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Euripides

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Greek tragedian who portrayed psychological complexity and questioned divine justice

Detailed Definition
Euripides’ plays like "Medea" and "The Bacchae" subverted heroic norms, giving voice to women and outsiders. He was controversial in his time. Poets reference him to explore irrational passion, the critique of tradition, and the tragic consequences of human and divine caprice.
Example
Example in poetry:
Euripides appears in poetic drama as the innovator who humanized mythic heroes; Poets reference his skeptical choruses to explore moral ambiguity; In neoclassical verse, Euripides symbolizes psychological realism; Modern poets use Euripides to examine gender and war (e.g., “The Trojan Women”); His exile in Macedon inspires poems on the artist in displacement; Euripides’ focus on suffering women fuels feminist reinterpretations.
Additional Notes
Euripides (c. 480–406 BCE), Greek tragedian known for psychological realism and skeptical portrayals of gods; in poetry, Euripides symbolizes innovation, tragic ambiguity, or the questioning of tradition—his plays (“Medea,” “The Bacchae”) are frequently adapted or alluded to in modern verse exploring gender, madness, or divine cruelty (e.g., by Hughes or Heaney).
Also Known As
Euripides of Athens
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