Substack

Greek tragedies were not written for the appreciation of a privileged few. They were performed every year over the span of the 5th century BC before an audience of 15,000 in Athens. They were complex stories, nothing like the simplistic mythology that many of us learned as children. They’re personally and politically relevant to this day, because human life is still precarious, and we still struggle with crises in our families, our communities, and our country. I’ve read the plays with undergraduates, adult students of all ages, and incarcerated students. I love retelling them here.

Why do I love Greek tragedy? These mythical stories of war, familial trauma, and isolation illuminate the beauty and darkness of our shared humanity. This isn’t a lecture series; it’s an exploration.