This title features four plays which exemplify his interest in flawed, character
s who defy the expectations of Greek society, Euripides' "Medea and Other Plays"
is translated with an introduction by Philip Vellacott in "Penguin Classics". T
he four tragedies collected in this volume all focus on a central character, onc
e powerful, brought down by betrayal, jealousy, guilt and hatred. The first play
wright to depict suffering without reference to the gods, Euripides made his cha
racters speak in human terms and face the consequences of their actions.
In "
Medea", a woman rejected by her lover takes hideous revenge by murdering the chi
ldren they both love, and Hecabe depicts the former queen of Troy, driven mad by
the prospect of her daughter's sacrifice to Achilles. Electra portrays a young
woman planning to avenge the brutal death of her father at the hands of her moth
er, while in "Heracles" the hero seeks vengeance against the evil king who has c
aused bloodshed in his family. Philip Vellacott's lucid translation is accompani
ed by an introduction, which discusses the literary background of Classical Athe
ns and examines the distinction between instinctive and civilized behaviour.
