Introduction:
Euripides was one of greatest playwrights and poets of classical Greece. He was the 3rd and the last of Athenian tragedians after Aeschylus and Sophocles. Due to a quaint accident of history, eighteen of his 95 plays have survived in a complete form, along with some substantial fragments of many of his other plays. He is primarily famous for having adapted the formal structure of traditional Greek tragedy by portrayal of strong female characters and smart slaves, and by satirizing many heroes of Greek mythology. He is deemed to be the most socially critical of all the ancient Greek tragedians, and his plays are considered quite ahead of his times in comparison with those of his contemporaries. In the following assignment, three …show more content…
Euripides was raised in a cultured family, witnessed the rebuilding of the Athens after the Persian Wars and also the period of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.E). He probably belonged to a rich and influential family, and in his youth was employed as a cup-bearer for Apollo’s dancers. But later due to his exposure to scholars like as Protagoras, Socrates and Anaxagoras, he went on to question the very religion he grew up with. He was married twice, to Choerile and Melito, and had three sons and a daughter. There is hardly any record of Euripides' public life. Although, it is likely that he would have been involved in numerous public or political activities during his …show more content…
He used simplified means of expression which not only catered to bourgeoisie audience but also to the proletarians and plebeians. He was put forward heroic characters in rags and on crutches and in tears for the first time. He treated slaves, women, and children characters with respect and laid pressing importance on the fact that aristocratic background was not necessarily a quality of social status. Euripides is known for conveying modern ideas and opinions though the portrayal of traditional characters. He also wrote about religion, revenge, and all-consuming love. Euripides added new levels of intrigue and elements of comedy, and also created the love-drama to the already existent plot innovations provided by Aeschylus and Sophocles. Three basic themes: war, women, and religion are common to all of Euripides’ surviving plays. He elaborates on the social, political, religious, and philosophical issues. His writings reflect his love for Athens and empathy for suffering humanity.
There is a fairly large number of extant plays of Euripides. His best known works include “Alcestis”, “Medea”, “Hecuba”, “The Trojan Women” and “The Bacchae”, as well as “Cyclops”. It has been suggested by some that Euripides’ attempts at realistic portrayals sometimes came at the expense of a realistic plot, and it’s said that he sometimes relied
Euripides was one of greatest playwrights and poets of classical Greece. He was the 3rd and the last of Athenian tragedians after Aeschylus and Sophocles. Due to a quaint accident of history, eighteen of his 95 plays have survived in a complete form, along with some substantial fragments of many of his other plays. He is primarily famous for having adapted the formal structure of traditional Greek tragedy by portrayal of strong female characters and smart slaves, and by satirizing many heroes of Greek mythology. He is deemed to be the most socially critical of all the ancient Greek tragedians, and his plays are considered quite ahead of his times in comparison with those of his contemporaries. In the following assignment, three …show more content…
Euripides was raised in a cultured family, witnessed the rebuilding of the Athens after the Persian Wars and also the period of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.E). He probably belonged to a rich and influential family, and in his youth was employed as a cup-bearer for Apollo’s dancers. But later due to his exposure to scholars like as Protagoras, Socrates and Anaxagoras, he went on to question the very religion he grew up with. He was married twice, to Choerile and Melito, and had three sons and a daughter. There is hardly any record of Euripides' public life. Although, it is likely that he would have been involved in numerous public or political activities during his …show more content…
He used simplified means of expression which not only catered to bourgeoisie audience but also to the proletarians and plebeians. He was put forward heroic characters in rags and on crutches and in tears for the first time. He treated slaves, women, and children characters with respect and laid pressing importance on the fact that aristocratic background was not necessarily a quality of social status. Euripides is known for conveying modern ideas and opinions though the portrayal of traditional characters. He also wrote about religion, revenge, and all-consuming love. Euripides added new levels of intrigue and elements of comedy, and also created the love-drama to the already existent plot innovations provided by Aeschylus and Sophocles. Three basic themes: war, women, and religion are common to all of Euripides’ surviving plays. He elaborates on the social, political, religious, and philosophical issues. His writings reflect his love for Athens and empathy for suffering humanity.
There is a fairly large number of extant plays of Euripides. His best known works include “Alcestis”, “Medea”, “Hecuba”, “The Trojan Women” and “The Bacchae”, as well as “Cyclops”. It has been suggested by some that Euripides’ attempts at realistic portrayals sometimes came at the expense of a realistic plot, and it’s said that he sometimes relied