Iphigenia, Phaedra, Athaliah
Iphigenia, Phaedra, Athaliah

Author: Jean Racine

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2004-12-02

Total Pages: 445

ISBN-13: 014190934X

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Strongly influenced by Classical drama, Jean Racine (1639-99) broke away from the grandiose theatricality of baroque drama to create works of intense psychological realism, with characters manipulated by cruel and vengeful gods. Iphigenia depicts a princess's absolute submission to her father's will, despite his determination to sacrifice her to gain divine favour before going to war. Described by Voltaire as 'the masterpiece of the human mind', Phaedra shows a woman's struggle to overcome her overwhelming passion for her stepson - an obsession that brings destruction to a noble family. And Athaliah portrays a ruthless pagan queen, who defies Jehovah in her desperate attempt to keep the throne of Jerusalem from its legitimate heir.

Jean Racine: Four Greek Plays
Jean Racine: Four Greek Plays

Author: Jean Racine

Publisher: CUP Archive

Published: 1982-04-29

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 9780521286763

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This is the best translation into English of Andromache, Iphigenia, Phaedra and Athaliah.

Three Plays
Three Plays

Author: Euripides

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2005-05-26

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 0141961961

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One of the greatest playwrights of Ancient Greece, the works of Euripides (484-406 BC) were revolutionary in their depiction of tragic events caused by flawed humanity, and in their use of the gods as symbols of human nature. The three plays in this collection show his abilities as the sceptical questioner of his age. Alcestis, an early drama, tells the tale of a queen who offers her own life in exchange for that of her husband; cast as a tragedy, it contains passages of satire and comedy. The tragicomedy Iphigenia in Tauris melodramatically reunites the ill-fated children of Agamemnon, while the pure tragedy of Hippolytus shows the fatal impact of Phaedra's unreasoning passion for her chaste stepson. All three plays explore a deep gulf that separates man from woman, and all depict a world dominated by amoral forces beyond human control.