Research Catalog

Title

A vehicle for performance : acting the messenger in Greek tragedy / Margaret Dickin ; illustrations by Alan Dickin.

Author

Dickin, Margaret.

Publication

Lanham, Md. : University Press of America, c2009.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

v, 212 p. : ill.; 23 cm.

Summary

"This book investigates the transformation of the Tragic Messenger, traditionally a minor supporting character in Greek drama who brought news from off stage, into one of the leading acting roles in ancient drama. It examines the features of Messenger speeches which made them attractive acting roles, reviews the Tragic Messenger in vase paintings, and analyzes the distribution of acting roles in the extant fifth-century tragedies. The technique of masked actors playing multiple roles in the same drama permitted 'metatheatrical' linkages between these acting roles. When these linkages involved Euripides' very vivid Messenger speeches, they allowed the Tragic Messenger to become an indispensable and stereotypical part of the drama. This was not only important in the development of the tragic genre itself, but may also have led to the stock role of the Running Slave in comedy."--Jacket.

Subject

• Characters and characteristics in literature
• Greek drama (Tragedy) > History and criticism
• Messengers in literature

Genre/Form

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. [149]-153) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

The significance of the messenger in fifth-century Greek tragedy -- Quantitative evaluation of narrative speeches in tragedy -- Representations of the dramatic messenger on vases -- Factors affecting the assignment of roles in tragedy -- Identification of the casting of the dramatic messenger.

ISBN

• 0761843558 (paperback : alk. paper)
• 9780761843559 (paperback : alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2008934815

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library