SOURCE: Wiles, David. “Gender.” In Greek Theatre Performance: An Introduction, pp. 66-88. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

In the following essay, Wiles examines the position of women in Greek democracy, in ritual, and as characters in plays, and summarizes assorted feminist critiques of Greek tragedy.

Women, Politics and Myth

The Problem

Amongst our qualities, god's gift of singing to the lyre was not granted us by Apollo, commander of music. Otherwise I'd have sung out my reply to the race of men. The past has as much to tell of woman's lot as it does of males. 

(chorus: Medea, 424-30)

The theatre of Athens was created by and for men, yet it is generally thought to contain some of the best female roles in the repertory. The contrast with Shakespearean theatre is a striking one. Why? The question has caused much concern in the late twentieth century.

The...