Senecen Tragedy

Senecen (Greek) Tragedy is very different from Roman Tragedy. These types of tragedies are not meant to be performed. The Greeks, really didn't have drama or plays. They preferred Colosseum-type entertainment (such as gladiators). In Greek dramas, there is no humanity. Readers cannot identify to any character, and they do not learn anything by the end of the play. It is pretty much pointless.

Thyestes is the last tragedy that we have to read this semester. It is actually the most violent and most gruesome drama every created by an ancient playwright. It is a critic of Nero's reign. Nero is supposed to be Atreus, and Seneca is Nero's advisor in the play. (Seneca put himself into the play.)

In the House of Atreus, there is a history of repeat canabalism and insest. A really gross part was when Pelops was cut up by Tantalus, his father, and fed to the gods. All of the gods knew what was going on, except Thetis, Achilles' mother, who actually ate his shoulder. (Sick!) The gods then pieced him back together. Every part is accounted for, except for his shoulder, so they made him a new shoulder out of ivory. (This shoulder is the equivalent to Achilles' heel.)

This was a crazy story to read. It was greusome, pointless, and violent. Who cuts up theirr own child just because they want to trick the gods? The only one who is fooled is Thetis.... but luckily she only ate the shoulder. I am very glad we didn't have to read very many of these types of tragedies. It is good literature, but bad at the same time.