Brecht and Tragedy
Radicalism, Traditionalism, Eristics
Part of Classics after Antiquity
- Author: Martin Revermann, University of Toronto
- Date Published: December 2021
- availability: Available
- format: Hardback
- isbn: 9781108489683
Hardback
Other available formats:
Paperback, eBook
Looking for an inspection copy?
Please email [email protected] to enquire about an inspection copy of this book
-
This wide-ranging, detailed and engaging study of Brecht's complex relationship with Greek tragedy and tragic tradition argues that this is fundamental for understanding his radicalism. Featuring an extensive discussion of The Antigone of Sophocles (1948) and further related works (the Antigone model book and the Small Organon for the Theatre), this monograph includes the first-ever publication of the complete set of colour photographs taken by Ruth Berlau. This is complemented by comparatist explorations of many of Brecht's own plays as his experiments with tragedy conceptualized as the 'big form'. The significance for Brecht of the Greek tragic tradition is positioned in relation to other formative influences on his work (Asian theatre, Naturalism, comedy, Schiller and Shakespeare). Brecht emerges as a theatre artist of enormous range and creativity, who has succeeded in re-shaping and re-energizing tragedy and has carved paths for its continued artistic and political relevance.
Read more- Fundamental re-assessment of Brecht's complex relationship with Greek tragedy and the tragic tradition, emphasizing its importance for understanding his innovative and radical theatre art
- Significant archival material is made available for the first time
- First ever complete publication of Ruth Berlau's colour photographs from Brecht's 1948 production of Sophocles' Antigone
Reviews & endorsements
'This is a book that should have been written long ago but it is really only someone like Revermann, with equal grasp of Greek tragedy, tragedy as a diachronic form (rather than a mode), and a deep knowledge of the history of modern European performance traditions, who could write it.' Fiona Macintosh, Director of The Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama (APGRD), University of Oxford
See more reviews'Martin Revermann's new book on Brecht deserves a place of honor at the very center of contemporary studies of twentieth-century German drama and more widely of twentieth-century European literature as a whole. It is extraordinary how fundamentally Revermann has been able to enrich and transform our understanding of Brecht, in part by discovering and fruitfully interpreting so much new material. I do not doubt that this book will turn out to be as much a milestone in Brecht studies as Revermann's work on Greek drama has been in that field.' Glenn W. Most, Professor of Greek Philology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa
'… a valuable, erudite, and inspiring study of Brecht and tragedy.' Silvija Jestrovic, European Association for the study of theatre and performance
'… Brecht's utilitarian aims will inspire younger generations to continue studying and appreciating the great theater practitioner … Recommended.' G. Divay, Choice
Customer reviews
Not yet reviewed
Be the first to review
Review was not posted due to profanity
×Product details
- Date Published: December 2021
- format: Hardback
- isbn: 9781108489683
- length: 492 pages
- dimensions: 251 x 176 x 33 mm
- weight: 1.02kg
- contains: 36 b/w illus. 4 colour illus.
- availability: Available
Table of Contents
Introduction: Radicalism, traditionalism, eristics
Part I. Point of contact 1948:
1. 1948 – A year of krisis
2. Professing non-Aristotelianism: Brecht's Small Organon for the Theatre (1948)
3. Utilizing Greek tragedy: Brecht's The Antigone of Sophocles (1948)
4. The making of a model: Antigonemodell 1948
Part II. Positionings:
5. The other Other: Brecht's Asia
6. Naturalism and related diseases
7. Schiller: rival and inspiration
8. Comedy and the comic
9. Shakespeare and the road beyond tragedy
Part III. Comparatist explorations:
10. The tragedy of Mother Courage
11. Brechtian chorality
12. Threepenny Opera: the view from below
13. Appellative anti-tragedy: gods, parody and closure in The Good Person of Sezuan
14. Mahagonny: rise and fall of a dystopian city
15. Anti-tragic justice: The Measure
16. Heroism and its discontents I: the epic tragedy The Judith of Shimoda – expansion, commentary, metapoetics
17. Heroism and its discontents II: Galileo, a tragic hero of science?
Conclusion: Brecht and tragedy – pulling threads together.
Sorry, this resource is locked
Please register or sign in to request access. If you are having problems accessing these resources please email [email protected]
Register Sign in» Proceed
You are now leaving the Cambridge University Press website. Your eBook purchase and download will be completed by our partner www.ebooks.com. Please see the permission section of the www.ebooks.com catalogue page for details of the print & copy limits on our eBooks.
Continue ×Are you sure you want to delete your account?
This cannot be undone.
Thank you for your feedback which will help us improve our service.
If you requested a response, we will make sure to get back to you shortly.
×