Politics of Youth in Greek Tragedy: Gangs of Athens

Shipton offers innovative interpretations of tragedy by exploring how it responded to the fluctuating attitudes to young people in ancient Athens. He argues that the prominence of young people in tragedy reflects the uncertainty as to their role in society and how negative conceptualizations of youth are formed to contain these paradoxical views.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 22 August 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This groundbreaking collection of interpretations of tragedy presents fresh insights into the interplay between politics and youth in the ancient world. By delving into how tragedy reacted to the shifting attitudes towards young people during a particularly tumultuous period in Athens' history, Shipton sheds new light on ancient perceptions of youth. By examining renowned plays like Sophocles' Antigone and Euripides' Bacchae, alongside lesser-known tragedies such as Euripides' Heraclidae and Orestes, Shipton uncovers compelling evidence to suggest that the complex and often contradictory views we hold about youth today can also be found in the ancient society of classical Athens. Shipton contends that the prominence of young people in tragedy throughout the fifth century reflects the ongoing uncertainty regarding their societal role. As Athens experienced periods of prosperity and decline, tragic playwrights frequently utilized young characters to explore political tensions and social upheaval within the city. Throughout his text, Shipton reflects on how negative conceptualizations of youth, often perpetuated through the socially constructed notion of the "gang," are formed as a means to contain paradoxical views on youth.

Weight: 322g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350124967