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My version is Watling and a Penguin Book. Sophocles knows how to create tension and make us empathize with the characters.
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Sophocles Plays: 2: Ajax, Women of Trachis, Electra, Philoctetes
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Sophocles' greatest plays reissued in the new Classical Greek Dramatists series. Introduced by series editor J Michael Walton
Includes the surviving complete plays: Ajax which plots the downfall of Odysseus's greatest Trojan enemy - who slaughters a whole herd of cattle before killing himself; Women of Trachis in which the seemingly docile Deianira prepares a lethal homecoming for her womanising husband Heracles; in Electra the son and daughter of the ill-starred Agamemnon plan their revenge on their usurping stepfather and mother and finally Philoctetes in which Sophocles brilliantly explores the themes of pain, love and the betrayal of trust.
Includes the surviving complete plays: Ajax which plots the downfall of Odysseus's greatest Trojan enemy - who slaughters a whole herd of cattle before killing himself; Women of Trachis in which the seemingly docile Deianira prepares a lethal homecoming for her womanising husband Heracles; in Electra the son and daughter of the ill-starred Agamemnon plan their revenge on their usurping stepfather and mother and finally Philoctetes in which Sophocles brilliantly explores the themes of pain, love and the betrayal of trust.
226 pages, Paperback
First published January 1,-0450
This edition
- Format
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226 pages, Paperback
- Published
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July 13, 2009 by Methuen Drama
- ISBN
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9780413628800
- ASIN
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0413628809
- Language
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English
Characters More characters
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Ajax
Ajax or Aias (Ancient Greek: Αἴας, gen. Αἴαντος) was a mythological Greek hero, the son of Telamon and Periboea, and king of Salamis. After Achilles, he was the mightiest of the Greek heroes in the Trojan War. Ajax was a huge man, head and shoulders large...
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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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What can't you like about Greek tragedy in a Modern Library format!
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Ajax
Electra
Women of Trachis
Philoctetes
Electra
Women of Trachis
Philoctetes
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The plays are excellent, based on myths containing sensationalist material such as matricide, fratricide, revenge killings, suicide, adultery and deception. Sophocles definitely deserves his legendary status. The ability of these ancient dramatists to portray these stories with the limited resources and technology available at the time is ingenious.
This edition contains good prefaces to the plays which includes an explanation of how the plays might have been staged. However, there is a good general explanation of the set up the Greek theatre in the appendix at the back of the book, which would have been better put at the front. The endnotes to the plays are copious and I found them a bit excessive. I prefer it if the notes are limited to an explanation of references that might be unknown to the general reader but the notes in this edition give quite extensive commentary on each scene. However, anyone who wished to stage the play might find these helpful.
Electra: E's brother Orestes returns home and kills their mum & her lover in revenge for killing their dad.
Ajax: A goes mad when dead Achilles' armour is given to Odysseus and kills some cows thinking he is killing the Greek generals. A kills himself. O makes sure his body is buried with honour.
Women of Trachis: Heracles' wife Deianira gives H a poisoned robe after learning that H plans to take a mistress.
Philoctetes: P has been stranded on a island with his magic bow for years because of a poisoned foot. Neoptolemus and Odysseus try to steal the magic bow by trickery.
This edition contains good prefaces to the plays which includes an explanation of how the plays might have been staged. However, there is a good general explanation of the set up the Greek theatre in the appendix at the back of the book, which would have been better put at the front. The endnotes to the plays are copious and I found them a bit excessive. I prefer it if the notes are limited to an explanation of references that might be unknown to the general reader but the notes in this edition give quite extensive commentary on each scene. However, anyone who wished to stage the play might find these helpful.
Electra: E's brother Orestes returns home and kills their mum & her lover in revenge for killing their dad.
Ajax: A goes mad when dead Achilles' armour is given to Odysseus and kills some cows thinking he is killing the Greek generals. A kills himself. O makes sure his body is buried with honour.
Women of Trachis: Heracles' wife Deianira gives H a poisoned robe after learning that H plans to take a mistress.
Philoctetes: P has been stranded on a island with his magic bow for years because of a poisoned foot. Neoptolemus and Odysseus try to steal the magic bow by trickery.
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فقظ به خاطر ترجمه یه ستاره کم کردم
در ادامه بیشتر ازش مینویسم
در ادامه بیشتر ازش مینویسم
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Short, and semi-simple. You have to have the mindset of the time to really get anything important out of this story, but a good read.
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These plays, particularly Ajax and Philoctetes, are just too good to be true. So many timeless themes of honor v survival, will v fate, family v justice, sorrow, the psychological trauma of war, the unintended consequences of measures taken out of insecurity, the addiction to misery, and the ultimate hollowness of class and rank distinctions when it comes down to it.
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If you thought the ending of the extended version of the Lord of the Rings was protracted, wait until you read the back and forth between Neoptolemus and Philoctetes in Philoctetes, the last of four plays in this collection.
That said, all four plays are marvelous. It is easy to see why they are considered classics. Vivid and evocative verse, powerful characters, discussing important intellectual and moral topics: justice, retribution, duty to one's honor versus duty to one's family, and more. Ajax was my favorite, but again, all four plays are great.
That said, all four plays are marvelous. It is easy to see why they are considered classics. Vivid and evocative verse, powerful characters, discussing important intellectual and moral topics: justice, retribution, duty to one's honor versus duty to one's family, and more. Ajax was my favorite, but again, all four plays are great.
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