Tragically Speaking: On the Use and Abuse of Theory for Life

Title Page, Copyright, Dediccation, Quotes

tragically speaking Symplokē Studies in Contemporary Theory Series editor: Jeffrey R. Di Leo Tragically Speaking On the use and a buse of t h e o r y for l i f e k alliopi nikolopoulou University of Nebraska Press / Lincoln and London © 2012 by the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska Portions of chapter 2 appeared as “Plato and Hegel on an Old Quarrel” in Epoché 13.2 (Spring 2009): 249–66 and “Between Art and the Polis: Between Agamben and Plato” in Epoché 16.1 (Fall 2011): 17–36. Portions of chapter 5 appeared as “Parrhesia as Tragic Structure in Euripides’ Bacchae.” Epoché 15.2 (Spring 2011): 249–61. Portions of chapter 6 appeared as “Rhiza Aimatoessa: On Antigone” in Intertexts 11.1 (Spring 2007): 1–23 (Published by Texas Tech University Press). Poems in the appendix are reprinted with permission from the following: “Stimme des Volks” from Friedrich Hölderlin: Sämtliche Werke: Kleine Stuttgarter Ausgabe. Bd. 2. Gedichte nach 1800. hrsg. von Friedrich Beißner (Stuttgart, 1953). “Voice of the People” (first and second versions) from Odes and Elegies by Friedrich Hölderlin (Wesleyan University Press, 2008). © 2008 by Nick Hoff and reprinted by permission of Wesleyan University Press. “Voice of the People” is taken from Friedrich Hölderlin: Poems and Fragments, translated by Michael Hamburger (Anvil Press Poetry, 2004). All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America Indexing of this book was paid for by a grant from the Julian Park Publication Fund, University at Buffalo. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Nikolopoulou, Kalliopi. Tragically speaking : on the use and abuse of theory for life/ Kalliopi Nikolopoulou. p. cm.—(Symploke studies in contemporary theory) Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-0-8032-4091-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Tragedy—History and criticism—Theory, etc. 2. Tragic, The. I. Title. pn1892.n54 2012 809'.9162—dc23 2012026188 Set in Arno by Laura Wellington. Designed by Nathan Putens. Στη μνήμη της Μαρίας Ζαχαριάδου-Κοσμίδου. Η ζωή της με δίδαξε για την αγάπη και την αλήθεια πολύ περισσότερο από ό,τι με δίδαξε η φιλοσοφία στα θρανία. • To the memory of Maria Zachariadou-Kosmidou. Her life has taught me more about love and truth than philosophy ever could. For when misfortune’s fraudful hand Prepares to pour the vengeance of the sky, What mortal shall her force withstand? Aeschylus, Persians Yet there is a grace on mortals who so nobly die. Aeschylus, Agamemnon ...