Electra: Guardian or Tradition or...?

Electra: Guardian of Tradition or…?
Instructor: Effie Piliouni Albrecht
Wednesdays, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM | Jan 21 to Mar 4, 2026 | Sunny Slope Annex

The figure of Electra, daughter of King Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, has inspired writers across centuries, cultures, and genres. This course examines key selections from six dramatic interpretations of this complex and elusive character: Choephori by Aeschylus, Electra by Sophocles, Electra by Euripides, Electre by Jean Giraudoux, The Flies by Jean Paul Sartre, and Mourning Becomes Electra by Eugene O’Neill. Readings will be provided in handouts grouped into three thematic sections, allowing participants to compare how different authors reimagined Electra’s motives, her morality, and her defiance of social and familial norms. Discussion will center on enduring questions: Is she a heroine or a villain? Can cultural tradition or social expectation justify an act as extreme as matricide?

Materials: Handouts with selected excerpts will be provided.

About the Instructor:
Effie Piliouni Albrecht studied English Literature at the University of Athens, Greece, and holds a Master’s degree in Comparative Drama and a Doctorate in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Literature from Auburn University. She taught English and World Literature, Women’s Studies, and writing and oral communication for more than 25 years at Auburn University.

Fee Breakdown

Category	Description	Amount
Course Fee (Basic)	None Entered	$ 0.00