The Three Theban Plays (Penguin Classics)

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Aristotle called "Oedipus The King," the second-written of the three Theban plays written by Sophocles, the masterpiece of the whole of Greek theater. Today, nearly 2,500 years after Sophocles wrote, scholars and audiences still consider it one of the most powerful dramatic works ever made. Freud sure did. The three plays--"Antigone," "Oedipus the King," and "Oedipus at Colonus"--are not strictly a trilogy, but all are based on the Theban myths that were old even in Sophocles' time. This particular edition was rendered by Robert Fagles, perhaps the best translator of the Greek classics into English.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent But Not The Best; 4.5 Stars.......2006-04-15

This is a fine translation of Sophocles' great Oedipus trilogy. Fagles has rendered these plays into fluent English with a fine feel for how to vary the nature of the language between characters and scenes. That said, I still prefer the older Fitts/Fitzgerald translations, which are a model of restrained but powerful poetic expression. I think Fagles' translations of Homer are the finest available but he has not done quite as well with these plays. A very nice feature of this edition are the fine introductions to the plays and a short discussion of the history of the texts.

Translations.......2006-03-20

Researching translations is never an easy task, and in this case, where you'll have to search on Amazon for the title and the translator to find what you want, it's particularly difficult.

Here's what I've found by comparing several editions:

1. David Grene translation: Seems to be accurate, yet not unwieldy as such. My pick. Language is used precisely, but not to the point where it's barely in English.

2. Fitts/Fitzgerald translation: Excellent as well, though a little less smooth than the Grene one. Certainly not a bad pick.

3. Fagles translation: Beautiful. Not accurate. If you are looking for the smoothest English version, there's no doubt that this is it. That said, because he is looser with the translation, some ideas might be lost. For instance, in Antigone, in the beginning, Antigone discusses how law compels her to bury her brother despite Creon's edict. In Fagles, the "law" concept is lost in "military honors" when discussing the burial of Eteocles. This whole notion of obeying positive law or natural law is very important, but you wouldn't know it from Fagles. In Grene, for example, it is translated to "lawful rites."

4. Gibbons and Segal: Looks great, but right now the book has only Antigone (and not the rest of the trilogy) and costs almost 3x as much. I'll pass. But, from a cursory review, I'm impressed with their work.

5. MacDonald: This edition received some good write-ups, but I wasn't able to do a direct passage-to-passage comparison.

6. Woodruff: NO, NO, NO. Just NO. It's so colloquial it makes me gag. Very accessible, but the modernization of the language is just so extreme as to make it almost laughable. You don't get any sense of the power of language in the play. You just get the story. If you want this to be an easy read, then get Fagles, not this.

7. Kitto: Looks good, though not particularly compelling over either Grene or Fitzgerald (or Gibbons if I wanted to pay so much more).

8. Roche: Practically unreadable the English is so convoluted. Might be the most literal translation, but what's the point unless you are learning Greek and want such a direct translation.

9. Taylor: Way too wordy. Might be more literal, but again, why?

Hope this all helps. Translations can make or break the accessibility of literature. Pick wisely.

Great plays, very good translation, but..........2005-02-19

There's not much to say about these plays that hasn't been said over the last 2,500 years except, read them. More than once. More than twice.

As to the Fagles translation, as with most of his translations it is very smooth, almost lyrical, quite appealing. But he takes more liberties than I really like a translator to take. You are not reading as close as possible a rendition of what Sophocles actually wrote; rather, Fagles is somewhere between translation and retelling. For the average reader this may be fine, but don't think you're getting pure Sophocles, or as pure as is possible with a translation.

If all you want is an enjoyable read that is reasonably close to what Sophocles wrote, Fagles is fine. For more scholarly accuracy, try the translations by Greene, Fitzgerald, or Wyckoff. For a very good set of alternate translations which have as much fluidity as Fagles and a bit more faithfulness to the original, try the Fitts/Fitzgerald translations.

One benefit to the Fagles translation is the introductions by Knox, which are excellent (nearly as good as his superb introduction to Fagles' Odyssey).

One detriment, for me, is that the volume presents the plays in the order they were written, not in the order of the (relatively) unified story which they present. (It's sort of like reading Shakespeare's Henry VI plays before his Henry IV and V plays; that's the order he wrote them in, but the Henry V and VI plays make more sense if you've read the Henry IV plays first.) I accept that Sophocles didn't write these as a trilogy (as many Greek play sets were), but still, I think for the reader previously unfamiliar with them or their history and simply reading them in the order presented (perhaps a reader who doesn't start by reading all the introductions, but plunges straight into the plays), I think it's a bad decision.

All in all, a fine choice of a translation, but not the only fine choice. But definitely read these plays, choosing whatever translation you prefer (unless, of course, you can read them in the original Greek!)

An interesting collection of plays.......2004-12-03

This collection of three plays is very good. Robert Fagles uses quite a bit of freedom in translation, but it is still good. The first play is Antigone. This is about a girl who buries her brother against the command of the king. Even though she is engaged to the king's son, he sentences her to death.
The second play is Oedipus the King. In this drama we learn about Antigone's father, Oedipus. This is the first detective story. Oedipus is out to find the man bringing a curse on Thebes, only to discover he is the curse.
The third play is Oedipus at Colonus. This play is about Oedipus after his exile. One can tell that this play was written at a different time by Sophocles because the characters have changed very much.
For me, one of the most fascinating things about all these novels is the way they provide us to look at the past. By looking at the values held by the people in these plays, we learn about the cultural beliefs of the ancient Greeks. In addition, they really are good drama, and Fagles translation is very easy to read.

Great plays, good translation, good introductions.......2004-11-16

Sophocles's plays, of course, need no comment. But what is important to know about this book (or its rivals) is the quality of the translation and the introductory essays.

Although I have not read the original Greek text and cannot judge its accuracy, Fagles's translation is a pleasure to read in English. I compared this volume with many others and found this to be my favorite translation. (Penguin Classics can usually be trusted for good, readable translations.)

Knox's essays were similarly good. He wrote one general introduction to Greek theater, and then one introduction for each play. The essays help put the plays in context, which is crucial to understanding, by explaining the salient facts of Greek drama, the mythological background of the Oedipus story, and whatever controversy the plays might have engendered. I especially enjoyed Knox's introduction to Oedipus Rex, which is worth reading by itself (assuming you've already read the play at some point).

In summary, this is the edition to buy. But be careful--there are TWO Penguin Classics editions, and only one has the Fagles translations and Knox essays.

Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, & Society 1700-1880 (Schiffer Book for Collectors,)

Average customer rating:

Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies and Society Book review
Pricey ~ but it delivers the goods
Antique boxes, tea caddies,& society 1700-1880
This is not the burning bush
Novice and Expert alike

Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, & Society 1700-1880 (Schiffer Book for Collectors,)
Antigone Clarke , and Joseph O'Kelly
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764316885

Customer Reviews:

Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies and Society Book review.......2007-06-05

My wife enjoyed the book very much, very enlightening and educational, well done and presented. Worth the cost and more!

Pricey ~ but it delivers the goods.......2006-11-27

Good information on the periods, materials and types of antique boxes most frequently collected. Photography excellent and item pricing accurate. I love this book and it's helped me enormously.

Antique boxes, tea caddies,& society 1700-1880.......2006-07-26

This book is a box collectors dream come true. Excellent detailed photos combined with informational prose.I am glad I purchased it.

This is not the burning bush.......2004-11-20

Look I stipulate that this is most likely the best book currently on tea caddies and box's and such, but these reviews are so gushing. This book is not prefect, the font is poor and it is overpriced at 90.00 U.S. I think it is well worth 50.00 U.S., but for 90.00 I expect more pages and better quality. I was expecting the Holy Grail when I ordered this book, the reviews where hailing this as the burning bush; what I got was a good book, a very good book on tea caddies and box's, but not the end all be all. If you love tea caddies and such you will immediately enjoy this book, but the sticker shock may take a bit longer to get over.

Novice and Expert alike.......2003-10-09

One does not have to be an expert to love this book. It is a treasure trove of information on all kinds of English boxes from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. Packed with photographs and intelligent text, it is simply the best, most informative, most comprehensive book on the subject. It's easy to tell the writers are not only experts with vast experience but lovers of these boxes too.
I'm particularly interested in writing boxes, and I could wish for more chapters on these, but that is purely out of a sense of greed. The whole book is fascinating, whether one is browsing or studying. Thanks.

The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone

Average customer rating:

Essential reading for a classical education
Oedipus at Colonus
Between Meaning and Music
A good compromise between authenticity and accessibility
Fantastic!

The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452011671

Customer Reviews:

Essential reading for a classical education.......2006-12-16

I read Sophocles Antigone for graduate Humanities class. It is an essential reading to understand Greek Tragedy. It is also a foundation stone of literature in studying Western Civilization.

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus in 3-cycle play, faces capital punishment for burying her brother who rebelled against Thebes. Obeying instincts of loyalty of love and the divine law, she defies Creon, the King and her uncle. Creon says laws of states outweigh all other laws, and family loyalty, when he finally relents it's too late.

Over the centuries there has been a great deal made about the conflicts played out in the play, law of state vs. law of goods, personal vs. state duties. Loves knowledge vs. state knowledge. Greek understanding of tragedy- Aristotle lays down understanding of Greek tragedy. He based it on Sophocles. Tragedy- most important thing for tragedy is plot, it is all essential. Tragedy defined as- is imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude in language embellished with incidents arousing pity and fear ant to the audience it accomplishes catharsis of such emotions. Every tragedy must have six parts that determine its quality. 1. plot 2. character 3. diction 4. fault 5. spectacle and 6. melody.

According to Aristotle, tragedy is higher and more philosophical than history or poetry; it is one of the highest expressive forms because it dramatizes what may happen. History is a narrative that tells you what has happened tragedy shows what is possible. History deals with particulars, tragedy deals with the universal. Tragedy creates a cause and effect chain and shows how the world operates. It frames human experience in universal discourse, tragedy is central in this effort. Tragedy arouses pity and fear in audience because we can envision ourselves caught in this cause and effect chain. Plot most important feature, the arrangement of incidents, the way incidents, and action is structured. Tragedies outcome depends on the outcome of these cause and effect changes not on being character driven. Plot must be whole, beginning middle and end. Beginning must have a motivation that starts the cause and effect chain of events must be a center or climax that is caused by earlier incidents. There must be an end some kind of closure caused by earlier events in tragedy. This is all part of the complication of the tragedy all must be connected. You can't have a dues ex machnia in a superior tragedy.

In tragedy, the hero or heroine walks knowingly towards the fate that is written and can't be changed. Unity of action plot must be structurally self-contained, each action leading invariably to the next without outside intervention. The worst kinds of plots are episodic, like a Jerry Seinfeld sitcom, can't be something about nothing, must have unity of action. Magnitude, quantatively meaning length, and quality of action, it must be serious. Must be of universal significance, depth, and richness. Character- most important feature is the fatal flaw. Motivations of characters are important but character is there to support the plot. Character must be a prosperous renowned personage. Change of fortune from good to bad will really matter and bring fear and pity to the audience. In ideal tragedy, the hero will mistakenly bring about his own downfall. Because they make a mistake, because knowledge of our selves is always partial, we can't have complete knowledge of ourselves. Hall quotes Descartes in the article, "The limited error prone perspective of the individual. Subject is always imperfect and human and these limitations include our ability to know in any reliable way ourselves." The fact that we as subjects, as agents can never fully know ourselves means that we are always prone to error, error is the essence of the tragic hero, tragedy is the essential drama of human subjectivity.

What is Hegel's understanding of concept of tragedy? He revises Aristotelian principals and logic. Immensely influential German philosopher, he writes about; tragedy in the Aesthete 1820-29, he proposes, "the suffering of the tragic hero are merely the means of reconciling the opposing moral clients." According to Hegel's account of Greek tragedy, the conflict isn't between good and evil, but between competing goods, all is good. Between two entirely ethical worlds that clash and can't come together. Both characters have an ethical vision or belief that they have to follow it is there one-sidedness of their vision that clashes with the one-sidedness of the other character. Both sides of contradiction are justified. Conflict of irreconcilable justifiable ethical worlds, ethical visions. Just as his dialectic must lead to an ultimate synthesis, so to must tragedy lead to a synthesis. This is dramatized in the death of the tragic actor, which becomes the synthesis. Hegel says; "the characters are too good to live." They are too good to live in this world. What is interesting is that Hegel so wants to correct moral imbalances his emphasis is on moral balances.

Greek tragedy is great reading for people interested in aesthetics, history, psychology, and philosophy.

Oedipus at Colonus.......2005-12-16

Oedipus at Colonus was a fairly good sequel to Oedipus the King. In this book Oedipus and one of his daughters go to Colonus the Gods sent sickness because he killed his father and then married his mother.

This book was a lot easier to read than I was expecting. Usually I have a tough time reading these old kind of plays but this one was written in such a way that I was able to understand it which was a plus. The whole plot is really good; Oedipus's sons are fighting over who gets to be king. If you read any of the previous stories of Oedipus you should know about the oracle. This is a wonderful element to these stories. When you hear the oracle's prediction you know that you should believe it because of what happen in the first story. Recomended for ages 15 and older.

Between Meaning and Music.......2005-06-17

Most English translations of, say, the Greek New Testament are shepherded by a conviction that the original words had divine inspiration and so are best rendered verbatim wherever possible. At the same time, there generally is a concession (for good or ill) to the reality that if what results is not sufficiently lofty and reverential in tone, the faithful are unlikely to accept it. Attempts at classical Greek drama and poetry tend to be guided by rather different considerations: The translator's audience may consist of fellow scholars, reluctant undergraduate students, or an adventurous minority of the general public; and each of these groups will have particular demands. Too often work thus emerges which is precise but lifeless, or loosely interpreted to conform to the structures of 19th-century-style Anglo-American poetry, or so liberally seasoned with present-day colloquialisms as to jar the reader repeatedly out of the proper period and setting.

For the most part, Paul Roche navigates skilfully through these hazards in trying his hand at Sophocles's Oedipus trilogy, and has produced a rendition that is readable, yet preserves classical distinctiveness. Once or twice in the first play a turn of phrase does feel awkwardly modern, but such flashes are rare and soon either disappear or blend into the overall arc of the stories. That Roche is himself a poet clearly enriched the labour, and his reflections, in the Introduction, on the essence of poetry and the challenge of its transmission across lines of language, era, and culture border on the profound. '... Poetry lies somewhere between meaning and music, sense and sound ...,' he writes; and in this region he attempts to set Sophocles's work. He echoes the meter of the original without imitating it exactly, and preserves more of the Greek dramatic structure (complete with `strophes' and `antistrophes') than do many other translations available. Yet Roche remains mindful that this is also a PLAY, and manages the formalized dialogue with an eye (or ear) to the possibility of his version itself turning up on stage. He also provides an afterword outlining principles to guide such performance.

The reader of this translation whose only prior encounter with the Oedipus legend was some now-vaguely-remembered lesson in school, or perhaps Edith Hamilton's summary, may be surprised at how effectively one is drawn in. Roche, like Sophocles before him, succeeds in bringing the remote and legendary close enough to touch, while allowing it to remain sufficiently mysterious to stir the imagination.

A good compromise between authenticity and accessibility.......2005-03-08

Roche has worked very hard at reproducing the feel of the original text by Sophocles, and by all accounts he has succeeded admirably. In his introduction, Roche goes on at length to explain why a strictly literal translation is not always the best course; he has done what he can to capture the essence of the original poetry, sometimes sacrificing a more literal translation.

That being said, this trilogy of tragedy remains inaccessible to the casual reader, with the verse, antiquated phrases, and lengthy unnatural monologues and speeches combining to obscure the beautiful and tragic story from the mind and heart of what might otherwise be an appreciative audience.

So where does this leave us? Did Roche waste his time by coming up with a version of the play that is neither authentic nor accessible? In my opinion, he did not. This book is an invaluable asset for intermediary scholars who are not ready (and may never be ready) to apply themselves to the actual text or a literal translation, and yet are willing to devote themselves to overcoming the obstacles that the non-traditional (by modern standards) format presents.

An english student, or an armchair literary enthusiast, will find this an excellent way to experience the power of Sophocles writing in english. The translation is beautiful, and powerful, and does indeed bring one of the most tragic and deeply resonating of stories to life; you just have to work a little to get there.

Fantastic!.......2004-11-08

I'm not one to pick up a book of plays with enthusiasm. In fact, I'm not one to pick up a book of plays in the first place. But when we were instructed to read The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles, my eyes were glued to its pages! Much like Homer's Odyssey, this book has all of the components of a good reading. It has suspense, romance, fear, and best of all, the tragedy that completes it all. I must say that I adored Oedipus in Colonus the most, and I thought it to be intriguing as well as heartwrenching.

Do not hesitate in your next trip to the library if you see this book lining its shelves! Take a look, and I assure you that you won't regret it.

Sophocles, The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone

Average customer rating:

Not the best, but very, very good
Founding fathers
A powerful and moving piece!
Great Plays - Great Translations
A Must Read: the Fitts-Fitzgerald Translation of "Antigone"

Sophocles, The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 015602764X

Book Description

English versions of Sophocles’ three great tragedies based on the myth of Oedipus, translated for a modern audience by two gifted poets. Index.

Customer Reviews:

Not the best, but very, very good.......2007-03-10

This version of Sophocles's Oedipus trilogy--Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone--is a great edition for students and seasoned classicists alike. The translations by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald are modern while still being poetic, and complete while still being very, very fast-paced. For instance, I read Antigone in about forty minutes, and I'm a slow reader.

Fitts and Fitzgerald have sacrificed some accuracy and literalness to achieve their extraordinary pacing and readability, but while their translations are not always true to the original text, they more than make up for it with the sheer power which which they grab the reader. I had read Oedipus Rex before, but I had never felt it like this. The plays come alive for the reader. The tragic end of Oedipus Rex was particularly moving.

This edition includes some notes and commentary, but the works stand well on their own, without the comments of a later generation. Overall, though, the briskness and modern sound of these plays make this one of the best translations available to students today.

Highly recommended.

Founding fathers.......2006-04-10

There is sickness in the kingdom. Oedipus learns that it is necessary to take revenge upon the murderer of Laios. Teiresias does not want to tell what he knows. He is then goaded into telling Oedipus that he is the cause of the pollution. Oedipus suspects that his brother-in-law Creon wishes to drive him from Thebes.

Oedipus grew up in Corinth where a drunken man at a feast called out he was not his father's son. Oedipus consulted the oracle at Delphi. He was told he would murder his father and marry his mother. He fled Corinth. He wanted to escape his fate. Oedipus is concerned to learn that Laios was killed at a crossroads. An eye witness to the crime is sought. In the meantime it is learned that the King of Corinth has died of old age. A messenger explains, though, that Polybos of Corinth was not Oedipus's father.

The messenger, a shepherd, had saved Oedipus when he was a baby from death by exposure. Another shepherd had a larger role in Oedipus's survival. The second man, the slave of Laios, affirmed that he gave the man a child from the house of Laios. It is determined that Oedipus was the child. He has now killed his father and married his mother. A messenger brings news that Iocaste has killed herself. Oedipus takes out his eyes and orders that he be led into self-exile. Oedipus leaves his daughters in the care of Creon.

In OEDIPUS AT COLONUS Oedipus and Antigone end up in an inviolate thicket near Athens. They are joined by Ismene. It is learned Oedipus's sons are vying for the throne at Thebes. The ruler of Athens, Theseus, addresses Oedipus. He is inclined to be hospitable. Ismene is taken and Creon has Antigone dragged away by his soldiers. The purpose of taking the children is to induce Oedipus to return to Thebes to die. Theseus seizes Creon and demands the release of the girls. Oedipus is then reunited with his daughters. His death does not take place in Thebes.

A powerful and moving piece!.......2002-10-17

~I had to read OEDIPUS REX for my pre-IB sophomore English class, feeling not too happy with another dull, lengthy Greek play (we had to read THE ODYSSEY last year, and it got really redundant). But Sophocles' play...wow, it's totally different! The characters are so much more real and the speeches are deep and engrossing. Thebes is fascinating, substantial - and the issues grip you unknowingly. ...When you finally resurface, you feel touched and bewildered at the same time!

Throughout~~ THE OEDIPUS CYCLE run themes of fate and visions of free will amid reality. These elements reveal the universal truth: of human blindness to fate and truth; their blind resolutions that, in reality, lead them to their fate. Tragedy is forged between a character~{!/~}s personality and the inevitable events connected to it. Although the doctrine of predestination rejects independent will, OEDIPUS REX succeeds in explaining the coexistence, in which action is subordinate to destiny through~~ ignorance. ~{!0~}I was blind and now I can tell why: asleep for you had given ease of breath to Thebes while the false years went by."

THE OEDIPUS CYCLE beautifully fits Aristotle's definition of tragedies, being~{!0~}a casual, inevitable sequence of events connected intimately with the personality of the tragic character." Even if your English class doesn't require you to pick up this title, I highly recommend that you do. Being a translation, the language is very clear and reading~~ is direct. But the subject is still full - and full of revelation! It is so amazing, you have to experience it for yourself! I ended up reading all 3 plays of the cycle and they are all very different but I would think that OEDIPUS REX is the strongest one. It catches the reader the best, being more action-filled than the rest. OEDIPUS AT COLONUS is a more of character reflections and analyzing, which are heartfelt for both character and reader. ANTIGONE concludes the story with a good~~ feminist view of the affair by Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus. Her play is a mix of physical and mental action and reaction.~

Great Plays - Great Translations.......2002-09-22

First of all, I must say that this is the only translation of the Oedipus cycle that I have read. However, I have read translations of other Greek epics and plays in popular editions, and have found this to be the most readable of them by far.

The plays of the Oedipus cycle have been central to western literature ever since Aristotle based his theory of poetics upon Oedipus Tyrannus. The plots of the plays are quite well structured. Of course, if you don't like tragedy, you probably won't like this book either.

A Must Read: the Fitts-Fitzgerald Translation of "Antigone".......2002-09-04

Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald first published their excellent translation of "Antigone" in 1939. Having well stood the test of time, it is reprinted in their paperback, "The Oedipus Cycle." My reasons for liking this version better than recent translations by Don Taylor and Paul Roche appear in my Amazon review of the Taylor translation. Here I want to comment on the moral and human issues raised by the play itself, which make it superbly worth reading. ...

The Burial at Thebes: A Version of Sophocles' Antigone

Average customer rating:

Excellent Teaching Tool
Not terribly poetic
"ARE WE SISTER, SISTER, BROTHER OR COWARD, COWARD, TRAITOR?"

The Burial at Thebes: A Version of Sophocles' Antigone

Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0374530076
Release Date: 2005-10-13

Book Description

Sophocles' play, first staged in the fifth century B.C., stands as a timely exploration of the conflict between those who affirm the individual's human rights and those who must protect the state's security. During the War of the Seven Against Thebes, Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, learns that her brothers have killed each other, having been forced onto opposing sides of the battle. When Creon, king of Thebes, grants burial of one but not the "treacherous" other, Antigone defies his order, believing it her duty to bury all of her close kin. Enraged, Creon condemns her to death, and his soldiers wall her up in a tomb. While Creon eventually agrees to Antigone's release, it is too late: She takes her own life, initiating a tragic repetition of events in her family's history.

In this outstanding new translation, commissioned by Ireland's renowned Abbey Theatre to commemorate its centenary, Seamus Heaney exposes the darkness and the humanity in Sophocles' masterpiece, and inks it with his own modern and masterly touch.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Teaching Tool.......2005-10-17

After teaching years of sophomore English, I have finally found a version of Antigone that even 15 and 16-year-olds can understand and appreciate. Still loads of figurative language to teach and what an author to introduce your students to alongside Sophocles!

Not terribly poetic.......2005-10-10

The Antigone of Sophocles exists in a number of English renditions. The Abbey Theatre commissioned Heaney to do yet another for its centenary. In an afterword to this volume he explains the genesis of his version -- why he decided to do it and how. He explained his poetic tactics, as it were, and justified a "middle style" by referring to Yeats, who wrote of a "common" style he and others used -- many years earlier, of course -- in plays for the Abbey.

Hmm. There is no question that the language Heaney uses here is plain. It is possible to see his three-beat lines and his five-beat pentameter and his Beowulf-style 4-beat alliterative lines in the reading. What I don't see is poetry -- I don't actually even see much verse. The language seems neutral rather than charged. Poetry can use common words, but needs to cause shivers -- not in every line, but often enough that the reader keeps alert for more electricity. The various verse lines he uses are rather weakly distinctive: the forms hover around their ideals without touching them enough to keep a listener on track.

I saw the play performed by the Chicago Shakespeare Theater company on September 18, 2005. It played somewhat better than it read (e.g. the initial byplay between Antigone and Ismene, and that between Creon and Haemon). Still, though, having read it, I was listening carefully (hopefully?) for the beat of the verse -- or at least the feel of the verse. In fact, though the actors did a good job and did, as I think, justice to the text, it seemed rather flat.

Perhaps I disagree with the "plain" style. I think Sophocles was a powerful poet whose language rang with hard beauty and allusive power. He must have been. Perhaps, though, all this happened in the songs that the chorus, and sometimes the principals, sang. For another quarrel I have with this version is that it does not give any indications of choral parts -- strophe and antistrophe -- so even in principle it is not singable. What is more, this is a rather loose rendering of Sophocles play (a "version"), which does not really depart from the drama, but makes it more spare of expression. This comes at the expense of some of the specifically Greek elements, such as constant specific references to Zeus. Yet it is still a classical Greek play, just less of one. Moreover, there were no notes on the text, while there were at least a few puzzling parts that should have been noted, as well as the choral parts. But who knows -- maybe the Abbey Theatre made more of it than I can!

"ARE WE SISTER, SISTER, BROTHER OR COWARD, COWARD, TRAITOR?".......2005-06-10

A few years back, Mr. Heaney (an excellent poet in his own right) caused quite a stir with his stunning translation of Beowulf. My own reactions to that work were mixed. But who would have thought an Old English war epic/elegy would prove so commercially successful?

Now comes an outstanding "translation" of Sophocles's Antigone--"The Burial at Thebes." I first came across this work in excerpted form in Tin House (a literary journal--one of the best actually). This book far exceeds what Mr. Heaney did with Beowulf.

Yet the crickets are chirping.

It is incomprehensible to me as to why this deeply abiding and thoughtful little book has not blown away the sales and notoriety of the Beowulf volume. Whereas Heaney's Beowulf was clearly a labor of deep interest to the translator--a skillfull and intriguing update of the language for the 21st century, The Burial at Thebes is just as clearly a work of love on behalf of the author...I mean translator--a satirical, lyrical, and prophetic work of the highest order that speaks directly to our world today.

I could not put this play--this hymn to all that we are as humans, this song of our identity as individuals--not mere components of a state--down.

Antigone's early question/indictment of her sister's complacency rings out like a bell against the twin idols of false patriotism and corporate globalisation:

"Are we sister, sister, brother
Or coward, coward, traitor?"

What follows is a heroic tragedy. Not heoric in the way the Iliad or the Odyssey are (weapons, war, dust, funeral pyres and great feasts of blood), but heroic in the greatest sense (to know who you are and what is truly worth dying for).

Homer and much of the rest of the world sing of war. Sophocles, and his interpreter Heaney, sing of another kind of war--the war of being human in the deepest, richest, and often most tragic, yet inspiring way.

I give "The Burial at Thebes" my highest recommendation.

(If you are interested in a great traditional translation to have as a complement to Heaney's, you cannot go wrong with Robert Fagles's translation of the theban plays in the Penguin Classics series).

Antigone, Oedipus the King, Electra (Oxford World's Classics)

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Great Book, for school and stuff
Translations
great translation
Strong Translation
Boring

Antigone, Oedipus the King, Electra (Oxford World's Classics)
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192835882

Book Description

Love and loyalty, hatred and revenge, fear, deprivation, and political ambition: these are the motives which thrust the characters portrayed in these three Sophoclean masterpieces on to their collision course with catastrophe. Recognized in his own day as perhaps the greatest of the Greek tragedians, Sophocles' reputation has remained undimmed for two and a half thousand years. His greatest innovation in the tragic medium was his development of a central tragic figure, faced with a test of will and character, risking obloquy and death rather than compromise his or her principles: it is striking that Antigone and Electra both have a woman as their intransigent 'hero'. Antigone dies rather neglect her duty to her family, Oedipus' determination to save his city results in the horrific discovery that he has committed both incest and parricide, and Electra's unremitting anger at her mother and her lover keeps her in servitude and despair. These vivid translations combine elegance and modernity, and are remarkable for their lucidity and accuracy. Their sonorous diction, economy, and sensitivity to the varied metres and modes of the original musical delivery make them equally suitable for reading or theatrical peformance.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book, for school and stuff.......2006-11-05

Basically i bought this book for my english class, and comparing this book to other books the school uses it is much better, might as well buy something worth more of an educational value, than use the books text book. My friends have another class and got the same book(But i mean title wise) and because it is greek translated, theirs was more simple. So if you want a book that explains more of what is going on in the story, rather than something very simple and explains everything for you already. I recommend this book because it makes you think( since it is more complex ) which is helps you learn.

Translations.......2006-03-20

great translation.......2004-04-07

As a Classics major, I've had to read these plays countless times. Last semester, I picked up this book while writing a paper on Electra, and I fell in love with it. The text that I had previously admired for its ideas I now respected as a work of art. Kitto's words bring a life and humanity to the text that other translations lack. It was like reading the plays again for the first time.

Strong Translation.......2003-11-10

H.D.F. Kitto was a distinguished interpreter of Greek tragedy. These translations, which were written for performance, are at once accurate, clear, and very elegant. Hall provides precisely as much information in the notes as the typical intelligent undergraduate requires. She also points out the few places in which Kitto has made minor departures from the Greek. I have found that undergraduates respond better to these translations than to those available in the Greene and Lattimore series published by the University of Chicago Press--though they too are good.

Boring.......2003-02-03

This book is very boring. I was very sorry that I had to read it.

Antigone: In a New Translation by Nicholas Rudall (Plays for Performance)

Average customer rating:

Essential reading for a classical education
Antigone
sean's review
Oooooh Antigone
The Tragedy of Antigone

Antigone: In a New Translation by Nicholas Rudall (Plays for Performance)
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1566632110

Book Description

One of the greatest, most moving of all tragedies, Antigone continues to have meaning for us because of its depiction of the struggle between individual conscience and state policy, and its delicate probing of the nature of human suffering. Plays for Performance Series.

Customer Reviews:

Essential reading for a classical education.......2006-12-16

Antigone.......2006-11-20

Book in good condition as stated. Pleased with delivery time. Will use this seller again.

sean's review.......2006-10-27

Antigone is a Greek tragedy in every since of the word from the moment you open the cover to the very last word on the last page you are totally amerced in a story that truly captivates and portrays the true image of the human sprit. There is not an emotion that is not roused to life by this powerful piece of literature. The plot of this masterpiece seems to rack the deep recesses and foundations of your soul. The unique piece of literature is the story of a free spirited young woman and her uncle the newly crowned kind of Thebes. In the begging all thing are well within this peaceful town but that is about to change. The hand of fate is again about to play devastating role in how the game of life is played. Creon the new king is a patriotic and devoted man who wants nothing more in life than the best for his own family and country men. But when his nephew, stabs him in the back by starting a revolt against his rule, he has no choice but to defend his kingdom and contently killed his own flesh and blood. The king takes it a step to far though, he then goes and refuses to bury the young boys body. In the culture of the Greeks this a true curse to the soul of a man. They believe that till the body of the dead is buried he is forced to wander the earth in search of peace. The young Antigone is the sister to this brave hero now is stuck in and endless battle between her own morals and the governmental law. One might think that Sophocles, the author of this truly revolutionary piece of literature was trying to get his audience to think about their own decisions in life. The choices we make for day to day even the small ones a directly tied in to the values we have in life whether we realize it or not. Antigone for example chose to go against the law and bury her brother showing her true values of loyalty to family and her god rather than the forces of this earth. This kind of loyalty really hit me in the bottom of my heart. I think if could live my life day to day with half as much conviction she had I would be a great leader in my time. This play caused me to evaluate the principles of my own life and I hope to be a better leader because of it. I think that this is one of the most powerful and moving plays i have ever read and that is saying a lot. Everyone should read this really unique and revolutionary piece of literature sometime in their life it may say you a lot of heartache down the road, and I mean that

Oooooh Antigone.......2006-10-27

The play Antigone was a great play with many twists and turns that will diffidently leave the reader begging for more. With all the inside looks on the believes of the Greek gods and how the Greeks actually viewed them. Containing various characters along with there strengths and or weaknesses, as well as how they succeed or how they fail. Whether it is the corruption and down fall of the new King of Thebes, Creon, and how one mistake lead to the deaths of his loved ones as well as the fall of his kingdom. Or the obedience and shyness of Ismene, who happens to be Creon's niece, and how she will not help her own sister burry their brothers body, because of the fact that she doesn't want to displease Creon and the empire although she knows that she should. Finally, there is also Antigone, the strong a stubborn girl who defiles her uncle/guardian/king Creon, because he has order that her brother cannot be buried, and that it will be eaten by the beasts and wild animals, because of what he has done. However, the characters are not the only interesting part of the play, the themes are also amazing containing such things as betrayal, disobedience, murder, suicide, and much more. Leaving a positive reading without a doubt. Also, Sophocles (the writer of the play) did an excellent job of getting his main point across. The main purpose of the play Antigone, though uncertain at the very beginning is shown more and more through out the play, especially in the chorus. However, if you cannot catch on to what the chorus is saying all the time the very last few lines should help quite abit, " Wisdom first for a man's well-being maketh, of all things. Heavens insistence nothing allows of man's irreverence; And great speeches avenging, Dealt on a boaster, teach men wisdom in age, at last." If nothing the last sentence should diffidently tell you that the whole purpose of this play is Sophocles trying to show us the importance of wisdom and how one bad mistake can lead to the death of many, as well as the fall of a kingdom. Which, is diffidently something that I learned reading this play. Just reading and showing how the anger of one man and how one choice that he made without thinking of the consequences of his choice lead to the death of his niece, his son, his wife, and even his whole kingdom, just kind of shows that you should be care full about some of the choices you make because you never know what will happen (it may not be as extreme but bad stuff can still happen). However when its all said and done I believe that this is a great play that anyone can enjoy. There is only one warning that I must also give though, the script can be very hard to read and may require you to have to look it over a few times or even get the scripts with the translation on the opposite side. Other then that the play is great and I diffidently suggest it to others.

The Tragedy of Antigone.......2006-10-27

In Sophocles' Antigone, there is an ever-present sense of doom and despair awaiting the reader on with every flip of the page. The desolate plot dealing with the hold of fate over each individual has the reader end the play with a sense of helplessness and abandonment. There is nothing that an individual can do to escape the fate laid out before them. Although Antigone is a well written play with underlying themes of holding fast to a set of beliefs and loyalty to family, the overpowering motif of life being controlled by a divine force is quite depressing, giving the reader an allover sense of hopelessness.
The focus point of Antigone was the stronghold the gods held over each individual's life. Despite Creon's numerous attempts to correct his unintentional disgraces, in the end, his efforts were futile. Creon was walking the fine line of trying to maintain the welfare and happiness of the citizens of Thebes, as well as to do what he thought was morally upright within himself. Because of his inability to obtain this inner balance, Creon only succeeded in bringing doom upon himself. The entirety of the play centers around an action which Creon believed to be righteous, which was the decision not to bury Polynices. It is not likely that at the moment Creon made the proclamation to not lay soil upon Polynices, that any thoughts of the utter devastation the coming days would unfold were even a fleeting thought. What seemed to be a blessing handed out by the gods was actually a death sentence for Creon's soul.
The Chorus speaks of the ultimate power of the gods by saying, "Thy power, O God, what pride of man constraineth, which neither sleep that all things else enchaineth, not even the tireless moons of Heaven destroy? Thy throne is founded fast, high on Olympus, in great brilliancy, far beyond Time's annoy. Through present and through future and through past abideth one decree; Nought in excess enters the life of man without unhappiness." The above statement is a prime example of how the gods so willingly lavished fine accolades upon a mortal one minute, while in the next they were stripping him of all his worldly possessions. The gods continually acted on whims, and mortals were nothing by a plaything to which they acted as a puppeteer. Sophocles was specifically mentioning the hiatus between the place of the gods and the place of a mortal. The gods were above reproach, seated high on the Olympian throne, while the mortals could do nothing more than to just worship them in awe. Not even time was able to be a force acting on the gods, but they could do as they pleased, and they did do as they wished with the mortal as their instruments of play.
While the majority of the play dealt with the role of gods over the human race, there was one admirable quality found within the title character which should be emulated by all who read the play. Antigone was so determined and steadfast on bringing her brother a burial, she was willing to face death as a consequence. If society today had more zealots of their beliefs as Antigone epitomized, the world would become revolutionized, with strong leaders rising out of the multitudes instead of the rather unassertive and politically correct leaders the world is breeding. If the strong nations had leaders who were not willing to alter the way they believe or pander to the demands of a minority, but stood strong, despite criticism and upset, the outcome would be a society truly living what it professes instead of just meandering through life attempting to keep the majority settled.
The tragedy of Antigone is a superb play which any individual can relate to. Whether it be having taken part in a situation that seemed to be spiraling out of control, or being able to empathize with Antigone and her passion to do what was upright, even the modern audience can relate to the trials present in Antigone. The plot of this play is intriguing, and ultimately, any individual yearning for a greater knowledge of fate, human nature, or even just Greek literature would be able to draw conclusions which, if integrated into their life, would be beneficial to anyone.

Average customer rating:

Must Like Hegel & Lacan
very intelligent, ground-breaking book!!!
Does this woman know any Greek?
Butler (Miss Butler if ur nasty) is at is again...
Very interesting book

Antigone's Claim
Judith Butler
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0231118953

Book Description

The celebrated author of Gender Trouble here redefines Antigone's legacy, recovering her revolutionary significance and liberating it for a progressive feminism and sexual politics. Butler's new interpretation does nothing less than reconceptualize the incest taboo in relation to kinship -- and open up the concept of kinship to cultural change.

Antigone, the renowned insurgent from Sophocles's Oedipus, has long been a feminist icon of defiance. But what has remained unclear is whether she escapes from the forms of power that she opposes. Antigone proves to be a more ambivalent figure for feminism than has been acknowledged, since the form of defiance she exemplifies also leads to her death. Butler argues that Antigone represents a form of feminist and sexual agency that is fraught with risk. Moreover, Antigone shows how the constraints of normative kinship unfairly decide what will and will not be a livable life.

Butler explores the meaning of Antigone, wondering what forms of kinship might have allowed her to live. Along the way, she considers the works of such philosophers as Hegel, Lacan, and Irigaray. How, she asks, would psychoanalysis have been different if it had taken Antigone -- the "postoedipal" subject -- rather than Oedipus as its point of departure? If the incest taboo is reconceived so that it does not mandate heterosexuality as its solution, what forms of sexual alliance and new kinship might be acknowledged as a result? The book relates the courageous deeds of Antigone to the claims made by those whose relations are still not honored as those of proper kinship, showing how a culture of normative heterosexuality obstructs our capacity to see what sexual freedom and political agency could be.

Customer Reviews:

Must Like Hegel & Lacan.......2007-01-05

I haven't finished this extremely short text yet. It was originally a small series of lectures. Basically, Butler critiques Hegel's and Lacan's appropriations of Antigone (both the play and, especially, the character) to represent a certain ideal. She summarizes rather lucidly both Hegel's and Lacan's positions. Of course, the problem with both Hegel and Lacan is that they are so dense and (often) obscure that, like Nietzsche, they get appropriated left and right themselves. So understanding what they *really* ever meant is always slippery. But Hegel and Lacan are familiar territory for Butler. She's no Classicist, and she's upfront about that. I think she does a phenomenal job highlighting the ultimately untenable postion(s) Hegel and, to a lesser extent, Lacan assume in relation to Antigone. I haven't finish yet, but Butler is certainly setting up her own "feminist" reading. It's not concerned with "what the Greeks thought" the way classical scholars (by definition) often are. Rather, she's clearly relating Greek tragedy to the modern world in response to the past 300 years of (post)enlightenment thinking. A more recent text that also deals with a lot of this material is The Antigone Complex by Cecilia Sjoholm - if you're interested.

very intelligent, ground-breaking book!!!.......2006-02-08

Judith Butler's study of Antigone, over the course of these 3 lectures, yields important and timely insights about how we might understand kinship and love in today's society. Her analysis of Hegel, Levi-Strauss, and Lacan is impressively rigorous. A must read for anyone interested in liguistics, structuralism, feminism and contemporary questions about political belonging.

Does this woman know any Greek?.......2002-07-27

I have located several misquotations and several mispellings of what little Greek she uses. Apart from it being gruesomely written, I suspect this woman does not know Antigone in Greek--she quotes widely from other sources but prefers to stay away from the original. I am tempted to at a later date say with Voltaire "I am sitting in the smallest room of the house. I have your book in front of me--soon it will be behind me"

Butler (Miss Butler if ur nasty) is at is again..........2001-08-07

Judging from the reader reviews on this website, Judith Butler has yet again succeeded in provoking the outrage of several diehard and blue-in-the-face classics scholars. Those classicists who feel outraged by her work might consider her illuliminating comments on Hölderlin's own translation of Antigone, translations that themselves were received as scandals in their time and that continue, like Antigone in Butler's view, to provoke critical thought. If you think Antigone belongs on the shelves of a dusty library, you might as well leave this book alone, since here she's haunting queer bars and dining at the most interesting and vital family meals imaginable, where queer sons and daughters struggle together with their just as queer parents to figure out how it is that we might say our word to a world that persists in ignoring what it is that we have to say.

Very interesting book.......2001-04-10

Some of the previous reviewers' responses to this book might give an idea of what's so interesting and provocative about it, and about Butler's work overall. Even if you're not a classicist with too much time on your hands.

Sophocles, Volume II. Antigone. The Women of Trachis. Philoctetes. Oedipus at Colonus (Loeb Classical Library No. 21)

Average customer rating:

Worth the investment.
Excellent edition
oedipus tyrannus
Reading for Enjoyment
Excellent

Sophocles, Volume II. Antigone. The Women of Trachis. Philoctetes. Oedipus at Colonus (Loeb Classical Library No. 21)
Sophocles , and Hugh Lloyd-Jones
Manufacturer: Loeb Classical Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674995589

Book Description

Sophocles (497/6-406 BCE), with Aeschylus and Euripides, was one of the three great tragic poets of Athens, and is considered one of the world's greatest poets. The subjects of his plays were drawn from mythology and legend. Each play contains at least one heroic figure, a character whose strength, courage, or intelligence exceeds the human norm—but who also has more than ordinary pride and self-assurance. These qualities combine to lead to a tragic end.

Hugh Lloyd-Jones gives us, in two volumes, a new translation of the seven surviving plays. Volume I contains Oedipus Tyrannus (which tells the famous Oedipus story), Ajax (a heroic tragedy of wounded self-esteem), and Electra (the story of siblings who seek revenge on their mother and her lover for killing their father). Volume II contains Oedipus at Colonus (the climax of the fallen hero's life), Antigone (a conflict between public authority and an individual woman's conscience), The Women of Trachis (a fatal attempt by Heracles' wife to regain her husband's love), and Philoctetes (Odysseus's intrigue to bring an unwilling hero to the Trojan War).

Of his other plays, only fragments remain; but from these much can be learned about Sophocles' language and dramatic art. The major fragments—ranging in length from two lines to a very substantial portion of the satyr play The Searchers—are collected in Volume III of this edition. In prefatory notes Lloyd-Jones provides frameworks for the fragments of known plays.

Customer Reviews:

Worth the investment. .......2006-09-14

If you haven't read anything by Sophocles and want to read him for fun, I'd suggest getting the Fagles translations of the Theban plays, followed by the Sophocles II volume published by University of Chicago. That will get you every complete play we have by him and is a good way to start.

However, if you've read one (or even all) of the plays in this volume, know some Greek, and want to go a bit deeper, this is the book you're looking for. The translations in this volume are extremely, almost unusually, literal. While the two most prominent translations (Fagles and Greene) waver from the text at times for poetic value, Lloyd-Jones does nothing of the sort. For the most part, what you see on the left side is as close as it gets in English to the Greek on the right side. This is really helpful for those who know enough Greek to be curious about what Sophocles is up to but not enough to actually read the text in the Greek without a lexicon.

I generally see Loeb books as investments, due to their high costs. This is one investment that has paid off for me. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Oedipus the King, Ajax, or Electra (although let's be honest: you probably want this more for Oedipus the King than for the other two plays).

Excellent edition.......2006-09-06

Very good translation and excellent hardbound edition of some of the best plays ever written.

oedipus tyrannus.......2005-07-10

This play is a fantastic view at what some ancient people in Athens thought about their leader Pericles. I love this play, and can only justify Loeb Classics as the best text. I challenge anyone to read this play and not feel a strange need to wickedly laugh out loud as the story unfolds.

Reading for Enjoyment.......2005-06-06

I honestly enjoyed reading these plays. Especially the first and third. The translation is easy to read and flows really well. I picked these up to supplement some lines of study that I'm pursuing but ended up enjoying them in their own right and for the purposes natural to them. These are not dusty old dry plays - exactly the opposite - these are vibrant introductions to the ancient greek world. I highly recommend you read these - and I recommend this edition and most especially the wonderful translation.

Excellent.......2002-06-01

Sophocles is the master of Greek drama and a master at contstructing a plot. Antigone is excellent and turns into an amazing story that leaves you rethinking just who the "tragic hero" of the play is. Oedipus at Colonus is perhaps the saddest play of the so called "Oedipus Cycle". Yet, in a way, it has a very redeeming end. This is a great edition because, of course like all the Loeb series, it also has the Greek.

Average customer rating:

I'm not a fan of this book
Antigone by Anilouth
Antigone
It's my favorite book
A good play

Antigone (Methuen Student Edition)
Jean Anouilh
Manufacturer: Methuen Drama
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0413695409

Book Description

Orginially produced in Paris in 1942, when France was an occupied nation and part of Hitler's Europe, this play depicts an authoritarian regime and the play's central character, the young Antigone, mirrored the predicament of the French people in the grips of tyranny.

Customer Reviews:

I'm not a fan of this book.......2006-11-11

I did not care for the transaltaion, nor did I care for the commentary--
except in as much as it made me want to compare translations.
I am an adult reader, and theater artist.

Antigone by Anilouth.......2006-07-04

This is a modern version of Antigone that helps students relate the themes of the original version to modern times. The concepts of a higher law than man's is certainly expressed, but more importantly, the determination of the few and the role of Haemon are stressed. This is an excellent piece for an Advanced Placement class to use after reading both OEDIPUS AND ANTIGONE BY SOPHOCLES.

Antigone.......2002-01-31

Anoulih's version of Antigone was adapted for the time in which he lived. It contains hidden symbols to, at the time, both get the book past the censors and give the french audience moral and courage to stand up to the Nazi's and follow their beliefs. The characters are adapted slightly to fit his version, ie Tieresas is left out and a nurse is introduced. He also had to adapt the personalities of the characters, for instance Antigone develops a whiny habit, and Creon is seen as a "good guy". This was also done in order to get the play by the sensors. It is a well-written play with rounder characters than the original. This version would be better read after reading the original.

It's my favorite book.......2000-03-26

Ok, I'm french and I'm VERY surprised AMAZON sells some of our books... Anyway, Antigone is my favorite story, I'll read it everyday if I could. It makes me cry everytime and it's the coolest story about life.

A good play.......2000-01-26

Jean Anouihl is a very good writer. He did an excellent job with this play. And to the person who said Antigone was selfish, she is not selfish, why would the author paint his hero to be selfish?

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