"Euripides' Ion" is the story of a young man's search for his identity, and a woman's attempt to come to terms with her past. Through the story of a divine rape and its consequences, it asks questions about the justice of the gods and the nature of parenthood, encouraging its audience to consider contemporary concerns through the filter of traditional myth. This detailed study outlines the pre-history and later reception of the Ion myth, and provides a literary interpretation of the play's main themes, aiming to combine analysis of the text with a consideration of its cultural contexts. Chapters on religion, family, and national identity investigate how Euripides handles these issues in the light of the values of his day, and a chapter on genre discusses the play's upbeat ending and explores how we should define tragedy.
- ISBN10 0715637444
- ISBN13 9780715637449
- Publish Date 29 May 2008
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
- Imprint Bristol Classical Press
- Format Paperback
- Pages 144
- Language English