stephanieneedstoreadmore's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cuqjids's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tobesbones's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
lnewton's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
itsellamentary's review
dark
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
amadswami's review
4.0
Timeless tales which have unfortunately been twisted by the patriarchy in common knowledge. Take the time to read what these stories actually represent then and now.
mythandsword's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
graywacke's review
3.0
53. Medea & Other Plays: Medea, Hecabe, Electra, Heracles by Euripides, translated by Philip Vellacott
translation 1963
format: 200 page Penguin Classics paperback, 1968 reprint
acquired: 2006, from my neighbor
read: Aug 20-25
rating: 3 stars
Reading all these Greek tragedies, in a sort of sum affect, makes the Greek mythological stories seem ridiculous. I think this especially true with Euripides. There is this sort of un-serious element, a sense of mockery. Each of the three tragic Greek playwrights finds the most extreme, hardest to fathom elements of the mythology, and foregrounds it in their plays. And, it just seems that in same way Hollywood today mocks our religious and moral background, undermining in sum, even if not in intention, Greek drama undermines Ancient Greek beliefs and moral standards.
Well, that was a bit convoluted. I'm trying to compensate, because this book didn't offer much to me. [b:Medea|752900|Medea|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1328868366s/752900.jpg|2936587] was a re-read. [b:Hecabe|413028|Hecuba|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1356133587s/413028.jpg|402260] was forgettable, [b:Heracles|162963|Heracles and Other Plays (Oxford World's Classics)|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1368821488s/162963.jpg|17055381] is over-dramatic and [b:Electra|1171954|Electra|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1318112577s/1171954.jpg|6278827] has it's own issues. Not my favorite plays.
[b:Medea|752900|Medea|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1328868366s/752900.jpg|2936587] 431 bce
This is really a great and disturbing play and re-reading it does add a bit, but doesn't make it any more pleasant. Reviewed here
[b:Hecabe|413028|Hecuba|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1356133587s/413028.jpg|402260] (aka [b:Hecuba|413028|Hecuba|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1356133587s/413028.jpg|402260]) 424 bce
Hecabe is Hector's mother. So, she loses everything in the Trojan war and lives a bit to suffer through it. That's the setting here. She has to experience watching her last daughter, Polyxena, condemned to be a human sacrifice to Achilles. Then, immediately after, she learns of the murder of her one remaining son, Polydorus, who had been sent off to another kingdom for protection. He was murdered by his protector, King Polymestor of Thrace. Lots of inadequate dramatic words. All is not lost, as Hecabe gets a chance to get revenge on Polymestor. Her fellow Trojan woman slaves will set a trap, blind Polymestor and kill his sons. So, at least it's a happy ending...
[b:Electra|1171954|Electra|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1318112577s/1171954.jpg|6278827] 420 bce
The Sophocles play of this same name is powerful, and complex and interesting. With that in mind, I found this play bewildering in its plainness. At one point Euripides makes fun of a scene in Aeschylus's play with Electra, [b:The Libation Bearers|6251772|The Libation Bearers (Ορέστεια, #2)|Aeschylus|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1234559923s/6251772.jpg|44467549]. It's legitimately funny and it's all told straight, with only sarcastic humor. After that scene, I tried to read sarcasm into the entire remaining play...and it all made perfect sense. I guess a lesson is one should be careful not to take these too seriously.
[b:Heracles|162963|Heracles and Other Plays (Oxford World's Classics)|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1368821488s/162963.jpg|17055381] 416 bce
[b:Heracles|162963|Heracles and Other Plays (Oxford World's Classics)|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1368821488s/162963.jpg|17055381] probably deserves some more reflection, but it was so over-dramatic, like a constant high pitched scream, that the thought-provoking affect was lost one me.
With Heracles away, we watch his wife, Megara, human father, Amphitryon, and his children deal with being condemned to pubic execution. They go back and forth between hope and acceptance. At the last moment Heracles arrives and saves them. But, then, immediately, the Goddess Iris has the goddess Madness drive Heracles into an insane episode where he kills his wife and children. An accountant might point out that he came out one family member ahead, Amphitryon lives.
In the emotional fall out, Heracles goes through emotional episodes that include an expression of doubt of all the gods, since gods can only do good. He is doubting what is essential to his own existence, as his real father is Zeus. (I should point out that the actors seem a bit uncertain on this).
There is a lot going on in the play. Notable is, first, how the family responds to being condemned to die, and, second, the doubt in the belief in the gods expressed by Heracles. Euripides is supposedly reflecting his times and the tangled debate going on in and around 5th-century bce Athens about what to believe. This is interesting, and maybe I will get something out of it on a re-read, but right now I need a play with less melodrama.
translation 1963
format: 200 page Penguin Classics paperback, 1968 reprint
acquired: 2006, from my neighbor
read: Aug 20-25
rating: 3 stars
Reading all these Greek tragedies, in a sort of sum affect, makes the Greek mythological stories seem ridiculous. I think this especially true with Euripides. There is this sort of un-serious element, a sense of mockery. Each of the three tragic Greek playwrights finds the most extreme, hardest to fathom elements of the mythology, and foregrounds it in their plays. And, it just seems that in same way Hollywood today mocks our religious and moral background, undermining in sum, even if not in intention, Greek drama undermines Ancient Greek beliefs and moral standards.
Well, that was a bit convoluted. I'm trying to compensate, because this book didn't offer much to me. [b:Medea|752900|Medea|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1328868366s/752900.jpg|2936587] was a re-read. [b:Hecabe|413028|Hecuba|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1356133587s/413028.jpg|402260] was forgettable, [b:Heracles|162963|Heracles and Other Plays (Oxford World's Classics)|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1368821488s/162963.jpg|17055381] is over-dramatic and [b:Electra|1171954|Electra|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1318112577s/1171954.jpg|6278827] has it's own issues. Not my favorite plays.
[b:Medea|752900|Medea|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1328868366s/752900.jpg|2936587] 431 bce
This is really a great and disturbing play and re-reading it does add a bit, but doesn't make it any more pleasant. Reviewed here
[b:Hecabe|413028|Hecuba|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1356133587s/413028.jpg|402260] (aka [b:Hecuba|413028|Hecuba|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1356133587s/413028.jpg|402260]) 424 bce
Hecabe is Hector's mother. So, she loses everything in the Trojan war and lives a bit to suffer through it. That's the setting here. She has to experience watching her last daughter, Polyxena, condemned to be a human sacrifice to Achilles. Then, immediately after, she learns of the murder of her one remaining son, Polydorus, who had been sent off to another kingdom for protection. He was murdered by his protector, King Polymestor of Thrace. Lots of inadequate dramatic words. All is not lost, as Hecabe gets a chance to get revenge on Polymestor. Her fellow Trojan woman slaves will set a trap, blind Polymestor and kill his sons. So, at least it's a happy ending...
[b:Electra|1171954|Electra|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1318112577s/1171954.jpg|6278827] 420 bce
The Sophocles play of this same name is powerful, and complex and interesting. With that in mind, I found this play bewildering in its plainness. At one point Euripides makes fun of a scene in Aeschylus's play with Electra, [b:The Libation Bearers|6251772|The Libation Bearers (Ορέστεια, #2)|Aeschylus|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1234559923s/6251772.jpg|44467549]. It's legitimately funny and it's all told straight, with only sarcastic humor. After that scene, I tried to read sarcasm into the entire remaining play...and it all made perfect sense. I guess a lesson is one should be careful not to take these too seriously.
[b:Heracles|162963|Heracles and Other Plays (Oxford World's Classics)|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1368821488s/162963.jpg|17055381] 416 bce
[b:Heracles|162963|Heracles and Other Plays (Oxford World's Classics)|Euripides|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1368821488s/162963.jpg|17055381] probably deserves some more reflection, but it was so over-dramatic, like a constant high pitched scream, that the thought-provoking affect was lost one me.
With Heracles away, we watch his wife, Megara, human father, Amphitryon, and his children deal with being condemned to pubic execution. They go back and forth between hope and acceptance. At the last moment Heracles arrives and saves them. But, then, immediately, the Goddess Iris has the goddess Madness drive Heracles into an insane episode where he kills his wife and children. An accountant might point out that he came out one family member ahead, Amphitryon lives.
In the emotional fall out, Heracles goes through emotional episodes that include an expression of doubt of all the gods, since gods can only do good. He is doubting what is essential to his own existence, as his real father is Zeus. (I should point out that the actors seem a bit uncertain on this).
There is a lot going on in the play. Notable is, first, how the family responds to being condemned to die, and, second, the doubt in the belief in the gods expressed by Heracles. Euripides is supposedly reflecting his times and the tangled debate going on in and around 5th-century bce Athens about what to believe. This is interesting, and maybe I will get something out of it on a re-read, but right now I need a play with less melodrama.