Author Description
Aeschylus' Agamemnon, the first play in the Oresteia trilogy, is one of the most influential theatrical texts in the global canon. In performance, translation, adaptation, along with sung and danced interpretations, it has been familiar in the Greek world and the Roman empire, and from the Renaissance to the contemporary stage. It has been central to the aesthetic and intellectual avant-garde as well as to radical politics of all complexions and to feminist thinking. Contributors to this interdisciplinary collection of eighteen essays on its performance history include classical scholars, theatre historians, and experts in English and comparative literature. All Greek and Latin has been translated; the book is generously illustrated, and supplemented with the useful research aid of a chronological appendix of performances.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This collection investigates the enduring influence and multifaceted performance history of Aeschylus' Agamemnon from its inception in 458 BC through the early 21st century. The editors, Fiona Macintosh, Edith Hall, and Pantelis Michelakis, curate a series of eighteen interdisciplinary essays that examine how the play has been adapted, translated, and reinterpreted across diverse cultural and political landscapes. By synthesizing perspectives from classical scholars, theatre historians, and literature experts, the volume provides a framework for understanding the play's role in shaping aesthetic, intellectual, and political discourse over two millennia.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of performance history from the ancient Greek world to contemporary global stages
- Examination of the play's influence on feminist thought and radical political movements
- A chronological appendix of performances serving as a primary research tool
- Comparative studies of translation, adaptation, and sung or danced interpretations
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the performance history of Agamemnon rather than a line-by-line philological analysis of the original Greek text
- The scope is limited to the specific performance traditions and adaptations documented within the provided timeframe
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this volume as a comprehensive resource for scholars of classical reception and theatre history. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the utility of the chronological appendix for ongoing research in the field.
Page Count:
501
Publication Date:
2005-01-01
ISBN-10:
019160836X
ISBN-13:
9780191608360
History
Drama
Performance Studies
Theatre History
English
Literary Criticism
English & College Success
Humanities
Theatre
Special Topics