The Persians (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Aeschylus
- First Published: 472
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Tragedy
- Time of Work: 480
- Setting: Susa, the capital of Persia
- Genres: Drama, Tragedy
- Subjects: Ghosts or apparitions, War, Kings, queens, or royalty, Gods or goddesses, Greek or Roman times, Middle East, Battles, Navies, Persia, Iran or Iranian people, Bronze Age
- Locales: Athens, ancient, Persia, ancient
Characters Discussed
Xerxes (ZURK-seez), the king of Persia from 486 to 465 b.c.e. The three members of the Persian Royal House who appear in this play are unique in Greek tragedy as being the only figures from actual history, as opposed to legend, to be used on the Greek stage. The Persian king is here depicted shortly after the Battle of Salamis (480 b.c.e.), in which the Persian navy was utterly destroyed by the Athenian fleet. Xerxes comes on the stage after a messenger has related to Atossa, the king’s mother, and to the chorus of Persian elders a detailed account of the...
[The entire page is 891 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
