Fathers and Sons in Greek Drama

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to explore the father and son relationship in the tragedies concerned with the House of Atreus and those set in Thebes around the myth of Oedipus. This process evaluates the special significance of the relationship and the impact it has on the the dynamics of the plot of each particular tragedy. The thesis also assesses the extent to which the inclusion of the relationship affects the emotional dimensions of the tragedy. The conclusions reached support the importance of this relationship in the tragedies. The confrontations between fathers and their sons, whether amicable or tense frequently preceded the climax of the play or altered the direction towards that climax. It was also evident that stereotyped expectations about different age groups were unfounded. At all times the portrayal of the relationship brought the dramatic action down to a realistic human level, as opposed to remaining purely mythical thereby providing an essential tragic ingredient.