”Insularity and Being an islander in Ancient Greek Theatrical literature

This article analyses the ways in which the theme of “insularity” is portrayed in ancient Greek drama and the meaning that is given to the attribute of being an islander in these theatrical works. The overview starts from a more general approach of Greek literature, from the example of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, and the modern poem of Ithaka, by K.P. Kavafis, then delves into the works of Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes. The theme of “insularity” is present, in the analyzed works, in various opposing ways. In some cases, as a form of isolation from society, going as far as to be considered a form of imprisonment, as is the case with the play The Trojan Women by Euripides or, at the other end of the spectrum, a safe haven in The Birds by Aristophanes. The characteristic of being an islander and the theme of “insularity” are not limited to the island location of the play’s action. They can appear in other geographical locations like the peninsula, or more abstract places like Hades and the “island in the sky”, all of them being characterized by common defining elements.