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| author | Tracey Lynne Carroll |
| title | The Wisdom of Tragedy: Contemporary American Psychology and the Ancient Greek Tragedians |
| abstract | Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides interspersed lines of commentary about the human condition throughout their tragedies. These lines take the form of advice, lament, or aphorism, but a common word unifies them: wisdom. They offer guidance on how to accept the tragedy that human life invariably brings. Moreover, the tragedians explore questions of what constitutes a flourishing and meaningful human life--in the wake of tragedy and in general. 2500 years later, in contemporary America, psychologists are conducting research on similar topics: What helps people recover from personal tragedy? How can overcoming tragedy lead to a "better" life? And, for that matter, what is a better life? The tragedians' and psychologists' methods of answering these questions may differ vastly, but they arrive at similar conclusions. Indeed, much of what the tragedians say about relationships, self-control, hope, and grief has been substantiated by psychologists. Such wisdom is timeless. |
| school | The Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, Drew University |
| degree | D.Litt. (2015) |
| advisor | Virginia B Phelan |
| committee | Liana Piehler |
| full text | TLCarroll.pdf |
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