I find myself now wanting to ask David for his long view, for his wisdom. I want to ask him: How was the birth of Western democracy linked to the birth of Greek tragedy in ancient Athens? And was the decline of democracy also linked to the decline of tragedy?
What were the values of a “polis, ” or community of citizens, dedicated to the ritual of theater, and what did catharsis have to do with the idea of self-governance? The internet will tell me that Aristotle’s version of catharsis was a purging of pity and fear, but it won’t tell me what sort of catharsis our contemporary democracy needs. A dear mentor of mine, the classics professor David Konstan, died last spring.
He taught a class at Brown University when I studied there called “Ancient Tragedy and Its Influence.” We read Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus, and we also read modern playwrights whom the Greeks had influenced: Racine, Miller, Anouilh. Little did I know then that one day I would write a play called “Eurydice,” no doubt influenced by David’s teaching. Sarah Ruhl is a playwright and essayist.
Her new book, “ Lessons from My Teachers ,” comes out May 5, and her play “ Eurydice ,” starring Maya Hawke, will be performed in New York at Signature Theatre next month. Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up I could ask AI for its opinion, but that is not the same as asking David, with his encyclopedic knowledge, owlish glasses, wicked sense of humor, ability to synthesize disparate concepts, and, yes, facts.
Advertisement The Greek polis found it important to reflect in real time together on moral conundrums in theatrical space. Greek tragedy dramatized different points of view, insisted on empathy for flawed human beings, and warned against hubris, which was all great practice for democracy. And here we are in the United States, historic beacon of democracy, with the Kennedy Center now taken over by Donald Trump and his consiglieres.
Another half-dozen employees of the Kennedy Center were fired this past week. Last month, Paolo Zampolli, one of the new trustees of the Kennedy Center, suggested, “We can have a fashion show with Valentino” and “You can build a marina … the yachts park there.” He also suggested a new Cipriani restaurant at the Kennedy Center. In other words, the theatrical space would be reimagined as a space for the superrich to dock their yachts, commune, eat, and perhaps shop.
Not for the larger polis to contemplate the big emotional and moral questions, not to bear witness to tragedies that put forward conflicting points of view. It interests me that programming a fashion show was floated — a fashion show is spectacle without catharsis. Catharsis requires empathy, and tragedy classically requires the contemplation of different points of view.
Advertisement What are dramatists to write about while our democracy is in decline? Trump suggested prioritizing the Declaration of Independence as subject matter. I can think of many fascinating plays that could be written about the Declaration of Independence, including one about the effect of the Iroquois Confederacy on the creation of the Constitution, or a play about what Sally Hemings was doing in Monticello while Jefferson was signing at the Constitutional Congress.
But I’m not sure that’s what he has in mind. Trump also suggested “doing a big, huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas.” Again, he suggests pageantry without multiple points of view: an abrogation of free speech along with freedom of religion. Advertisement Oh, to be in a room with Professor Konstan again, asking him what it all means and how to be wise in this historical moment.
Perhaps he would remind me that the recognition of suffering leads to wisdom, that there is a reversal in every plot, that hubris is followed by a giant fall, and that the gods are capricious. We need those lessons now more than ever.
