Seeing with Free Eyes: The Poetic Justice of Euripides

Description

Responding to Plato's challenge to defend the political thought of poetic sources, Marlene K. Sokolon explores Euripides's understanding of justice in nine of his surviving tragedies. Drawing on Greek mythological stories, Euripides examines several competing ideas of justice, from the ancient ethic of helping friends and harming enemies to justice as merit and relativist views of might makes right. Reflecting Dionysus, the paradoxical god of Greek theater, Euripides reveals the human experience of understanding justice to be limited, multifaceted, and contradictory. His approach underscores the value of understanding justice not only as a rational idea or theory, but also as an integral part of the continuous and unfinished dialogue of political community. As the first book devoted to Euripidean justice, Seeing with Free Eyes adds to the growing interest in how citizens in democracies use storytelling genres to think about important political questions, such as "What is justice?" Contents Acknowledgments Introduction The “Seeing Place” and the Great Dionysia Festival The Life of Euripides and Transmission of His Plays Outline of the Book Part I: Justice in the City Chapter 1 The Medea: What Justice Conceals The Mythological Context and Plot of the Medea Background Myth Euripides’s Medea Euripides’s Potential Innovations Justice: How to Distinguish Friends and Enemies Justice: Oath Making and Oath Breaking Justice: Retribution and Rejuvenation Conclusion Chapter 2 The Bacchae: Justice, Dialectics, and Dismemberment The Mythological Context and Plot of the Bacchae Background Myth Euripides’s Bacchae Euripides’s Potential Innovations Justice: Dualism and the God of Wine Justice: By Whose Authority? Justice and the God of “What Is Not” A Third Way: Traditional Authority Pentheusian Dionysus or Dionysian Pentheus? Justice: Dialectics and Mutilated Endings Conclusion Chapter 3 The Phoenician Women: Justice is Multicolored The Mythological Context and Plot of the Phoenician Women Background Myth Euripides’s Phoenician Women Euripides’s Potential Innovations The Justice Agōn: When Being Right Is Not Enough Justice as Self-Sacrifice: Blood Price and the Needs of the Many Justice: Irreconcilable Good Things Conclusion Part II: Justice in Sacred Spaces Chapter 4 The Ion: Justice, In and Out of Bounds The Mythological Context and Plot of the Ion Background Myth Euripides’s Ion Euripides’s Potential Innovations Justice: Only Helping My Friends Justice: Separating Good from Bad Justice: Boundaries and the Double Conclusion Chapter 5 The Children of Heracles: And Justice for Others The Mythological Context and Plot of the Children of Heracles Background Myth Euripides’s Children of Heracles Euripides’s Potential Innovations Justice as Friendship: Helping Those in Need Justice as Merit: Helping Friends by Saving Oneself Justice as Merit: Harming Enemies Conclusion Chapter 6 The Suppliant Women: Justice among Cities The Mythological Context and Plot of the Suppliant Women Background Myth Euripides’s Suppliant Women Euripides’s Potential Innovations International Justice: War and Panhellenic Law Political Justice: International Community and the Next Generations Conclusion Part III: Justice in the Wilderness Chapter 7 The Hecuba: Justice as Autonomy The Mythological Context and Plot of the Hecuba Background Myth Euripides’s Hecuba Euripides’s Potential Innovations Justice: As Rhetoric Justice: As Pity? Justice: As Power Justice: As Autonomy and Freedom Conclusion Chapter 8 The Alcestis: Justice as Generosity, or Too Much of a Good Thing The Mythological Context and Plot of the Alcestis Background Myth Euripides’s Alcestis Euripides’s Potential Innovations Justice: What Do I Owe You, My Friend? Justice: Generosity and Gratitude (Kharis) Justice: Generosity of Friendship (Xenia) Justice: The Boundary In-Between Conclusion Chapter 9 The Electra: The Justice of Good and Bad Judgment The Mythological Context and Plot of the Electra Background Myth Euripides’s Electra Euripides’s Potential Innovations Questions of Justice: Orestes’s Moral Conundrum Justice: Judgment and Justification Justice: Seeing with Free Eyes Conclusion Conclusion Justice in Euripides’s Tragedies Justice: Helping Friends and Harming Enemies Justice of Oaths, Merit, and Correction Justice: Boundaries and Limits Final Thoughts Notes Bibliography Index