The concept of autochthony in Euripides' Phoenissae

dc.contributor.advisorBeck, Deborah
dc.creatorSanders, Kyle Austinen
dc.date.accessioned2014-09-05T19:56:53Zen
dc.date.issued2014-05en
dc.date.submittedMay 2014en
dc.date.updated2014-09-05T19:56:54Zen
dc.descriptiontexten
dc.description.abstractEuripides’ Phoenissae is a challenging work that is often overlooked by scholars of Greek drama. This study analyzes how the concept of autochthony occupies a central thematic concern of the play. On the one hand, autochthony unites humans to soil, political claims to myths, and present to past. On the other hand, autochthony was often invoked to exclude foreigners, women and exiles from political life at Athens. We observe a similar dichotomy in the Phoenissae. Autochthony unites the episode action–the story of the fraternal conflict—with the very different subject matter of the choral odes, which treat the founding myths of Thebes. By focalizing the lyric material through the perspective of marginalized female voices (Antigone and the chorus), Euripides is able to problematize the myths and rhetoric associated with autochthony. At the same time, Antigone’s departure with her father at the play’s close offers a transformation of autochthonous power into a positive religious entity. I suggest that a careful examination of the many facets of autochthony can inform our understanding of the Phoenissae with respect to dramatic structure, apparent Euripidean innovations, character motivation, stage direction and audience reception.en
dc.description.departmentClassicsen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/25781en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.subjectAutochthonyen
dc.subjectPhoenissaeen
dc.subjectPhoenician womenen
dc.subjectEuripidesen
dc.subjectTragedyen
dc.subjectGreek dramaen
dc.subjectPhoinissaien
dc.subjectAthensen
dc.subjectThebesen
dc.subjectMenoeceusen
dc.subjectAntigoneen
dc.subjectOedipusen
dc.subjectJocastaen
dc.subjectChorusen
dc.subjectSpartoien
dc.subjectSown menen
dc.subjectTheban playen
dc.subjectMastronardeen
dc.subjectSeptemen
dc.subjectColonusen
dc.subject.lcshEuripides.--Phoenician womenen
dc.subject.lcshCitizenship--Greece--Athensen
dc.subject.lcshGreek drama (Tragedy)--Political aspectsen
dc.titleThe concept of autochthony in Euripides' Phoenissaeen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.departmentClassicsen
thesis.degree.disciplineClassicsen
thesis.degree.grantorThe University of Texas at Austinen
thesis.degree.levelMastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Artsen

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