Rehearsals of Manhood

John J. Winkler presents a groundbreaking reinterpretation of ancient Greek drama in Rehearsals of Manhood: Athenian Drama As Social Practice, Volume 1. This scholarly work moves beyond treating Attic drama as a mere literary genre, instead situating it within the broader social context of ancient Athens. Winkler argues that dramatic festivals functioned as secular manhood rituals, serving as essential civic enterprises for the training and testing of young male warriors.

As a significant contribution to the study of drama, Rehearsals of Manhood: Athenian Drama As Social Practice, Volume 1 examines how performance shaped the gender politics of the Athenian state. The text explores how elite males utilized these theatrical displays to embody the ideal of the citizen-soldier. By viewing tragedy as a social practice, Winkler provides a vivid portrait of the cultural poetics and civic functions that defined the life of the Athenian citizen.