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I remember hating Antigone when I had to read it in High School, so I was surprised that it wasn't too bad actually.
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The Theban Plays #3
Antigone
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Treating ancient plays as living drama. Classical Greek drama is brought vividly to life in this series of new translations. Students are encouraged to engage with the text through detailed commentaries, including suggestions for discussion and analysis. In addition, numerous practical questions stimulate ideas on staging and encourage students to explore the play's dramatic qualities. Antigone is suitable for students of both Classical Civilisation and Drama. Useful features include full synopsis of the play, commentary alongside translation for easy reference and a comprehensive introduction to the Greek Theatre. Antigone is aimed primarily at A-level and undergraduate students in the UK, and college students in North America.
118 pages, Paperback
First published January 1,-0441
This edition
- Format
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118 pages, Paperback
- Published
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March 24, 2003 by Cambridge University Press
- ISBN
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9780521010733
- ASIN
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052101073X
- Language
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English
Characters More characters
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Antigone
In Greek mythology, Antigone is a Theban princess, and a character in several ancient Greek tragedies. She is the daughter of Oedipus, king of Thebes. Her mother is Jocasta. In another variation of the myth, her mother is Euryganeia. She is a sister of Po...
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Ismene
In Greek mythology, Ismene is a Theban princess. She is the daughter and half-sister of Oedipus, king of Thebes, daughter and granddaughter of Jocasta, and sister of Antigone, Eteocles, and Polynices. She appears in several tragic plays of Sophocles: at t...
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Eurydice (wife Of Creon)
In Greek mythology, Eurydice was the wife of Creon, a king of Thebes. In Sophocles Antigone, she kills herself after learning that her son Haemon and his betrothed, Antigone, had both committed suicide, from a messenger. She thrusts a sword into her...
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Haemon
Haemon (Greek: Αἴμων, Haimon "bloody"), was the son of Creon and Eurydice, and betrothed of Antigone. His bride was sentenced to death because she disobeyed Creons orders by burying her brother Polynices. She was apprehended by the guards and taken ...
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Tiresias
In Greek mythology, Tiresias (/taɪˈriːsiəs/; Greek: Τειρεσίας, Teiresias) was a blind prophet of Apollo in Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years. He was the son of the shepherd Everes and the nymph Chariclo...
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Creon
Creon is a figure in Greek mythology best known as the ruler of Thebes in the legend of Oedipus. He had four sons and three daughters with his wife, Eurydice (sometimes known as Henioche). Creon and his sister, Jocasta, were descendants of Cadmus and of t...
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Sophocles (497/496 BC-406/405 BC), (Greek: Σοφοκλής; German: Sophokles, Russian: Софокл, French: Sophocle) was an ancient Greek tragedian, known as one of three from whom at least one play has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those of Aeschylus; and earlier than, or contemporary with, those of Euripides. Sophocles wrote over 120 plays, but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. For almost fifty years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of the city-state of Athens which took place during the religious festivals of the Lenaea and the Dionysia. He competed in thirty competitions, won twenty-four, and was never judged lower than second place. Aeschylus won thirteen competitions, and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles; Euripides won four.
The most famous tragedies of Sophocles feature Oedipus and Antigone: they are generally known as the Theban plays, though each was part of a different tetralogy (the other members of which are now lost). Sophocles influenced the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor (attributed to Sophocles by Aristotle; to Aeschylus by Themistius), thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights.
The most famous tragedies of Sophocles feature Oedipus and Antigone: they are generally known as the Theban plays, though each was part of a different tetralogy (the other members of which are now lost). Sophocles influenced the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor (attributed to Sophocles by Aristotle; to Aeschylus by Themistius), thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights.
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This was of course some of the most fluid and beautiful writing I have come across in a long time. I have wanted to read this play for years and finally ran across a copy of it. The words were an absolute song and the bits by the choir thrown in were terribly fun to act out in your mind. I would love to see this on stage. I am not sure if the plot was exactly my favorite but the words alone were enough to rock me into a happy lull of entertainment and contentment.
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n **4.5 stars**
“A man, though wise, should never be ashamed of learning more, and must unbend his mind.”n
The conclusive note to the three plays, it kind of makes you feel a bit desolate, deep down. If you think about it, you can find the impression of this play in particular on several of Shakespeare’s plays. To voice back pessimism, Tiresias is also back from Oedipus Rex, and this time we can’t suspect him of antagonism. However, what may strike as a bit odd is the almost null involvement of Eteocles in the entire tale, given he has one of the pivotal roles in the happenings of the play.
The play sets in motion a tragic collision between opposed laws and duties: between human-enforced and transcendental commands which both claim to dictate the burial of the dead and the secular edicts of a ruler determined to restore civic order, between family allegiance and private conscience and public duty and the rule of law restricting personal liberty for the sake of general benevolence. Like the proverbial immovable object meeting an irresistible force, Antigone tries, by hook or by crook, to arrange the impact of the seemingly irreconcilable conceptions of rights and responsibilities, producing an enduring illumination of human nature and condition.
And I can’t but agree more with Victor Hanson and John Heath, when they wrote:
“Within this single drama—in great part, a harsh critique of Athenian society and the Greek city-state in general—Sophocles tells of the eternal struggle between the state and the individual, human and natural law, and the enormous gulf between what we attempt here on earth and what fate has in store for us all. In this magnificent dramatic work, almost incidentally so, we find nearly every reason why we are now what we are.”
And I’m glad for the former acts of Haemon. It takes something serious to stand against a tyrannical king, especially if it’s his father. Though in the end… (I remembered Chester Bennington)
n “It is not right if I am wrong. But if I am young, and right, what does my age matter?”n
“A man, though wise, should never be ashamed of learning more, and must unbend his mind.”n
The conclusive note to the three plays, it kind of makes you feel a bit desolate, deep down. If you think about it, you can find the impression of this play in particular on several of Shakespeare’s plays. To voice back pessimism, Tiresias is also back from Oedipus Rex, and this time we can’t suspect him of antagonism. However, what may strike as a bit odd is the almost null involvement of Eteocles in the entire tale, given he has one of the pivotal roles in the happenings of the play.
The play sets in motion a tragic collision between opposed laws and duties: between human-enforced and transcendental commands which both claim to dictate the burial of the dead and the secular edicts of a ruler determined to restore civic order, between family allegiance and private conscience and public duty and the rule of law restricting personal liberty for the sake of general benevolence. Like the proverbial immovable object meeting an irresistible force, Antigone tries, by hook or by crook, to arrange the impact of the seemingly irreconcilable conceptions of rights and responsibilities, producing an enduring illumination of human nature and condition.
And I can’t but agree more with Victor Hanson and John Heath, when they wrote:
“Within this single drama—in great part, a harsh critique of Athenian society and the Greek city-state in general—Sophocles tells of the eternal struggle between the state and the individual, human and natural law, and the enormous gulf between what we attempt here on earth and what fate has in store for us all. In this magnificent dramatic work, almost incidentally so, we find nearly every reason why we are now what we are.”
And I’m glad for the former acts of Haemon. It takes something serious to stand against a tyrannical king, especially if it’s his father. Though in the end… (I remembered Chester Bennington)
n “It is not right if I am wrong. But if I am young, and right, what does my age matter?”n
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Well, this resonated deeply with me. Especially the relationship between Antigone and her flighty and untrustworthy sister Ismene. Man, that part when Ismene now suddenly wants to stand at her sister's side after the King Creon has sentenced Antigone to be immured, really pissed me off and brought up all kinds of feelings of injustice and indignation. As with Electra, Antigone is a woman alone facing the self-righteousness of an elder king unwilling to lose face or learn anything new he hasn't sought out himself. Sophocles's play was meant to be an examination of the budding democracy rising against the old tyranny, and again, he chose a woman to embody that "bud". And what better way to destroy the idea of freedom than to brick it up and starve it?
A brief summary of the play for those who aren't familiar with the story. Antigone is Œdipe's and Jocaste's daughter and those two were mother and son, remember? After Œdipe found out that he hadn't escaped the oracle of his birth and in total ignorance had killed his father and married his own mother, he stuck needles in his eyes and Jocaste hung herself. Antigone, Ismene and their two brothers Polynice and Étéocle are taken in by their uncle Creon who has now become king after Étéocle's death. Antigone's story begins after her brother's deaths. The two men offed each other over Polynice taking the "enemy Argos" side after he was exiled by his brother who refused to share the throne with him. Okay, so they killed each other and now Antigone is betrothed to Hemon, son of Creon. But there's one little thing keeping her from finding peace in her already fucked up life: Creon has decided that Étéocle would get a Greek burial, but Polynice's body would be left out to rot and be eaten by the vultures.
Antigone knows that Hades will not accept her brother in the world of the dead if he isn't properly cared for before leaving the world of the living. She decides to disobey the king and in the night, begins the burial of her brother. Ismene bitches and moans and tells Antigone she's crazy for taking such a risk, but Antigone will not back down on this. She's striving for the realm of greater ideas and understands that while the laws of men come and go, what right is right no matter what the patriarchy dictates. Anyhoo, needless to say she sends Creon in a state of self-important rage and he proceeds to monologue himself into a corner and has to make do on his threats to have her immured and starved.
Then everybody he loves takes the high road and dies with her and Creon is left with nothing but his throne.
It's a Greek tragedy, yes, but in real life, Creon often gets what he wants and the Antigones of the world are still screaming behind high walls.
A brief summary of the play for those who aren't familiar with the story. Antigone is Œdipe's and Jocaste's daughter and those two were mother and son, remember? After Œdipe found out that he hadn't escaped the oracle of his birth and in total ignorance had killed his father and married his own mother, he stuck needles in his eyes and Jocaste hung herself. Antigone, Ismene and their two brothers Polynice and Étéocle are taken in by their uncle Creon who has now become king after Étéocle's death. Antigone's story begins after her brother's deaths. The two men offed each other over Polynice taking the "enemy Argos" side after he was exiled by his brother who refused to share the throne with him. Okay, so they killed each other and now Antigone is betrothed to Hemon, son of Creon. But there's one little thing keeping her from finding peace in her already fucked up life: Creon has decided that Étéocle would get a Greek burial, but Polynice's body would be left out to rot and be eaten by the vultures.
Antigone knows that Hades will not accept her brother in the world of the dead if he isn't properly cared for before leaving the world of the living. She decides to disobey the king and in the night, begins the burial of her brother. Ismene bitches and moans and tells Antigone she's crazy for taking such a risk, but Antigone will not back down on this. She's striving for the realm of greater ideas and understands that while the laws of men come and go, what right is right no matter what the patriarchy dictates. Anyhoo, needless to say she sends Creon in a state of self-important rage and he proceeds to monologue himself into a corner and has to make do on his threats to have her immured and starved.
Then everybody he loves takes the high road and dies with her and Creon is left with nothing but his throne.
It's a Greek tragedy, yes, but in real life, Creon often gets what he wants and the Antigones of the world are still screaming behind high walls.
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greek tragedy has this element that is truly lacking in most contemporary works, and it's simply dimensionality. this manicheean idea of a "right" and a "wrong" that oppose each other completely without intersecting is flawed in a multitude of ways and is never applicable to the human psyche and the way we act, so finding it, even in fiction, is incredibly frustrating by its inaccuracy
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Of all the Greek theatre, few works remain. Antigone is one of the most famous short pieces we still have. It is deserving. This tragedy is a powerful, deep, immense, great work. You had to be Sophocles to do this to us. It's enormous, beautiful, and intense!
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n ''Ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς
οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος.’’n
n ''O tomb, my bridal bed – my house, my prison cut in the hollow rock, my everlasting watch!’’n
n ‘’Ὦ κοινὸν αὐτάδελφον Ἰσμήνης κάρα.’’n
n ‘’ Πολυαγαπημένη μου αδερφή Ισμήνη.’’n
n ‘’My own flesh and blood - dear sister, dear Ismene.’’n
Why the fuck do I remember the start?
Sooo I’ve read a lot of ancient greek lit because school made me do it and now I hate it all so I can’t say I’m the best person to go to for an honest review. That being said, don’t really know why I bought this considering the fact that I hate it and that I also threw away the school book I had which contained this in greek/ancient greek. If I sit down to read the ones I wasn’t forced to translate I may change my mind but school put my off ancient greek literature.
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Wiem z tego tyle, że nic nie wiem XD
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