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A review by chrisdech
Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides by Euripides
5.0
One of the awkward parts of reviewing collections like this is that each play's quality is independent of the other, so I can really only judge this collection on what is actually contained, and the translation work done.
In that regard, Carson does a fantastic job with these plays and has cemented herself in my opinion as the finest translator since Robert Fagles. Her word choice is simple, but raw and powerful, especially in Herakles and Hekabe.
Carson's essay on tragedy, and Euripides's open letter on why he wrote two plays about Phaidra are both fine additions to these four plays, and help round out what is presented.
As for what is contained, I am a little too lazy to fully articulate how I feel about them, but they are all well worth the read, and I'll leave reviews of those separately. The plays collected, in addition to the two mentioned above, are Hippolytos and Alkestis, all of which are great places to start when reading Euripides.
Herakles is a fantastic play that I think fully captures the tragedy of someone great brought low, and by no fault of their own. And in for the most part, Herakles really is guilty of nothing and did not ask to be born a demigod with powerful enemies. And yet, he cannot help but be the hero that he is, which perhaps indirectly leads to his demise. Perhaps here Euripides asks the viewer (or reader) to ask questions of their heroes, and to reconsider the narratives we already know about our idols. Moreover, Euripides forces the reader to consider what to do after grief and trauma, and argues that the only way out is to continue living. 9/10
Hekabe is another fantastic play where a character who is guilty of nothing (at least completely innocent, up until the end of the play) is brought low by forces beyond their control. Here, I think Euripides chooses a different route, and while he still argues that the only way to combat grief is to continue living, here he adds that to continue living is to spurn fate and destiny itself. Hekabe is a woman driven to drastic ends, but for her, any action is drastic because she has truly lost everything by this point, and cannot lose much more (besides Kassandra, but she is essentially lost to Hekabe). 10/10
I think the primary theme between these two plays is that clarity in grief exists for everyone, be it through friends, or through drastic changes brought on by oneself. Now, onto the other two.
Hippolytos is a play where the title figure is arguably not the protagonist, but rather Phaidra is. Phaidra, who cannot help her attraction; Phaidra, who cannot help but feel shame; Phaidra, who cannot help but be who she is and try as she may, loses the most in this play. And while Hippolytos himself is flawed given his obsessive abstinence, it would be hard not to see Phaidra as the heroine, who struggles between what she knows is best for everyone, and what she wants most of all. And while I think the ending falls a little flat, Phaidra really is the star of this play for me. 8/10
Finally, Alkestis, the odd one out of these plays due to being a tragicomedy. Another play where it's the gods who cause suffering, not other people, perhaps to illustrate the random misfortune of reality. Anyways, Alkestis is a fantastic character despite how little she speaks (literally, by the end), resembling Megara in Herakles. Admetos and his father Pheres are both unlikeable in this play, but Admetos is a little more forgivable due to his position being a unique one of unsure standing. Nevertheless, the tragedy and beauty of Alkestis's sacrifice despite not having to is fantastic and juxtaposed rather nicely with the dudebro attitude of Herakles. 8/10
Overall it's hard to score this, but I think I'll make it a 5/5 just because I'm feeling generous.
In that regard, Carson does a fantastic job with these plays and has cemented herself in my opinion as the finest translator since Robert Fagles. Her word choice is simple, but raw and powerful, especially in Herakles and Hekabe.
Carson's essay on tragedy, and Euripides's open letter on why he wrote two plays about Phaidra are both fine additions to these four plays, and help round out what is presented.
As for what is contained, I am a little too lazy to fully articulate how I feel about them, but they are all well worth the read, and I'll leave reviews of those separately. The plays collected, in addition to the two mentioned above, are Hippolytos and Alkestis, all of which are great places to start when reading Euripides.
Herakles is a fantastic play that I think fully captures the tragedy of someone great brought low, and by no fault of their own. And in for the most part, Herakles really is guilty of nothing and did not ask to be born a demigod with powerful enemies. And yet, he cannot help but be the hero that he is, which perhaps indirectly leads to his demise. Perhaps here Euripides asks the viewer (or reader) to ask questions of their heroes, and to reconsider the narratives we already know about our idols. Moreover, Euripides forces the reader to consider what to do after grief and trauma, and argues that the only way out is to continue living. 9/10
Hekabe is another fantastic play where a character who is guilty of nothing (at least completely innocent, up until the end of the play) is brought low by forces beyond their control. Here, I think Euripides chooses a different route, and while he still argues that the only way to combat grief is to continue living, here he adds that to continue living is to spurn fate and destiny itself. Hekabe is a woman driven to drastic ends, but for her, any action is drastic because she has truly lost everything by this point, and cannot lose much more (besides Kassandra, but she is essentially lost to Hekabe). 10/10
I think the primary theme between these two plays is that clarity in grief exists for everyone, be it through friends, or through drastic changes brought on by oneself. Now, onto the other two.
Hippolytos is a play where the title figure is arguably not the protagonist, but rather Phaidra is. Phaidra, who cannot help her attraction; Phaidra, who cannot help but feel shame; Phaidra, who cannot help but be who she is and try as she may, loses the most in this play. And while Hippolytos himself is flawed given his obsessive abstinence, it would be hard not to see Phaidra as the heroine, who struggles between what she knows is best for everyone, and what she wants most of all. And while I think the ending falls a little flat, Phaidra really is the star of this play for me. 8/10
Finally, Alkestis, the odd one out of these plays due to being a tragicomedy. Another play where it's the gods who cause suffering, not other people, perhaps to illustrate the random misfortune of reality. Anyways, Alkestis is a fantastic character despite how little she speaks (literally, by the end), resembling Megara in Herakles. Admetos and his father Pheres are both unlikeable in this play, but Admetos is a little more forgivable due to his position being a unique one of unsure standing. Nevertheless, the tragedy and beauty of Alkestis's sacrifice despite not having to is fantastic and juxtaposed rather nicely with the dudebro attitude of Herakles. 8/10
Overall it's hard to score this, but I think I'll make it a 5/5 just because I'm feeling generous.