The daughter of oedipus and jocasta, antigone is an unconventional heroine who pits her beliefs against the king of thebes in a bloody test of wills that leaves few unharmed. Sophocles books list of books by author sophocles thriftbooks. Although it was written before sophocles other two theban plays, chronologically it comes after the stories in oedipus the king and oedipus at colonus, and it picks up. Sophocles, one of the greatest dramatists of the athenian golden age, was born near athens in about 495 b. To make this quintessential greek drama more accessible to the modern reader, this prestwick house literary touchstone edition. Full text of sophocles antigone see other formats sophocles. Through the words of the blind prophet teiresias, we watch the inevitable tragedy unfold as antigone discovers that her brother, a rebel against the rule of.
Now, when his young daughter antigone defies her uncle, kreon, the new ruler, because he has prohibited the burial of her dead brother, she and he enact a primal conflict between young and old, woman and man, individual and ruler, family and state, courageous and selfsacrificing reverence for the gods of the earth and perhaps selfserving. Antigone is a tragedy by the ancient greek playwright sophocles, written around 442 bce. Sophocles has 680 books on goodreads with 597143 ratings. Antigone by sophocles at the best online ebook storage. The chorus in seven against thebes is largely supportive of antigones decision to bury her brother. Powerfully portraying the clash between civic and familial dutybetween morality and obediencethe play brings the oedipus cycle to a. In 480, he was selected to lead the paean choral chant to a god celebrating the decisive greek sea victory over the persians at the battle of salamis. Antigone, oedipus the king, electra oxford worlds classics by sophocles and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Aristotle called oedipus the king, the secondwritten of the three theban plays written by sophocles, the masterpiece of the whole of greek theater.
Project gutenberg offers 61835 free ebooks for kindle, ipad, nook, android, and iphone. Sophocles antigone is among the greatest and most famous of all works of greek literature, and it is often the play that is read first, whether in greek or in translation, by those who are. Online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article sophocles. Antigone in plain and simple english by sophocles nook. Antigone is a tragedy written by sophocles in or before 441 bc. Antigone is a tragedy by sophocles written in or before 441 bce. Sophocles biography sophocle s bysophocleswork814 sophocles 497 bc or 496 bc 406 bc was one of the three great ancient greek tragedians, together with aeschylus and euripides. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author.
Antigone, oedipus the king, oedipus at colonus the complete greek tragedies book 1 apr 19, 20. This exciting translation of the play is extremely faithful to the greek. Sophocles antigone by sophocles antigone best known authors and titles are available on the free online library. Feb 20, 2012 one of the great classic works of ancient greece. Storr, ba formerly scholar of trinity college, cambridge from the loeb library edition originally published by harvard university press, cambridge, ma and william heinemann ltd, london first published in 1912 argument antigone, daughter of oedipus, the late king of thebes, in. Antigone is the daughter of oedipus, the former king of thebes. Download and read online for free antigone by sophocles.
Sophocles books biography and list of works author of. The chorus in antigone departs significantly from the chorus in aeschylus seven against thebes, the play of which antigone is a continuation. The internet classics archive antigone by sophocles. The enduring story of antigonethe greek princess who braved the wrath of a king and sacrificed her own life in order to honor her slain brotheris retold here for contemporary readers. Buy antigone dover thrift editions new edition by sophocles isbn. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read antigone. Sophocless most popular book is oedipus the king and other tragedies. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on sophocless antigone. The curse placed on oedipus lingers and haunts a younger generation in this new and brilliant translation of sophocles classic drama. In it, antigone, a proud and moral character, defies everything to honor her dead brother. Antigone study guide from litcharts the creators of. The introductory note also includes a brief summary of events leading up to the events of this play.
The free library literature sophocles antigone antigone. In antigone, he reveals the fate that befalls the children of oedipus. Echoing through western culture for more than two millennia, sophocles antigone has been a touchstone of thinking about human conflict and human tragedy, the role of the divine in human life, and the degree to which men and women are the creators of their own destiny. Jul 17, 2009 for such a work, the question is not how many pages which will depend on the size of the pages, the size of the print, the width of the margins, etc. The dover version is translated into english by george young.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. See all books authored by sophocles, including the three theban plays. Antigone in plain and simple english by sophocles nook book. The main plot is burial of antigones brother polyneices.
Creon, the new ruler of thebes, has decided that eteocles will be honored and polyneices will be in public shame. Antigone, sophocles antigone is a tragedy by sophocles written in or before 441 bc. Today, nearly 2,500 years after sophocles wrote, scholars and audiences still consider it one of the most powerful dramatic works ever made. Antigone plumptre translation by sophocles free at. Books by sophocles author of oedipus rex goodreads. Sophocles 497 bc 406 bc a powerful artistic protest against tyranny, antigone has been translated and adapted dozens of times, applied over and over through the centuries to current forms of the oppression so common to human experience.
The rebel brothers body will not be sanctified by holy rites, and will lie unburied on the battlefield, prey for carrion animals like worms and vultures. Of these, seven complete tragedies remain, among them the famed oedipus rex and oedipus at colonus. Sophocles has 488 books on goodreads with 572407 ratings. The focus classical library is dedicated to publishing the best of classical literature in contemporary translations with notes and introductions so as to provide modern students access to the thought and context at the roots of contemporary culture. Sophocles 495406 bc this is the final installment in sophocless theban plays, following oedipus rex and oedipus at colonus.
She is willing to face the capital punishment that has been decreed by her uncle creon, the new king, as the penalty for anyone burying her brother polyneices. She clashes with creon, the king of thebes, over what constitutes justice and morality. List of books and articles about sophocles online research. She has published widely on greek tragedy and translated sophocles oedipus at colonus, antigone under the name mary whitlock blundell and king oedipus 1990, 1998 and forthcoming. An introductory note states that the play was first performed in the 440s bce. Antigone was performed sometime around the year 441 b. In her new translation of antigone, ruby blondell demonstrates an unswerving sense of what the general reader needs to know in order not only to understand sophocles, but to relish him as well my own students have found that this edition not only makes the antigone accessible, but also helps them understand why it continues to fascinate, to disturb, and to grip its readers century by century. Antigone by sophocles is a major contribution to the earliest forms of drama, fiction, and stage play writing. In the beginning of the play, two brothers leading opposite sides in thebes civil war died fighting each other for the throne. She raises arguments and questions about morality and law. It is the third of the three theban plays chronologically, but was the first written. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
In the hands of sophocles, the master dramatist, the anguished tale of a man fated to kill his father and marry his mother retains its power to shock and move beyond any freudian reference. For what of pain, affliction, outrage, shame, is lacking in our fortunes, thine and mine. Author sophocles, online books full online book free online books,read free books online stories, long stories, funny stories, poems, essays, fictions novels, nonfictions, plays search options. Behind him rings the din of war his enemy, the theban dragonsnake, too difficult for him to overcome. A man of wealth, charm, and genius, sophocles was given posts of responsibility in peace and in war by the athenians. Antigone oedipus the king oedipus at colonus, and antigone, and more on. Nothing painful is there, nothing fraught with ruin, no shame, no dishonour, that i have not seen in thy woes and mine. Antigone plumptre translation by sophocles free at loyal. Antigone sophocles antigone a new translation by dw myatt first published 1990 this edition first published 1994 dw myatt 1990, 1994 preface the main aim of the present translation is to provide an accurate and poetic rendering in a style suitable for both reading and dramatic performance. Sophocles biography and list of works sophocles books. Ruby blondell, who provides the new introduction to this volume, is professor of classics in the university of washington, seattle.
This is the third play of the three theban plays, but chronologically it was written first. Here, the chorus is composed of old men who are largely unwilling to see civil disobedience in a positive light. The play expands on the theban legend that predated it and picks up where aeschylus seven against thebes ends. Antigone ismene, sister, mine own dear sister, knowest thou what ill there is, of all bequeathed by oedipus, that zeus fulfils not for us twain while we live. Meanwhile, in sophocles, the chorus, that is, the public and society, discerning or not, vacillates in its support, first for the man of state and power, then for the higher right. It remains an invaluable source material for the development of tragedy through the years. Storr, ba formerly scholar of trinity college, cambridge from the loeb library edition originally published by harvard university press, cambridge, ma and william heinemann ltd, london first published in 1912 argument. Authors short stories long stories funny stories love stories stories for kids poems essays. Buy sophocles antigone by sophocles online at alibris. This is the final installment in sophocless theban plays, following oedipus rex and oedipus at colonus. Jun 05, 2003 oedipus, the former ruler of thebes, has died.
Books by sophocles sorted by popularity project gutenberg. Antigone, the drama by sophocles, has been published as part of the dover thrift edition series. Although it was written before sophocles other two theban plays, chronologically it comes after the stories in oedipus the king and oedipus at colonus, and it picks up where aeschylus play seven against thebes ends. Ismene, sister of my blood and heart, seest thou how zeus would in our lives fulfill. Oedipuss daughter antigone deliberately breaks the laws of thebes when she buries her brothers body and is sentenced to death. Sophocles antigone is among the greatest and most famous of all works of greek literature, and it is often the play that is read first, whether in greek or in translation, by those who are beginning to study greek tragedy. The free library literature sophocles antigone antigone antigone. And now what new edict is this of which they tell, that our captain hath just published to all thebes. His father was a wealthy merchant, and he enjoyed an aristocratic education in the arts. Antigone sophocles play project gutenberg selfpublishing. Among the most celebrated plays of ancient athens, antigone is one of the seven surviving dramas by the great greek playwright, sophocles, now available from harper perennial in a vivid and dynamic new translation by awardwinning poet robert bagg.