So... not over-rated. Fagles' translation is solid, much clearer than his Aeschylus, though I actually prefer the opacity he brought to that text. Of course, that might have been in Aeschylus. I will never learn Greek well enough to tell.

Antigone was the earliest of these plays, though the last within the narrative. I can't help but read it with my Hegel glasses on: the clash between Creon and Antigone is an example of a failed conceptual grasp of the world, in which the claims on us of family/tradition/ancient gods cannot be accommodated by our living in larger, civic communities. Divine law and human law sometimes do not go together, but only a tyrant would insist on hewing to the latter alone. Removing the Hegel glasses, I can see that Creon, to his credit, does change his mind. But this being Greece, by then it's all too late. The 'lesson', if you like, is simply that one has to exercise excellent judgment in these matters.

This question of judgment works through the Oedipus plays, as well; each tyrant (Oedipus in OK, Creon in OC) fails to use good judgment; the good king Theseus does exercise it, and thus Athens rules etc etc... I know we're 'meant' to think that these plays are really about always bowing down to the gods and accepting fate, but that just doesn't square with what actually happens: Athens succeeds because of Theseus's wisdom just as much as his piety; Thebes will eventually fall because of its kings' folly just as much as their impiety. In OK, Oedipus has the chorus's support in his argument with Tiresias, because Oedipus's defeat of the Sphinx acts as proof of his regality; but when he accuses Creon without evidence, they give up on him... because by acting without evidence, he shows poor judgment. And so on.

The best play for reading is easily Oedipus the King, which is horrifying and glorious in equal measure. Also, if anyone out there knows of a good book on Tiresias, let me know.

As for Knox's introductory essays, they're not particularly thrilling. There's too much plot-summary (good news for freshmen, I guess), and his insights are so skewed ("these plays aren't depressing! They're about how we do have some control over our lives!") that it's hard to take him seriously. but they're still worth reading.

Good grief, what a sorry lot.

«ای رنج!کجا هستم ؟آیا این صدای من است که در هوا سرگردان است؟دست تقدیر مرا به کجا می راند؟»
افسانه های تبای شامل ۳ نمایشنامه ی تراژدی است که در تلاش برای به یاد آوردن قدرت تقدیر است.سوفوکلس ادعا میکند که «قوانین خدایان از آن دیروز و امروز نیست.هیچ کس آغازشان را نمی داند.اما آن ها جاودانه هستند.»
به شخصه نسبت به تقدیر گرایی شدید سوفوکلس احساس خوبی نداشتم و به طور کلی حتی برای مردی به بزرگی ادیپ قدرت اراده آزاد را حذف کرده و سعی در اثبات بی گناهی ادیپ دارد.اما در کل نویسنده در شخصیت سازی به خوبی عمل کرده همان طور که در کتاب آمده«یک شاعر بزرگ هرگز به طراحی یک شخصیت ممتاز نمیپردازد.وجود او در هر یک از آفریدگانش است.»و این که سوفوکلس در عین زشتی هر شخصیت زیبایی ها وظرافت شخصیت ها را نشان میدهد نشان دهنده قدرت نویسندگی نفس گیر اوست.

Najważniejszym spostrzeżeniem z lektury cyklu tebańskiego, jest to, jak ważnym, dla całości jest Edyp w Kolonos o którym nie miałem zielonego pojęcia. Obok znanych wszystkim ze szkoły arcydzieł greckiej tragedii, najstarszy bo napisany u schyłku życia Sofoklesa drugi jej element, jest kluczowy do odczarowania Edypa i zrozumienia postaci Antygony. Trzeba też przyznać, że spolszczenie Libery jest czymś wspaniałym dla poznania greckiego teatru laikowi, które aż prosi się o czytanie na głos.

Bardzo jestem ciekaw tych tragedii wystawianych na scenie, oraz porównania ich z tłumaczeniami Chodkowskiego.

3.5**** rounded up

Money! Money's the curse of man, none greater.
That's what wrecks cities, banishes men from homes,
Tempts and deludes the most well-meaning soul,
Pointing out the way to infamy and shame.

At 176 pages and consisting of 3 plays I was able to read this in one sitting (which never happens to me!).

After reading “Greek Tragedy” the other day- one of the plays was Oedipus Rex (or known in this book as Oedipus the King) and I was keen to find out more of what happened after the events in this first play.

Luckily Sophocles’ “The Theban Plays” details this. In Oedipus at Colonus we get to see what became of the exiled and, now blind, Oedipus as he travels with his daughter, Antigone, from place to place. This play also mentions (and features) Oedipus’ children by Jacosta and what has happened to them: Antigone the faithful helper, Ismene his loyal spy, and then the two sons fighting for the crown of Thebes: Eteocles the current ruler of Thebes and Polynices- the exiled brother seeking vengeance and control of the throne.
This play was interesting as we get to see what became of Oedipus after the first play and how his children developed/his relationship with them.

The third play is Antigone. This is set after Oedipus has died and what happens to the next generation of this family line (of course this is a tragedy so expect a downfall). This focuses particularly on Antigone who is ruled by her conscience regardless of law and the consequences of defying King Creon- a very prideful King.
I enjoyed the Antigone tragedy as it was great to see her stream of consciousness and doing what she believes in. This also focuses largely on Creon and his rule of “it’s my way, or the highway” style- which of course has consequences.

While I would’ve this the full 4**** as I really enjoyed them- my copy of this book just did not have the notes that I needed for the plays to fully make sense. Some points I had to pick up my phone to research what a line was referring to and this was made especially difficult by the “Chorus” of the play which could be difficult to understand. Having to pick up my phone to research some things took out some of the enjoyment of the play for me.
If this book (translation) expanded on its notes (like with the “Greek Tragedy” book) it would’ve been a much nicer reading experience for me.

"In certain heroic natures unmerited suffering and death can be met with a greatness of soul which, because it is purely human, brings honor to us all."

'Take these things to heart, my son, I warn you.
All men make mistakes, it is only human.
But once the wrong is done, a man
can turn his back on folly, misfortune too,
if he tries to make amends, however low he’s fallen,
and stops his bullnecked ways. Stubbornness
brands you for stupidity – pride is a crime.
No, yield to the dead!
Never stab the fighter when he’s down.
Where’s the glory, killing the dead twice over?”
(Tiresias, the blind prophet, to Creon, king of Thebes, uncle of Antigone in ‘Antigone’ )

Three very good decisions led me to finally read the Penguin Classic Edition of Sophocles’ three Theban plays: First and foremost, I have eventually decided a few month ago to take a course in Classical Mythology. This has always been my wish, but as with so many things in life it had been postponed for years. The course did not open Pandora’s box, it has instead enhanced my understanding of literature and art in general and given me new insights of how Classical mythology is part of our cultural legacy. Amongst others we had to read Sophocles’ ‘Oedipus the King’. I knew, somewhere in my house I would find a battered, yellow Reclam edition in German: This work by Sophocles is a set book for almost every high school student here in Zurich. On the spur of a moment I decided, however, to read not only this well-known play, but to add the two other Theban Plays: ‘Antigone’ and ‘Oedipus at Colonus’. This was my second good decision. My third brave decision was to read these plays in an English translation instead of a German one, mostly because I could not find any decent new translation into German. This is how I came into the possession of a brand new copy of the Penguin Classic Edition, translated by Robert Fagles (Professor of Comparative Literature, Emeritus, at Princeton University) with introductions and notes by Bernard Knox (Director Emeritus of Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington). As so often with Penguin Classics editions, I fell instantly in love with the cover, depicting Gustave Doré’s ‘The Enigma’ (Musée d’Orsay, Paris):



I cannot praise highly enough this edition and its translation. The beautiful and simple language is easy to understand even for non-native English speakers; the accompanying notes are clear and require only a basic knowledge of Greek mythology. They help to enjoy even more the compelling writing and subtle irony of the plays.

If you have read ‘Oedipus the King’ years ago and are now ready to revisit this work, give it a try and read all three Theban plays by Sophocles. They consist of ‘Antigone’ (written ca. 442 B.C.), ‘Oedipus the King’ (ca. 430 B.C.) and ‘Oedipus at Colonus’ (produced after Sophocles death in 401 B.C.). Besides the beautifully structured ‘Oedipus the King’ the two other Theban plays about the idealistic Antigone and Oedipus in exile are no less captivating and have not lost their attractiveness. As all Greek dramas, Sophocles’ tragedies are based on myths that have been passed on orally. Bernard Knox explains:

“The stuff from which the tragic poet made his plays was not contemporary reality but myth. And yet it did reflect contemporary reality, did so perhaps in terms more authoritative because they were not colored by the partisan emotions of the time, terms which were in fact so authorative that they remain meaningful even for us today.”(p.22)

One of the best examples that these stories have the same powerful meaning as 2400 years ago is the quote mentioned at the beginning of this review by Tiresias to Creon.

Nevertheless, I am aware that the modern reader of today has another approach to these works than the Athenian male viewer had (women apparently were rarely admitted to the spectacles). During my course I read several plays not only by Sophocles but also by Aeschylus and Euripides. Even though I love Greek Mythology and I am very much attracted to the Classical Antiquity, it has often been difficult for me to digest the misogyny of Classical cultures. Greek men do not seem to have been very comfortable around women. In several myths women are depicted as malicious, monstrous or even eerie. Monsters are often female. It seems that Antigone is a rare exception. Her integrity and humanity, which Sophocles describes so masterfully, makes her sympathetic to the modern reader. Oedipus might have been the hero of the male Athenian viewer (*), but I think Oedipus’ daughter Antigone is my personal hero of the stories. Let me thus conclude with a quote by Bernard Knox about my favourite character in the plays:

“…her courage and steadfastness are a gleam of light; she is the embodiment of the only consolation tragedy can offer – that in certain heroic natures unmerited suffering and death can be met with a greatness of soul which, because it is purely human, brings honor to us all.” (p.53)

(*)Heroes in Greek mythology were not basically good or moral persons; they could be quite the opposite. A hero could have a divine parent or being extraordinary in some other ways, he did not have to be a good man.

This is how I feel about Antigone:


Translation Notes
I have read four versions of the Antigone, three versions of Oedipus Rex, and two versions of Oedipus at Colonus, over five years. I don't know why I'm like this either. (Comment your favorite Antigone translations and I'll read them.)

Oxford edition, trans. unk (2015): In ninth grade, I read the Theban plays in my English class. I liked them. Antigone, specifically, made a very very large impression on me. I promptly forgot every single thing I thought about them. [I have a terrible memory.] So when audible offered a free audio of the plays with a full-cast narration… I went for it. And of course loved it again. Will need to reread these translations to fully retranslate.
Audio edition, trans. unk (2018): This audio stars the excellent Jamie Glover as Oedipus and the always-talented Hayley Atwell as Antigone, but casting such as Samantha Bond as Jocasta, Michael Melone as Creon, and Lydia Leonard as Ismene stand out as well. This is the reading upon which I decided perhaps Oedipus the King was very good.
Antigonick trans. Anne Carson (2019): More an adaption than a translation, and certainly not my favorite, if only because I love Antigone's original words so much. Worth reading, but after reading Antigone proper. Reviewed here.
The Greek Plays edition trans. Frank Nisetich (2020): I loved the biting stychomythia of this translation.

Play Reviews for Everything

n  →Oedipus the King←n★★★★★
Oedipus means swollen foot, in reference to his broken feet as a child, but holds a double meaning: Oida means I know, and Eidon means I saw, so the term could also be 'seeing foot'. If only he could see where his feet were going. Seeing, indeed, is the primary tension of the play. One eyewitness has two key details to give: the story of exposing the baby for Laius, and the story of watching a stranger kill Laius on a dark road.

What I like about this play is that it is a tragedy where no character has purposefully fucked things up. Every single character — from the later-unsympathetic Creon to the excellently written Jocasta — is sympathetic. It is so upsetting to see it unfold, see these characters have their lives so completely ruined. Around halfway through the play, Jocasta figures it out, and begs Oedipus to stop the process; knowing, but thinking to take it to her grave: he does not take it. Oedipus receives the opportunity to blame it all on Creon and keep his leadership: he does not take it. He is finding the truth for altruism, and will take it to the end.

For Oedipus, his recognition and reversal are a nightmare come true, a dream he never thought could occur. I was near tears during Oedipus’ final speech.

n  →Oedipus at Colonus←n★★★★☆
I actually, in hindsight, am not sure I read this in ninth grade. [We were only actually required to read Antigone.] This is the Family Feelings play, as in… the relationship between Antigone and Ismene and Oedipus is upsetting and I don’t like it. Almost all the action of this one is offstage, which makes it far harder to follow; honestly, this feels like a joiner between Oedipus the King and Antigone. I did enjoy the sense of tragedy and the character development.

n  →Antigone←n★★★★★
What I like about Antigone is Antigone. No, that's not quite right. What I like about Antigone is its focus on very different characters as they try to undermine Creon in three very different ways. Acting from honor, from logic, from empathy, the three youth of the royal family protest his decisions: Antigone representing the god’s honor and the woman’s honor; Ismene representing the woman’s honor; Haemon representing the youth’s honor and the city’s honor. The actions of Antigone, Haemon, and Ismene break the heirarchy down, and though by the end of the play, two lie dead, they have taught Creon his lesson. When the tyrant does not listen to those around him, he has nothing, and leaves the dead in his wake.

Antigone loves her honor before the gods, and will break any heirarchy, woman or not, to get to it; yet the city is on her side, following her lead. Ismene and Antigone have a fascinating sisterly relationship. The stychomythia (certain kind of meter used for conversation) between Haemon and Creon is one of my favorite scenes in any play I’ve read ever.

The 'guard' witnesses two very key events in Antigone's life: he is almost more 'casual', and oddly comedic. He introduces two burials, one scattering of earth, one seemingly divine and done by Antigone. This is not notable on the first readthrough. On the second, the question of who actually does the first burial hits.

Notable in the sense of tragic convention is that the chorus is all-male; in this genre, the chorus is generally the same gender as the protagonists, generally of a lower social position, but sympathetic. Though the chorus here is at times kind to Antigone, they are never fully on her side. By the time she gives her death speech, about to walk into her tomb, we know she is truly alone. Antigone is a spectacle to the chorus, as Oedipus once was.

Notable Lines (Frank Nisetich translation):
ANTIGONE: No dread of what some man might think would ever make me… be guilty before the gods. (457-459)
ANTIGONE: And I can’t join in hate, but only in love. (528)
ANTIGONE: Your thoughts appealed to some, mine to others.
ISMENE: And yet we’re both found guilty, both alike. (558-559)
CREON: Rulers own their cities--isn’t that the saying?
HAEMON: A fine ruler you’d make, alone, in a desert.
CREON: This fellow, it seems, is on the woman’s side.
HAEMON: If you’re a woman: it’s you I care for. (738-741)
HAEMON: Do you want to talk and talk and never listen? (755)

These plays are an excellent look at the nature of humanity, the hypocrisy of us and the fact that we all have our good sides and our bad. I know I will not be ending my love affair with Antigone anytime soon.

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سوای از این‌که با یک اثر ادبی طرفیم که هر علاقه‌مندی می‌تونه بخوندش، با یک منبع درسی برای دانشجویان هنرهای نمایشی و روانشناسی مواجه‌ایم که خوندنش برای اون‌ها یک ضرورت به حساب می‌آد.
کتاب شامل یک مقدمه به شدت جذاب از شاهرخ مکسوب، نمایشنامه‌های "ادیپ شهریار"، "ادیپ در کلنوس " و "آنتیگنه" و مقاله‌ی "آنتیگنه و لذت تراژیک" از آندره بونار است.

این کتاب را سال‌ها پیش خواندم، زمانی که به روانکاوی فروید-لکانی بسیار علاقه داشتم و به خاطر نظریۀ «عقده اُدیپ» فروید سراغ این کتاب رفتم و از خواندن آن به شدت لذت بردم، به گونه‌ای که در طول یکی دو هفته هر کدام از سه نمایشنامه را چندین بار خواندم! بعدها که با نیچه آشنا شدم و ستایش او از یونان باستان و فرهنگ تراژیک یونان باستان و به ویژه نمایش‌نامه نویس‌های بزرگ آن دوران را دیدم و با تحلیل‌های نیچه از تراژدی و فرهنگ تراژیک یونان بایتان آشنا شدم بیش از پیش به ارزش واقعی این نمایش‌نامه‌ها پی بردم و دوست داشتم که بار دیگر این کتاب و البته دیگر نمایش‌نامه‌های تراژیک یونان باستان را بخوانم، باشد که این آرزو برآورده شود

I read Oedipus the King and Antigone earlier this year, but it was worth a revisit.

This time round I read the Penguin translation by Robert Fagles, it included Oedipus at Colonus, the three together make the Theban plays.

In this edition, each play starts with an essay by Bernard Knox, which I enjoyed reading as much as the plays, and more so, because this time I could follow all the points made without the need to Google anything or refer to any of my other books. Just being able to do this feels good.

I also found the two Oedipus plays left me with a slightly better sense of fate and suffering. I have always struggled with how these concepts are rationalised, especially fate. In my own experience fate is used to justify poor behaviour, where when you stand up to it there are repercussions. So, although I don’t fully appreciate the positives of fate and suffering (the latter being the deal that’s been handed down), reading the two Oedipus plays gives me a glimmer of a different perspective.

Of Antigone, her determination for justice doesn’t win me over completely to her side, especially in how she rejects her sister Ismene. Though, out of the three plays, it has the most comedy with the scenes between a sentry and Creon. These are brilliantly timed and breaks up the tension that is otherwise a very tragic drama.

Looking back, these plays have not been an easy read but with each attempt I have come away with more understanding than before. This is thrilling for me, and encourages me to keep coming back to these plays to read again and again.

"Cuán terrible puede ser el conocimiento de la verdad cuando no hay ayuda en la verdad".

Aristóteles, el primer crítico y teórico literario de la historia, nos asegura sin nombrarlo explícitamente en su eterna “Poética” que “Edipo Rey” de Sófoles es la tragedia perfecta.
Cuando estudié la carrera de Licenciatura en Letras tuve el placer de conocer el perfecto análisis que Aristóteles hace de la tragedia y descubrí esos términos maravillosos como "eleos", "phobos", "hamarthia" y por su puesto "catarsis", entre otros.
Este desdichado rey que debe acarrear el sufrimiento y el oprobio de haber matado a su padre y haber engendrado sus hijos con su propia madre no tendrá paz ni descanso y al final de todo, cuando el desenlace y el destino que los dioses le propinan es inevitable, se condena al exilio y esa tragedia es la que continuará en "Edipo en Colono" donde sufrirá por demás los males que le aquejan y que lo llevarán a la muerte.
Mi edición también incluye "Antígona", ahora en Tebas, que también es una trágica secuela de la hija que lega el sufrimiento de su padre, ante el conocimiento de la mutua muerte que se han propinado sus propio hermanos y al que se agregará también a sufrir su condición de mujer.
En estas tragedias de Sófocles, no hay paz para nadie.
Solo dolor, desgracia y muerte.