Greek Tragedy [The Great Courses]
by Elizabeth Vandiver
The Great Courses: Literature and Language (217), The Great Courses (217)
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Description
Greek tragedy was a dramatic form that flourished for less than a full century. And yet it remains vibrant, alive, and productive today. And the form's masterpieces help us - as perhaps they helped their original audiences - grasp a fuller sense of the terror and wonder of life. Professor Vandiver has designed these 24 rich and rewarding lectures to give you a full overview of Greek tragedy, both in its original setting and as a lasting contribution to the artistic exploration of the human show more condition. You'll learn to see Greek tragedy as a genre in its cultural context. What is tragedy's deeper historical background? Did it grow out of rituals honoring the god Dionysus, as is so often said? How did Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides each make unique contributions to tragedy's expressive power? You'll also uncover what scholarship can reveal about the actual performance of Greek tragedy, including its physical and ritual settings, actors and acting methods, conventions of staging and stagecraft, and even how productions were financed. And with this solid background in place, you'll explore a broad group of tragedies in close detail. In particular, you'll see how individual tragedies used traditional myths (often tales from the Trojan War), and what Aeschylus, Sophocles, or Euripides intended to accomplish by changing or adding to the basic story. You'll examine what certain tragedies imply about the world of 5th-century Athens and the importance, in turn, of the cultural background for explaining those tragedies. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Outstanding 5+
I wish I could personally thank Dr. Elizabeth Vandiver for her course on Greek tragedy. It was that good. In 24 finely constructed, thought-provoking lectures, she examined the cultural and historical background that led to tragedy's origins in 5th-century Athens, its development as a form (production, stagecraft, acting style, costume), and the works of the three great tragedians: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Her illuminating lectures inspired me to read and listen to ten classic plays. I even saw a production of the Oresteia. The background she provided enhanced my understanding and enjoyment. In addition, she demonstrated the way the plays and playwrights built upon each other and highlighted shifts and show more innovations in the form over time.
I learned a great deal from my foray into Greek tragedy with Elizabeth Vandiver as my guide. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in the classical world or the origins of theater in the west. show less
I wish I could personally thank Dr. Elizabeth Vandiver for her course on Greek tragedy. It was that good. In 24 finely constructed, thought-provoking lectures, she examined the cultural and historical background that led to tragedy's origins in 5th-century Athens, its development as a form (production, stagecraft, acting style, costume), and the works of the three great tragedians: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Her illuminating lectures inspired me to read and listen to ten classic plays. I even saw a production of the Oresteia. The background she provided enhanced my understanding and enjoyment. In addition, she demonstrated the way the plays and playwrights built upon each other and highlighted shifts and show more innovations in the form over time.
I learned a great deal from my foray into Greek tragedy with Elizabeth Vandiver as my guide. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in the classical world or the origins of theater in the west. show less
Athenian stagecraft, the historical context, what plays survived and what are lost, the plays themselves, the playwrights, and the influence of greek tragedy. All fascinating.
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62+ Works 1,022 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Greek Tragedy [The Great Courses]
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, Literature Studies and Criticism
- DDC/MDS
- 882 — Literature & rhetoric Classical & modern Greek literatures Classical Greek dramatic poetry and drama
- LCC
- PA3133 .V35 — Language and Literature Greek language and literature. Latin language and literature Greek literature Literary history
Statistics
- Members
- 66
- Popularity
- 470,903
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.18)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 7
- ASINs
- 4
