The Inference of Staging from Deictics, with some Pointers towards Sophocles’ Trachiniae
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Oliver Taplin
Abstract
Deictic pronouns, especially the most immediate ὅδε etc., are far more frequent in plays than other poetic forms, because they embody the story rather than narrating it. It is argued that they indicate various possible or probable gestures, movements and stagings. They may be used of vividly envisaged people and events off-stage as well as those directly visible. The employment of deictics in Sophocles’ Trachiniae is especially complex and interesting. This is because the past is vividly evoked, and because Iole is inside the house and Heracles is still away from home for most of the play. Deictics are also particularly used to speak allusively, and sometimes quite explicitly, of sexual matters, especially Heracles’ driving passions. In contrast with the middle scenes, the final part when Heracles has returned uses hardly any deictics. This reflects his lack of emotion or regret over the victims of his monstrous lust, Deianeira and Iole. It is argued that this may bear on whether his ending on the pyre on Oeta is to be regarded as a reward or a punishment for his exploits.
Abstract
Deictic pronouns, especially the most immediate ὅδε etc., are far more frequent in plays than other poetic forms, because they embody the story rather than narrating it. It is argued that they indicate various possible or probable gestures, movements and stagings. They may be used of vividly envisaged people and events off-stage as well as those directly visible. The employment of deictics in Sophocles’ Trachiniae is especially complex and interesting. This is because the past is vividly evoked, and because Iole is inside the house and Heracles is still away from home for most of the play. Deictics are also particularly used to speak allusively, and sometimes quite explicitly, of sexual matters, especially Heracles’ driving passions. In contrast with the middle scenes, the final part when Heracles has returned uses hardly any deictics. This reflects his lack of emotion or regret over the victims of his monstrous lust, Deianeira and Iole. It is argued that this may bear on whether his ending on the pyre on Oeta is to be regarded as a reward or a punishment for his exploits.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements V
- Contents VII
- List of Figures IX
- Introduction to Page and Stage 1
- Dramatic Space and Theatrical Meaning: The Case of Sophocles’ Antigone 5
- The Inference of Staging from Deictics, with some Pointers towards Sophocles’ Trachiniae 29
- Divinity on the Classical Greek Stage: Proposing a New Model 45
- Victory Ritual and the Performance of Victory in Aristophanes’ Exodoi 65
- Some Staging Issues and Their Consequences in Aristophanes’ Clouds 83
- Sexy Mutes on the Aristophanic Stage 97
- Pseudartabas and the Persian Eunuchs in Aristophanes’ Acharnians: Textual and Staging Problems 115
- Poetics of Props: On Aristophanes, Acharnians 393–489 131
- Comic Fragments and Lost Dramatic Scenes: Some Considerations 137
- Dramaturgical Memory and Virtual Theatre in the Scholia to Aristophanes’ Frogs 147
- No, They Didn’t Write Stage Instructions, but… 167
- List of Contributors 173
- Index Locorum 177
- Index Rerum 181
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements V
- Contents VII
- List of Figures IX
- Introduction to Page and Stage 1
- Dramatic Space and Theatrical Meaning: The Case of Sophocles’ Antigone 5
- The Inference of Staging from Deictics, with some Pointers towards Sophocles’ Trachiniae 29
- Divinity on the Classical Greek Stage: Proposing a New Model 45
- Victory Ritual and the Performance of Victory in Aristophanes’ Exodoi 65
- Some Staging Issues and Their Consequences in Aristophanes’ Clouds 83
- Sexy Mutes on the Aristophanic Stage 97
- Pseudartabas and the Persian Eunuchs in Aristophanes’ Acharnians: Textual and Staging Problems 115
- Poetics of Props: On Aristophanes, Acharnians 393–489 131
- Comic Fragments and Lost Dramatic Scenes: Some Considerations 137
- Dramaturgical Memory and Virtual Theatre in the Scholia to Aristophanes’ Frogs 147
- No, They Didn’t Write Stage Instructions, but… 167
- List of Contributors 173
- Index Locorum 177
- Index Rerum 181
