Sydney Cramer

Dr. Lars Tatom

Theatre History I

16 September 2019

Euripides: A Mad Genius

Of the three tragedians of his time, Euripides is the most memorable to modern

audiences. This can be attributed to many things that were considered blasphemous during that

period of history. Euripides was not afraid to break barriers laid out by his predecessors.

Aeschylus and Sophocles. They were more timid in their approach to showcase to the audience

the evils and goriness of their stories. Euripides would not hesitate to show a death on stage, or

present a women (Medea) straying from her familial duties. This more modern interpretation

allows for people of the modern world to resonate more with Euripides than the older

playwrights.

Walton broke down the specificities of Euripidean writing in a chapter-like fashion.

Outlining the ways that gender roles are problematic and history’s heroes may be more flawed

than we want to think, Walton was able to showcase the reasons why today’s audiences want to

listen and watch what Euripides’ work long after his death. Being able to relate to a story or

stories even though they were written thousands of years ago appeals to today’s want of a

simpler time. However, Euripides is able to write ahead of his time allowing relatable yet foreign

content for us today.