Greek Tragedy – Extant and Fragmentary Plays

The annual festival to Dionysus was where tragedians and writers of comedy and satyr offered up their plays as a tribute to the gods and for the entertainment of the Athenians.  They were also judged and awarded prizes.  The men who wrote the tragedies were not only brilliant writers but also keen social commentators who took the concerns of the present, placed them in the mythological past and offered them up for all of
Athens to watch.  This was the only way that disagreements, or
dissatisfactions, or downright criticisms could be aired – and the writers could remain safe from repercussions behind the mask of tragedy.

The tragedians often manipulated the myths so that they could  take their point through the speeches of their characters expressing what may also have been the views of others who did not have a voice. Each writer presented three tragedies and a satyr play, but sadly not all the plays are extant.  This 16 week course looks a range of Greek tragedies, carrying out a close reading of the extant plays and considers what else the poet presented in the competition by examining the fragments.  As well as looking at Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides we will look at some of the lesser known tragedians such as Phrynichus and Achaeus of Eretria.

No prior knowledge of the genre is necessary but it would be good to do
some brief research ahead of each class.  A handbook will be provided in
advance in both hard and soft copies with information about each of the
classes and suggestions for further reading if desired.

Set books are any version of all the extant Aeschylus, Sophocles and
Euripides plays.

For more information and to book go to: www.ginamay.co.uk/, email events@ginamay.co.uk, call Gina on 07828199547