Antigone: A New Translation

Antigone: A New Translation | Sophocles Sophocles

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Even better than I remembered. What is it about the ancient Greek playwrights and their ability to pack in the most momentous action, significant dialogue and impactful lessons in such a short space? Is there some kind of collected background built up from previous reading and study that makes this feel like the story is familiar and I'm walking in at just the right moment, 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? or is it in the nature of good tragedies to provide just enough set up then get right to the drama, and the learnings available? Amazing in a sense that much of what the play wishes to convey to the audience makes sense even in a modern context: Honouring the word of law is one thing, but honouring the gods is even more important, 2w

Robotswithpersonality 3/? or for my fellow atheists, honouring the rituals and culture, and one's family, respect for the dead, wisdom is often hard won and stubborn pride is dangerous. It's interesting to see Antigone framed as in the right but still see Creon dismiss her as much for being a woman as going against his edict. Yet, Haimon is a man and Creon's son, and is similarly lumped in with Antigone, 2w

Robotswithpersonality 4/? Creon bent on asserting that anyone who goes against his word, who suggests he's in the wrong has been bewitched/persuaded, or bribed, it takes his peers, older men like Teiresias (who he still accuses of taking bribes) and the Chorus to finally make Creon see sense. Given it's a tragedy, the lessons are underlined by being taken to heart to late, as much as it's a grim agency, 2w

Robotswithpersonality 5/? Antigone's choice to decide the time of her demise rather than remain living but entombed, leads me to think back to Medea. Are women often shown as violently taking charge in ancient tragedy because they do not possess much agency when they are following the polite rules of their societies? 🤔 Food for thought. 2w

Robotswithpersonality 6/6 Perhaps because of their smaller roles and subsequent actions, Haimon's and Euridice's deaths feel like echoes of Antigone's choice: Creon's folly, exponentially punished due to his repeated lack of heeding good advice. I'm glad I have this play out of the Classical Tragedy Greek and Roman ed. by Robert W. Corrigan, because I'm definitely in the mood to read more ancient tragic plays. Who knew?!
⚠️suicide 2w

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