The Dramatized Word: Electra and Orestes on Stage

Abstract: This contribution focuses on Sophocles’ rather ‘unclassical’ poetics of his late Electra. The tragedian builds on Aeschylus’ Choephoroi but changes the model in numerous points. The result is an overdramatic play between female psychopathology, deferral, heroic deconstruction and wild arcs of tensions between desperation and hope. Further hallmarks are metatheatrical intricacies, gendered construction of action and deceit. Orestes is determined to revenge his father, while Apollo only helps him find his intrigue that in its excess of cunning runs the risk of losing sight of its target. The avenger thus leaves the stage to make room for exposing Electra’s deranged state of mind in isolation. In the centre of the play is the overshooting messenger speech about Orestes’ death in the chariot race. It incorporates epic extension into tragic structure. The paedagogue apparently loses track in the intrigue, the artificiality of the excessive report runs the risk of missing the goal. The paper aims to explore its function and symbolic meaning in the dramatic set-up. It will thus throw light on the ‘postheroic’ hero who will continue playing his own theatre on stage until the cruel revenge will finally be put in practice by the siblings.

Anton Bierl is Professor for Greek Literature at the University of Basel (since 2002). He was Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies (2005-2011). He is director and co-editor of Homer’s Iliad: The Basel Commentary and series-editor of MythosEikonPoiesis. His research interests include Homeric epic, drama, song and performance culture, the ancient novel, Greek myth and religion. His books include Dionysos und die griechische Tragödie (1991); Die Orestie des Aischylos auf der modernen Bühne (1996); in Italian: L’Orestea di Eschilo sulla scena moderna (2004); Der Chor in der Alten Komödie (2001); in English: Ritual and Performativity (2009); Sappho: Griechisch/Deutsch with commentary and afterword (2021); and the co-edited volumes Literatur und Religion I-II (2007); Gewalt und Opfer (2010); The Newest Sappho (2016); Time and Space in Ancient Myth, Religion and Culture (2017).