Selected Pages from Greek Dramatic Poetry by Taha Hussein

 

"Selected Pages from Greek Dramatic Poetry" by Taha Hussein

1. Background and Main Objectives

Academic foundation:

This book brings together a series of lectures Taha Hussein delivered to students at the Faculty of Arts at Cairo University when he was tasked with teaching Greek history.

 He believed that the study of Greek dramatic poetry was fundamental to understanding the roots of the modern European Renaissance, since these works became the cornerstone of Western arts such as theater, poetry, and the novel.

Intellectual aim:

Hussein sought to connect Arab culture with the Greek heritage, arguing that a deep understanding of Greek civilization—through its literature and philosophy—was essential for the progress of the Arab world, just as it had been for Europe.

2. Content and Structure

Critical study:

He offers a historical and literary analysis of the origins of dramatic poetry in Greece, showing how it developed from religious rituals into a fully formed art of theater, and highlighting its role in shaping social consciousness.

Writers and thinkers:

Hussein discusses the lives and works of major Greek dramatists, such as:

• Aeschylus: Examined through plays like The Persians, Prometheus Bound, and The Eumenides, which embody the tension between fate and human will.

• Sophocles: Analyzed through works such as Antigone and Electra, focusing on questions of morality and justice.

Selected texts:

The book includes translations of complete tragedies, accompanied by commentary that explains their artistic structure and philosophical depth.

3. Historical Context and Debate

Cultural controversy:

Hussein faced criticism for teaching Greek literature at Cairo University, with some accusing him of promoting “Westernization.” In the book’s preface, he responded to this debate, insisting that engaging with earlier civilizations—including the Greek—does not undermine Arab identity.

Publication history:

First published in 1920, the book has been reissued multiple times, most recently in 2024, underscoring its continued relevance.

4. Core Ideas

• Greek civilization as a foundation for modernity: Hussein emphasized that the works of Greek thinkers such as Socrates and Aristotle laid the groundwork for the Renaissance and modern European thought.

• Tragedy as a social mirror: The selected plays, he argued, reflect the values of Greek society while exploring timeless dilemmas such as justice, freedom, and the tension between mortals and the gods.

• The necessity of translation and critique: Hussein advocated for translating world heritage into Arabic and engaging with it critically, rather than adopting it uncritically.

5. Notable Quotes

• “Is there not, in Egypt, a wealth of ancient monuments sufficient to establish a school devoted solely to their study?”

• “The people of Attica represented all the Greek nations... and it was never easy for other nations to absorb them.”

6. Significance and Intellectual Legacy

A bridge between civilizations:

This book is the first systematic Arabic work to connect Greek and Arab traditions through comparative literature, offering a model for cross-cultural studies.

Impact on Hussein’s broader project:

It reflects his Enlightenment-inspired vision of critical openness, a theme he would later expand upon in works such as The Future of Culture in Egypt.

Academic reference:

The book is still taught in comparative literature departments across the Arab world as an introduction to the Greek influence on world literature.

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Table: Major Plays Discussed in the Book

Author	Plays	Central Themes
Aeschylus	The Persians	The Greek victory over Persia
	Prometheus Bound	Sacrifice for knowledge
	The Eumenides	Justice and revenge
Sophocles	Antigone	Conflict between moral law and state law
	Electra	Revenge and social justice

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Taha Hussein’s Selected Pages from Greek Dramatic Poetry was a bold attempt to build a dialogue between Arab and Greek traditions, which he considered vital for understanding the foundations of modernity. 

Far from being a simple collection of old texts, the book is a critical and analytical project that reimagines Arab culture as an active participant in world civilization—making it enduringly relevant to today’s intellectual challenges.

For the original summary in Arabic