Shakespeare's Hamlet - written 2,000 years after the classical Greek period - follows a narrative pattern similar to that of the Greek Electra myth, and it isn't the only story to do so. We see signs of Electra's influence again in the 20th-century works of Oscar Wilde, Eugene O'Neill and T.S. Eliot, among others. This revised and updated edition looks more closely at the influence of Electra on popular culture throughout history and the questions it poses regarding oppositions such as logic versus instinct, night versus day and repression versus freedom. "This is the perfect read for those who enjoy history, mythology, educational and psychological studies of theater and literature throughout the centuries.

-Reviewed by Tony Espinoza, Pacific Book Review



"Succinctly written and impeccably researched, Casper's study examines not only the character of Electra but also many key components and notions of early civilizations."

-Reviewed by Mihir Shah, US Review of Books