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.

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

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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
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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

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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
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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
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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)

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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.

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

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

Oedipus, the King ; And Antigone (Crofts Classics)

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Oedipus, the King ; And Antigone (Crofts Classics)
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Harlan Davidson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0882950940

Book Description

Translated and edited by Peter D. Arnott, this classic and highly popular edition contains two essential plays in the development of Greek tragedy--Oedipus the King and Antigone--for performance and study. The editor's introduction contains a brief biography of the playwright and a description of Greek theater. Also included are a list of principal dates in the life of Sophocles and a bibliography.

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poet
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Oedipus Trilogy (Cliffs Notes)
Charles Higgins , and Regina Higgins
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
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ASIN: 0764585819

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

CliffsNotes on The Oedipus Trilogy is your ticket to a greater understanding of three tragic dramas from Sophocles. Meet the subject of these plays: Oedipus, the banished king of Greek mythology who killed his father and married his mother. Oedipus The King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone are timeless works that continue to captivate audiences even today.

This study guide covers all three plays with critical commentaries, summaries, and character analyses — tools designed to open your eyes to the richness of Sophocles' work. Other features that help you study include

Life and background of the playwright, Sophocles
An introduction to Greek theatre
A character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters
Critical essays on fate and ritual and transcendence in the Oedipus Trilogy
A review section that tests your knowledge
A Resource Center full of books, films, and Internet sites

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

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Oedipus, the banished king of Greek mythology who killed his father and married his mother, is the subject of Sophocles's Oedipus Trilogy, a series of three tragedies that tell a connected story.

Despite their antiquity, these timeless works bring up questions that remain relevant in our society, and their exciting, colorful stories have a universal appeal that still captivates readers.

Customer Reviews:

poet.......2004-08-16

This is one of the most memorable plays I have read in my life. It has love, drama, incest and so on. It's so good that I hope to read it again and again.

very good.......2002-10-17

contains everything i needed for the book in english class, a must read if you are having trouble with the book

Sophocles: Antigone (Cambridge Translations from Greek Drama)

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Essential reading for a classical education
A retelling of "Antigone" where she is the main character
A splendidly presented retelling of the tragic story
is this too deep?
Get it

Sophocles: Antigone (Cambridge Translations from Greek Drama)
Sophocles , David Franklin , and John Harrison
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 052101073X

Book Description

Cambridge Translations from Greek Drama aims to eliminate the boundary between Classics students and drama students. Sophocles: Antigone is the fifth title in the series, and is aimed at A-level students in the UK and college students in North America.Features of the book include a full commentary running alongside the translation with questions to encourage discussion, notes on pronunciation and a plot synopsis. Background information to the story is also provided.

Customer Reviews:

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

A retelling of "Antigone" where she is the main character.......2002-08-27

Following the ending of "Oedipus the King," Oedipus was exiled from Thebes, blind and a beggar. We learn from "Oedipus at Colonus" that his sons, Eteocles and Polyneices engaged in a civil war for the throne of Thebes (covered in "Seven Against Thebes" by Aeschylus). The two brothers kill each other and Creon, brother of Jocasta, becomes king. He orders that Eteocles, who nobly defended his city, shall receive an honorable burial, but that Polyneices, for leading the Argive invaders, shall be left unburied. This leads Antigone, sister to both of the slain brothers, to have to choose between obeying the rule of the state, the dictates of familial binds, and the will of the gods. This, of course, is the matter at the heart of this classic tragedy by Sophocles.

But I have always been pleased to discover that many students, when reading "Antigone," quickly come to the conclusion that it is Creon who is the main character in the tragedy (the same way Clytemnestra is the main character in Aeschylus's "Agamemnon"). In this volume, Gita Wolf and Sirish Rao retell the story so that the title character is indeed the main character (I suspect they are borrowing more than a few ideas from Anoulih's retelling of the play in 1944 while France was occupied by the Nazis).

It is too easy to see the issues of this play, first performed in the 5th century B.C., as being reflected in a host of more contemporary concerns, where the conscience of the individual conflicts with the dictates of the state. However, it has always seemed to me that the conflict in "Antigone" is not so clear-cut as we would suppose. After all, Creon has the right to punish a traitor and to expect loyal citizens to obey. Ismene, Antigone's sister, chooses to obey, but Antigone takes a different path. The fact that the "burial" of her brother consists of the token gesture of throwing dirt upon his face, only serves to underscore the ambiguity of the situation Sophocles was developing.

The chief virtue of this retelling, in addition to the excellent illustrations by Indrapramit Roy, is that young readers will better be able to put themselves in the place of Antigone as the tragedy plays out. Consequently, this is a much more personal version of the tale than the original play by Sophocles.

A splendidly presented retelling of the tragic story.......2001-12-06

Superbly illustrated by eight of Indrapramit Roy's two-color silk-screened illustrations, Sophocles' Antigone is a splendidly presented retelling of the tragic story told by the blind prophet Teiresias of a Greek princess who discovers that her brother (a rebel against the rule of their uncle Creon) has been murdered and his body left unburied. Torn between her fealty to her uncle and her familial love for her brother, as well as deference to the gods, Antigone is a story of the tragic conflicts between love and duty, honor and the law. A physically beautiful publication, Sophocles' Antigone is a welcome and much appreciated work that will totally engage the attention and appreciation of contemporary readers.

is this too deep?.......1999-07-21

i think this book is too deep and meaningful.. it enters too deep into the morals and values of man....

Get it.......1999-05-14

One in a trilogy, the cat fights in this book between Antigone and her sister should keep you interested for the hour it take to read. for a better understanding of Sophocles wisdom, get the whole trilogy.

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