Historia y mitos grecorromanos en la tragedia neoclásica española
ISSN: 1579-7392
Year of publication: 2004
Issue: 3
Pages: 305-332
Type: Article
More publications in: Silva: Estudios de humanismo y tradición clásica
Abstract
The Graeco-Roman world is still subjects of the Spanish theatre of the eighteenth century. Although the Greek and Roman themes come in large measure from the adaptation, imitation and translation of French patterns, an originality in the readaptation of the mythical subject is perceptible. The classical mythology serves to exemplify the principles of the Enlightenment, such as the defence of the liberty, individualism or patriotism. The Greek myth adapts itself to the reality of the time, and is converted into a paradigm of the figure of the tyrant or of the just king. Furthermore the heroes of Spanish history resemble mythical characters.