1- Orestes by Euripides: just perfect, even though it has a deus ex machina at the end. Orestes is a very deep character morally speaking. He obeys the gods yet the gods ask him to do evil. Then he has to deal with the consequences by dealing even more evil. I wish there was a painting of that moment where he is at the balcony of the burning palace holding a dagger to Hermione's neck while yelling at Menelaus (Hermione's dad). The moment where Orestes, Electra, and Pylades are talking about their plans to escape is captivating too. 2- Libation Bearers by Aeschylus: basically Hamlet. Again, Orestes is a very deep character morally speaking. 3- Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides: the best introduction to the Trojan war myth and even The Iliad. It all feels so familiar. You can't understand the conflict between Agamemnon and Menelaus without this one. 4- Oedipus Rex by Sophocles: It's just perfect. It has an exposition, a conflict, and a resolution, which is weird for these tragedies since most had either prequels or sequels, but this one feels enough as a standalone (even though it has sequels). Probably the most influential too.5- Philoctetes by Sophocles: probably the character that caused me the most empathy and pity.
EuthyphroThe ApologyPhaedo CritoThe Letters (1-13)
>>24950097Theatrical, yes, but not tragedies.
>>24950099The joke is that 4 of those are related to the death of Socrates and the rest is about the collapse of Plato's efforts in Syracuse. I don't really read tragedians but I can recommend the Bacchae if you haven't read it already.
>>24950088AntigoneOedipus RexPhiloctetesAjaxOedipus at Colonus
>>24950115>Oedipus at ColonusCan you elaborate why? It's Sophocles' worst imo
>>24950213Its purpose is entirely as propaganda for the Athens regime so it is a bit lacking in depth. Oedipus is foretold to bless the soil of the country he dies in so of course Sophocles portrays him dying in Athens and that’s basically the main takeaway of the play and little else.
>>249500881. Agamemnon by Aeschylus2. Oedipus Coloneus by Sophocles3. Libation Bearers by Aeschylus4. Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus5. Philoctetes by Sophocles>>24950213It's easily Sophocles greatest achievement. People are incredibly superficial judges of it because there's so little 'action'. I can't think of any other work that so perfectly encapsulates the religious sensibility of the Greeks. It's essentially Sophocles farewell to the world.
>>24950088I read all of the surviving tragedies. Electra has personal significance to me. I like Medea also and Helen. I like the Oedipus trilogy. Generally, I avoid Aeschylus as I consider his style too primitive to enjoy like the other two guys. He is the most metaphysical of the lot but I don’t like his reliance on chorus.
>>24950444This is like saying the purpose of Spenser's Faerie Queene is just propaganda for Elizabeth England. It only successfully functions as that because it is also a great and profound work of art.
