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Erofili - An Egyptian Sofonisba from Crete

Høgel, Christian LU (2023) In Nordic Journal of Renaissance Studies 20. p.53-72
Abstract
The models of Georgios Chortatsis's play Erofili, written around 1590, were to a large extent Italian plays written a few generations earlier. Main plot elements were adopted from the Orbecche (1541) by Giovanni Battista Giraldi, with a tragic love story involving a princess and her secret marriage, whereas two of Chortatsis's choral odes included adapted translations from choral odes from Trissino's Sofonisba (published 1524). It is the aim of the present article to show that Chortatsis's choice of an African scene, Egypt as opposed to Persia in Orbecche, as well as new themes - not least meritocratic values and the social importance of rich and poor - can also be tied to themes in Trissino's historical drama Sofonisba. The present... (More)
The models of Georgios Chortatsis's play Erofili, written around 1590, were to a large extent Italian plays written a few generations earlier. Main plot elements were adopted from the Orbecche (1541) by Giovanni Battista Giraldi, with a tragic love story involving a princess and her secret marriage, whereas two of Chortatsis's choral odes included adapted translations from choral odes from Trissino's Sofonisba (published 1524). It is the aim of the present article to show that Chortatsis's choice of an African scene, Egypt as opposed to Persia in Orbecche, as well as new themes - not least meritocratic values and the social importance of rich and poor - can also be tied to themes in Trissino's historical drama Sofonisba. The present article therefore argues that Chortatsis was inspired by this play not only in the two choral odes, a connection that has been noted in earlier scholarship, but also more generally, in combining the family drama of the Orbecche with more societal values, which Chortatsis may have found inspiration for in Trissino's historical drama. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nordic Journal of Renaissance Studies
volume
20
pages
53 - 72
ISSN
2597-0143
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
77ed9312-c3dd-4fe0-8d93-d207c1110641
alternative location
https://www.njrs.dk/njrs_20_2023.htm
date added to LUP
2023-12-11 14:57:52
date last changed
2023-12-15 11:53:08
@article{77ed9312-c3dd-4fe0-8d93-d207c1110641,
  abstract     = {{The models of Georgios Chortatsis's play Erofili, written around 1590, were to a large extent Italian plays written a few generations earlier. Main plot elements were adopted from the Orbecche (1541) by Giovanni Battista Giraldi, with a tragic love story involving a princess and her secret marriage, whereas two of Chortatsis's choral odes included adapted translations from choral odes from Trissino's Sofonisba (published 1524). It is the aim of the present article to show that Chortatsis's choice of an African scene, Egypt as opposed to Persia in Orbecche, as well as new themes - not least meritocratic values and the social importance of rich and poor - can also be tied to themes in Trissino's historical drama Sofonisba. The present article therefore argues that Chortatsis was inspired by this play not only in the two choral odes, a connection that has been noted in earlier scholarship, but also more generally, in combining the family drama of the Orbecche with more societal values, which Chortatsis may have found inspiration for in Trissino's historical drama.}},
  author       = {{Høgel, Christian}},
  issn         = {{2597-0143}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{53--72}},
  series       = {{Nordic Journal of Renaissance Studies}},
  title        = {{Erofili - An Egyptian Sofonisba from Crete}},
  url          = {{https://www.njrs.dk/njrs_20_2023.htm}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}