Ancient Greek tragedy, as a genre that developed within the civic context of the Greek city-state, served an important political function, and often addressed political topics. For example, the Oresteia, Aeschylus’ trilogy, reflected on the effectiveness of democracy, and Sophocles’ Antigone dramatized the conflict between religious and familial obligations and the authority of the state. Although today attendance to theatrical performances is no longer considered a civic duty, the way it was regarded in the fifth century BCE, theater remains a prominent medium for the exploration of political and social issues. In recent times, modern re-interpretations of Greek tragedy have served as frameworks for the discussion of issues of displacement, from international migration to the current refugee crisis. Playwrights have looked at the way classical plays such as Euripides’ Medea or Aeschylus’ Suppliant Women portray themes of exile, hospitality, or forced migration, and have used these texts to expose the complexities and tensions of different forms of displacement.

This course discusses different forms of displacement, intended as the movement of individuals or groups, in selected ancient Greek tragedies, and looks at similar issues in contemporary adaptations of Greek drama.