Euripides

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Surviving Greek Tragedy by EuripidesSophoclesAeschylus

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Evolution of Tragedy - Setting the StageTop Legendary Greek MothersTragedy and Comedy

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E-texts of Euripides' TragediesEuripides English Translations

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Euripides - Connection Between Euripides and Greek Tragedy

Who Was Euripides?:

Euripides - Life and Career:

Euripides - Contributions:

Where Aeschylus and Sophocles emphasized plot, by adding an actor each, Euripides added intrigue. Intrigue is complicated in Greek tragedy by the constant presence of the all-knowing chorus.

Euripides also created the love-drama. New Comedy took over the more effective parts of Euripides' technique. In a modern performance of Eurpides' tragedy, Helen, the director explained it was essential for the audience to see immediately that it's a comedy.

During his lifetime, Euripides' innovations met with hostility. To Euripides, traditional legends portrayed the moral standards of the gods unsuitably. The gods' morality was shown to be lower than that of virtuous men. Although Euripides portrayed women sensitively, he nonetheless had a reputation as a woman-hater. Rabinowitz indirectly explains this paradox.

The comic poet Aristophanes criticized Euripides for the following:

1. put beggars in rags on stage
2. determined to make tragedy less lofty
3. decadent, poetic innovator
4. misogynist
5. subverter of received morality
6. of unorthodox religious views

Euripides - Death:

Euripides died in 407/406, in Macedonia, at the court of King Archelaus, either in self-imposed exile or at the king's invitation. An improbable explanation of his death shows how controversial Euripides was: "He is said to have been killed by hunting dogs, either accidentally let loose on him or deliberately set on him by enemies or rivals, or torn apart by women."

Euripides - Quote:

There are three classes of citizens. The first are the rich, who are indolent and yet always crave more. The second are the poor, who have nothing, are full of envy, hate the rich, and are easily led by demagogues. Between the two extremes lie those who make the state secure and uphold the laws.

Euripides - The Suppliants

More Euripides Quotations

Surviving Tragedies of Euripides:

• Orestes
• Phoenician Woman
• Trojan Women
• Ion
• Iphigenia
• Hecuba
• Heracleidae
• Helen
• Suppliant Women
• Bacchae
• Cyclops
• Medea
• Electra
• Alcestis
• Andromache

Greek Theatre Study Guide:

• Overview of Greek Theater
• Important Facts About Greek Theater and Greek Drama
• Select Greek Theater Bibliography
• Tragedy - Setting the Stage
• Aeschylus
• Sophocles
• Euripides
• Aristophanes