Electra by Sophocles Sophocles

The play Electra by Sophocles has long been regarded as an excellent tragedy, from Cicero calling it a “masterpiece” (Csapo 67) to widespread modern praise. However, most of the critical discourse centers not around evaluating the larger picture...

In Sophocles’ Electra the driving force behind the plot is the notion of achieving justice outside of a formal justice system. The play shows how seeking justice can quickly turn into plotting revenge. Without any formal authority, cycles of...

From Jason to Perseus, Greek plays popularly depict righteous mortals with honorable qualities. The abundance of heroes in Greek mythology shows the preference of many playwrights to portray humans in a positive light. However, these paragons of...