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The Oresteia
Agamemnon, Women at the Graveside, Orestes in Athens
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This edition is ideal for readers interested in classical literature, Greek tragedy, and the foundations of Western drama and democracy. It suits students, scholars, and general readers seeking an accessible yet powerful translation.
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See moreThis spellbinding, ground-breaking translation reenergises Aeschylus’ enduring saga of split loyalties, bloody sacrifice and the efforts to bring peace after generations of strife.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
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Description
The most renowned of Aeschylus' tragedies and one of the foundational texts of Western literature, The Oresteia trilogy is about cycles of deception and brutality within the ruling family of Argos.
In Agamemnon, afflicted queen Clytemnestra awaits her husband's return from war to commit a terrible act of retribution for the murder of her daughter. The next two plays, radically retitled here as The Women at the Graveside and Orestes in Athens, deal with the aftermath of the regicide, Orestes' search to avenge his father's death, and the ceaseless torment of the young prince.
A powerful discourse on the formation of democracy after a period of violent chaos, The Oresteia has long illuminated the tensions between loyalty to one's family and to the greater community.
Now, Oliver Taplin's vivid and accessible translation (Victoria Mohl) captures the lyricism of the original, in what is sure to be a classic for generations to come.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Critics have praised Oliver Taplin's translation as vivid, accessible, and gripping. The Times Literary Supplement called it a bold and poetic version that balances grandeur with clarity for modern readers. Open Letters Review highlighted it as a script that makes a classic of Western drama feel urgent and unpredictable.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781631494666
Publisher: W W Norton & Co Ltd
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 23 October 2018
Country: United States
Imprint: Liveright Publishing Corporation
Contributors:
- Translated by Oliver Taplin
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 20.0mm
Width: 147.0mm
Height: 218.0mm
Weight: 352g
Pages: 224
Collections
About the Author
Oliver Taplin is emeritus professor of classics at the University of Oxford. His books range from The Stagecraft of Aeschylus to Pots & Plays. He has recently published translations of Euripides’ Medea and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Other Tragedies.
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