Electra

An in-depth, academic read, Batya Casper’s ELECTRA: A Gender Sensitive Study of Plays Based on the Myth, is a thorough exploration of the Greek Electra myth and how its many adaptations over time have been shaped by the male perspective, to the detriment of the female one. Through a theatrical lens, the author explores the role Electra has played as the central figure in numerous plays over the centuries. With a focus on the societal woes of the time in which each version was written, the myth shifted as needed to reflect the author’s interpretation. Starting with the Greek tragedies – both entitled Electra – by Sophocles and Euripides, and continuing to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, through pre-war France and the writings of Giraudoux, and many more – the book leaves no stone unturned.