A Companion to Sophocles: Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World

"This volume will indeed serve as an indispensable reference point for the future study of Sophocles."
Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"Although the book is scholarly and packed with information, it is accessible to nonspecialists. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above."
Choice

Few literary figures have gained more immediate - or more long-lasting - critical acclaim than the ancient Greek dramatist Sophocles. From Sophocles' first victory in the Athenian spring drama competition in 468 BCE, his works went on to become celebrated for tackling such thorny issues as personal will, divine justice, and the limitations of human knowledge. His development of the self-motivated hero's inevitable clash with unavoidable circumstances is widely recognized as the birth of Western tragedy. A Companion to Sophocles presents a comprehensive collection of original essays by leading scholars that address all aspects of the life, works, and critical reception of Sophocles. Initial essays introduce Sophocles' extant tragedies as well as fragments of his lost plays, including the Ichneutae. Subsequent readings explore Sophocles' relation to the intellectual, social, and political currents of fifth-century Athens; issues of gender and sexuality; significant moments in the history of interpreting Sophocles; and the reception of Sophocles by both ancient and modern playwrights. A Companion to Sophocles offers illuminating insights into one of the most influential dramatists the world has ever known.