Figures of play

"This book presents the first extended study of self-consciousness and dramatic artifice in Greek tragedy while exploring the reflexive aspects of ancient theatrical culture across genres. Fifth century tragedy and comedy sublimated the agonistic basis of Greek civilization in a way that invited the community of the polis to confront itself. In the theater, as in the courts and assemblies, a significant subset of the Athenian public was spectator and judge of contests where important social and ideological issues were played to it by its own members. The "syntax" of drama is shown to involve specific "figures of play" through which the theatrical medium turns back upon itself to study the contexts of its production." "The book should be of particular interest to those working in Greek tragedy and comedy and classical literary theory."--Jacket.