Achilles' Choice: Examples of Modern Tragedy

by David Lenson

Why, during the last two hundred years, when critical achievement in the field of tragedy has been outstanding, has there been little creative practice? David Lenson examines the work of various writers not ordinarily placed in the tragic tradition―among them, Kleist, Goethe, Melville, Yeats, and Faulkner―and suggests that the tradition of tragedy does continue in genres other than drama, that is, in the novel and even in lyric poetry.

The notion of tragedy's migration from one genre to others indicates, however, rather sweeping modifications in the theory of tragedy. Achilles' Choice proposes a structural model for tragic criticism that synthesizes the almost scientific theories predominant since World War II with the irrationalist theories they replaced.

Originally published in 1975.

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194 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

David Lenson (1945–2020) was a poet, essayist, musician, and legendary professor. His father Michael Lenson was the New Jersey director of the Works Progress Administration murals project. David went to Princeton University and completed three degrees there, including his doctorate in Comparative Literature. He was the author of two books of poetry as well as three scholarly works, and best known for his last, On Drugs. He was head editor of the Massachusetts Review for eight years, host of the magazine's radio show on WMUA, an inspiration and mentor to several generations of UMass students, and an accomplished sax player, having performed with many of the greats, including Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, and locally with the Reprobate Blues Band.