Review by Choice Review
In an expository chapter, Mastronarde (Univ. of California, Berkeley) covers approaches to Euripidean tragedy from antiquity through the 20th century. He discusses the reception of Euripides from middle comedy through the rhetorically oriented education systems of the late Roman and Byzantine periods; Renaissance Latin translations; and 19th- and 20th-century approaches to the genre of tragedy, focusing on the sociopolitical and educational takes on Attic tragedy. The approach the author claims to take is, in his words, "eclectic, flexible, and wary of totalizing interpretations." Subsequent chapters discuss issues related to generic definitions of tragedy and other dramatic genres; dramatic structures of Euripidean plays; the chorus and the relevance and connection of choral odes; the role and presentation of gods, and the dramatic functions of criticism of the gods; rhetoric and character portrayal, especially in the formal debate scenes; female figures; and male figures. This is a learned book and not an easy read (as the author admits in his preface). It assumes broad knowledge not only of the plays but also of cultural and literary history. Although the bibliographical references are ample, the bibliography omits some of the specialized scholarship, especially works on specific plays, as well as some recent commentaries. Summing Up: Recommended. Researchers and faculty. H. M. Roisman Colby College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
