Semiramis, and Other Plays

The title play in this collection centers on Semiramis, daughter of Menones, as she confronts a world torn by war between Assyria and Armenia. When her father flees the battle in terror and her brother Artavan fails to return, Semiramis must navigate the brutal politics of empire while grappling with loyalty to her family and the horrors of conflict. Donning armor to rally support for her embattled father, she emerges as a figure of fierce determination caught between personal duty and the violent machinery of power. Olive Tilford Dargan, writing in the early twentieth century, brings a modern psychological intensity to this ancient legend, examining what happens when a woman's voice rises above the din of war and political ambition. The play pulses with tension as Semiramis chooses action over deference, refusing to be merely a daughter, a sister, or a pawn in the game of kings.