Greek Tragedy and the British Theatre 1660-1914

This lavishly illustrated book is the first investigation into the history of performances of Greek tragedy in Britain from 1660 onwards. It assembles discussion of the translations, plays, authors, actors, and audiences, and sets them in the context of contemporary politics, society, and culture. It argues that Greek tragedy was a radical and progressive force in the professional theatre.

This lavishly illustrated book offers the first full, interdisciplinary investigation of the historical evidence for the presence of ancient Greek tragedy in the post-Restoration British theatre, where it reached a much wider audience - including women - than had access to the original texts. Archival research has excavated substantial amounts of new material, both visual and literary, which is presented in chronological order. But the fundamental aim is to explain why Greek tragedy, which played an elite role in the curricula of largely conservative schools and universities, was magnetically attractive to political radicals, progressive theatre professionals, and to the aesthetic avant-garde. All Greek has been translated, and the book will be essential reading for anyone interested in Greek tragedy, the reception of ancient Greece and Rome, theatre history, British social history, English studies, or comparative literature.