Antigone (Greek Tragedy in New Translations)

Rating:
Summary: An impressive new translation of Sophocles' "Antigone"
Review: 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 Kreon, 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.

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 seems to me that the conflict in "Antigone" is not so clear-cut as we would suppose. After all, Kreon 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 is developing since it essentially gives Kreon an out and a way of saving face. Even though the playwright strips Kreon of his son, Haemon and wife, Eurydice by the end of the drama, it is not a fatal verdict rendered against the king's judgment, but rather the playing out of the tragedy to its grim conclusion.

As part of the Greek Tragedy in New Translations series which seeks to bring the touch of the poet to the translation, this particular version is by Reginald Gibbons and Charles Segal. Gibbon's explanation of the translation is a fascinating discourse on what you would usually think of as being the dry work of translating a dusty Greek text into modern English. Not only are we treated to thoughts on the nuances of language and the practicality of using the Latin name for Oedipus, but there is a most compelling argument that the male actor who played Antigone could well have also played Haimon, Teiresias, and even Eurydike (since those characters never appear together on stage). This becomes of interest because clearly each character, in turn, tries in vain to dissuade Kreon from his course. Gibbons and Segal also develop stage directions, non-existent in the extant text, to give added weight to the dialogues. There is ample justification for adding this particular translation to your classical library, especially if you have cause to teach "Antigone."

Ultimately, Antigone is not the tragic hero in the play that bears her name, but rather Kreon and the great irony is that while he condemns Antigone for her "crime," he is guilty of a sin. As such "Antigone" addresses the clash of church and state long before any political principle was attached to their relationship. I would also add that I have always enjoyed Jean Anouilh's "modern" version of the play, produced in 1944 and loaded with overtones regarding the Nazi occupation of France. The two plays offer a fascinating analog and students are usually quick to appreciate how Anouilh revitalizes the ancient myth with the political situation in which he lived. Certainly students are better able to identify with Antigone and her story than most of the tragic heroes and their unhappy fates.