The political art of Greek tragedy

Abstract

According to Christian Meier, one of Germany's leading classicists, a Greek tragedy cannot be considered simply a work of art or a reflection of ancient modes of thought. He argues that it is essential to understand tragedy's interaction with the practice of Greek democracy. In The Political Art of Greek Tragedy he focuses on the works of Aeschylus to examine the close relationship between drama and politics at the beginning of the great age of Greek tragedy. Meier looks to tragedy for clues about the political, social, and psychological problems of the inhabitants of fifth-century Athens, a period of rapid and unsettling change. He explores the important role of festivals - particularly the festival of Dionysus - and develops an original interpretation of Aeschvius' plays Oresteia, Promethius, and the Persians. And he shows how the political statements of mythical characters helped to make sense of - and even influenced the politics of the day.