by Aeschylus
First published -458
King Agamemnon returns from Troy to face his wife Clytemnestra's murderous rage. King Oedipus discovers the horrifying truth about his parentage and crimes. Princess Medea plots revenge against Jason, who abandoned her for a new bride. These three towering works of ancient drama showcase the greatest tragedians of classical Athens. Aeschylus depicts the bloody cycle of vengeance consuming the house of Atreus. Sophocles reveals how fate and character intertwine to destroy a king who thought he could escape prophecy. Euripides explores a woman's fury when betrayed by the man she sacrificed everything to help. The collection also features excerpts from Aristophanes' comic play The Frogs and selections from Aristotle's Poetics, providing both relief from tragedy and insight into dramatic theory.
Genres: drama, literary-fiction, tragedy, greek-mythology, ancient, classical-studies
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fate-and-prophecy
Setting: Athens, Troy
Period: Ancient
352 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics
Content warnings: violence