My original thesis post is linked here, but I am planning to analyze how gendered depictions of grief via Xerxes in Aeschylus’ Persians fit into the political agenda of the tragedy as a means to “other” the Persian characters in front of an Athenian audience post-Persian War. I aim to discuss this in conversation with other tragedies and primary sources that deal with the grief of Greek men in contrast with non-Greek men, such as the Oresteia and the Iliad. Additionally, I plan to consult historical sources like Herodotus’ Histories and Xenophon’s Anabasis for more detailed information on Greek and Persian interactions in the context of war.
Questions I am using to frame this research include:
- How can the language used to describe grief, particularly war-inspired grief, vary between Greek and non-Greek characters in tragedy, and what are the author’s intentions behind this distinction?
- How may tragedy have been used as a tool of propaganda by politicians and tragedians, specifically one that dealt with lived history for a majority of Athenians, such as the Persians?
- What is a productive way of considering authorial intent and historical context in tragedy without overshadowing the literary significance of the Persians and other tragedies?
Hi Laken,
As someone whose project also focuses on tragedy and (to a certain extent) on grief, I feel we have a lot of questions and interests in common. Definitely looking forward to how your research unfolds, and maybe we can exchange some notes at some point!
One thing that I’m a little unclear on is the exact relationship between the non-tragedy sources, such as Herodotus’ Histories and Xenophon’s Anabasis, and the tragedies you’ll be consulting. How do you see these two genres of tragedy and history interacting (and perhaps influencing?) each other, and are they working with or against each other, especially since they are both tools of propaganda (according to some lines of scholarship)?
Either way, looking forward to seeing how this project develops 🙂
Thanks so much for your comment! I would definitely be interested in sharing notes/sources as we get further into the research process. To answer your questions, I mentioned those specific historical sources due to them (unfortunately) being some of the only primary accounts of the Persian Wars and were, therefore, part of the 5th-century collective memory of the Athenians when thinking about the wars/Persia (along with Aeschlyus’ Persians). You are definitely right in pointing out how these sources also served as some form of propaganda, and I plan to keep this in mind as I do more research! The analysis of the tragedy will still constitute the majority of the thesis, but I also want to situate this analysis within the very real lived history that the play was produced during.
Thank you again for your advice! I will keep these questions in mind as I continue to work 🙂
Hi Laken,
I think this is a fascinating research topic! I myself am very interested in the physicality and externality of grief and mourning in the Greco-Roman world, particularly because it is so far removed from general practices of grief from some other parts of the world, in which the act of mourning is a personal and internal journey. I can’t wait to hear more!