBLIOGRAPHY TO ALCESTIS
INTRODUCTION TO ALCESTIS
PARALLEL GREEK TEXT AND ENGLISH TRANSLATION
COMMENTARY
INDEX
The theme of Euripides' Alcestis blends the primitive
folk-tale of the self-sacrificing bride, Alcestis, and of Heracles'
heroic struggles with the ogre Death, with a morality tale of
"virtue rewarded", in this case twice rewarded. The
Alcestis is the only tragedy which we know to have been
produced in the position usually allotted (at the Athenian tragic
festivals) to the semi-comic "satyrplay". Like
a satyr-play, it has a happy ending but does the poet intend his
audience to interpret the play in quite such simple terms? Opinions
differ widely but the ironic, slightly mocking tone of the play
suggest, at least to some critics, that more sombre meanings may
lie beneath the surface of this beautifully constructed little
masterpiece.
D.J. Conacher (Toronto)
208pp. (1988) cl 234 9 £35 / $59.99, pb 235 7 £16.50 / $28
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General Editor's Foreword General Introduction to the Series BIBLIOGRAPHY TO ALCESTIS INTRODUCTION TO ALCESTIS PARALLEL GREEK TEXT AND ENGLISH TRANSLATION COMMENTARY INDEX |
SOME COMMENTS
BY REVIEWERS
"The introduction is informative, sensible and
perceptive ... commentary is up to date, learned, informative
and often perceptive." JACT
RELATED BOOKS
See under other EURIPIDES in this series.