Modern people with Roman names

[Narukami]

I remember a woman who called her daughter Medea, after the hysterical child-murdering heroine. The mother had decided that Medea was in fact a misunderstood symbol of ancient feminism.

This is precisely the point made by Carol Sorgenfrei (now at UCLA) in her reworking of Medea as a Noh play. (Medea - A Noh Cycle) Her play has won several awards and is a well done combination of the Greek Tragedy with the Noh theatrical format. (Not all East-West combinations work, but this one does.)

It is not a favorite of mine and I do not see Medea as a heroic character, but it is a well done piece of theatre.

On the other hand, a work of fiction that is a favorite and which uses several classical names is Harper Lee's To Kill A Mocking Bird.

Atticus the lawyer
Hector the sheriff (refered to as "Heck" Tate)
Calpurnia the house keeper
Helen wife of the falsely accused Tom Robinson
Alexandra sister of Atticus (she is not in the movie)

Is is perhaps THE Great American novel and certainly one of the best films to ever come out of Hollywood.

:wink:

Narukami