The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus
Product ID: 76511071
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Towering over the rest of Greek tragedy, Sophocles' The Three Theban Plays are among the most enduring and timeless dramas ever written. This Penguin Classics edition is translated by Robert Fagles with introductions and notes by Bernard Knox. Collected here are Antigone , Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus , in a translation by Robert Fagles which retains all of Sophocles' lucidity and power: the cut and thrust of his dialogue, his ironic edge, the surge and majesty of his choruses and, above all, the agonies and triumphs of his characters. Oedipus in exile, searching for his identity, desperately trying to avoid his fate, seeking the truth of his origins and achieving immortality; his daughter, Antigone, defending her integrity and ideals to the death - these heroic, tragic figures have captivated theatregoers and readers since the fifth century BC. It is Sophocles' characterisation of Oedipus that would, in the nineteenth century, inspire Sigmund Freud to a revolutionary conception of the human mind, and the tragedies in this volume continue to move and inspire us to this day. Sophocles (496-405 BC) was born at Colonus, just outside Athens. His long life spanned the rise and decline of the Athenian Empire; he was a friend of Pericles, and though not an active politician he held several public offices, both military and civil. The leader of a literary circle and friend of Herodotus, Sophocles wrote over a hundred plays, drawing on a wide and varied range of themes, and winning the City Dionysia eighteen times; though only seven of his tragedies have survived, among them Antigone , Oedipus Rex, Ajax and Oedipus at Colonus . If you enjoyed The Three Theban Plays , you might like Aeschylus' The Oresteia, also available in Penguin Classics. 'I know of no better English version' Sir Hugh Lloyd-Jones, Oxford University 'The most impressive verse translations of Sophocles that have been made' Stephen Spender Review: The finest translation of Sophocles in English - The Three Theban plays is a great trilogy of tragedies from the Greek master Sophocles. It follows the fate of Oedipus as he unknowingly commits parricide and incest. The translation by Robert Fagles is lucid and effervescent, and the reader can read them silently as well as read them aloud. I personally feel that reading the text aloud is more evocative and pleasurable. The introduction by Bernard Knox provides valuable insight into Greek tragedies. The works of Aeschylus and Euripides are also touched upon briefly. As a student of literature I found the book immensely satisfying and rewarding. Oedipus the King should be read first, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. That is the order in which the plays should be read or staged. Although history shows us that Antigone was written and performed first, that is why this book has Antigone in the beginning. But one cannot truly appreciate reading Antigone without knowing the fate of her father Oedipus beforehand. It is a great book for someone who wishes to get a taste of Greek drama, or someone who has never read Classical tragedies before. The book can be equally enjoyed by people who don't have a literature background. Fagles' translation faithfully follows the narrative edge and thrust of Sophocles. Yet his language is very simple and elegant so that it does not hinder us from enjoying the plays. For a serious student of literature this book is a must read. It will surely add to his insight and enhance his understanding of Greek dramas. Books like these with such fine translations are hard to come by. Review: Book - Best
| Best Sellers Rank | #25,387 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #106 in Plays #280 in Anthologies (Books) #400 in Literary Theory, History & Criticism |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,524 Reviews |
T**S
The finest translation of Sophocles in English
The Three Theban plays is a great trilogy of tragedies from the Greek master Sophocles. It follows the fate of Oedipus as he unknowingly commits parricide and incest. The translation by Robert Fagles is lucid and effervescent, and the reader can read them silently as well as read them aloud. I personally feel that reading the text aloud is more evocative and pleasurable. The introduction by Bernard Knox provides valuable insight into Greek tragedies. The works of Aeschylus and Euripides are also touched upon briefly. As a student of literature I found the book immensely satisfying and rewarding. Oedipus the King should be read first, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. That is the order in which the plays should be read or staged. Although history shows us that Antigone was written and performed first, that is why this book has Antigone in the beginning. But one cannot truly appreciate reading Antigone without knowing the fate of her father Oedipus beforehand. It is a great book for someone who wishes to get a taste of Greek drama, or someone who has never read Classical tragedies before. The book can be equally enjoyed by people who don't have a literature background. Fagles' translation faithfully follows the narrative edge and thrust of Sophocles. Yet his language is very simple and elegant so that it does not hinder us from enjoying the plays. For a serious student of literature this book is a must read. It will surely add to his insight and enhance his understanding of Greek dramas. Books like these with such fine translations are hard to come by.
P**D
Book
Best
I**L
Translation !?
Why thou transleteth into Shakespeare? Doth not simple language maketh sense to thee? I beseech thee and thy fellows to translate in simple language!
J**L
This book was great
My best purchase from amazon
M**N
Good Quality 📚 Good Product
The book quality is good. Delivered in proper time without damage. Good quality of package. Page quality is even good enough [but Could be done better.] Good product. Thanks>>
M**A
Beautiful translation. Must read for every Greek hero lover
The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles includes the following three plays: . ✨Antigone: Daughter of Oedipus, Antigone's story is quite tragic. After loosing both her brothers in the war, Antigone faces a crisis when her brother Polynices is left to the elements in the battlefield and denied proper burial by King Creon. She decides to take matters in her own hand and is subjected to the wrath of the King. ✨Oedipus Rex: The Story of King Oedipus and his marriage to his mother, after killing his own father. ✨Oedipus at Colonus: The last days of Oedipus' life and the story behind his mysterious burial. . If you are fond of Greek wars and tragedies, pick this one up. The dialogues are brilliant (especially the ones by Oedipus). It's very atmospheric and there's a lot of political tension and unrest. And if you are into critical analysis, then you are in for a treat. This is a book full of moral contradictions and fateful interventions.
A**H
Must for literature students
Paper quality was great, no prints issue!
A**R
Good quality
Good Quality
V**S
Somewhat dishonest
I thought I was ordering the 2000 edition however I received an 1984 pocket edition (shorter and mangier...). Not cool at all.
Y**I
Good edition. Don't buy it for the essays though.
There is not much to report other than this is exactly what I expected. The translation is good, and I have no particular remarks about it, but the essays are useless and more akin to intellectual masturbation than anything worth any philosophical value. Either way, I didn't buy the book for the essays, so that's an easy five-star rating, the way I see it.
G**E
Livro
Edição de capa comum, mas ruim, o meu já veio com uns arranhões, nada parecido com as edições que a pinguim normalmente faz.
M**R
Don't do it
Pirate version of much lower quality than original. Printed in Poland with something called 'Amazon Fulfillment' (almost like print-on-demand, with white, glossy pages and pixelated cover), but this is not mentioned in the product description. Does the publishers know this is happening? (No problem with the actual title, just the printed version)
A**J
ok
good, fast delivery's
Trustpilot
5 days ago
4 days ago