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tiaa_92's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
gardnerhere's review against another edition
5.0
Just a fan-freakin-tastic translation. I can't tell you how accurate it is, but it jumps off the page and slaps you just as it should. I gave Antigone an "out loud" read through with a few kids yesterday and was once again bowled over. Very excited to dig my teeth into the first two plays of the cycle again and will update when I do.
Updated:
Oedipus is likewise lively and as cringe-inducing as ever, but this reading proved to me how much I prefer Antigone. The former is plenty powerful, but the scenario is absurd enough to make empathy difficult. No such worries in the latter
Updated:
Oedipus is likewise lively and as cringe-inducing as ever, but this reading proved to me how much I prefer Antigone. The former is plenty powerful, but the scenario is absurd enough to make empathy difficult. No such worries in the latter
yeoman_chloe's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not sure why Antigone is first, weird choice by the editor
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
beth7891's review against another edition
4.0
"Inhabitants of our native Thebes, behold, this is Oedipus,
who knew the riddles [ainigma pl.] of great renown [kleos], and was a most mighty man. What citizen did not gaze on his fortune with envy? See into what a stormy sea of troubles he has
come! Therefore, while our eyes wait to see the day of telos, we must call no mortal
blessed [olbios] until he has crossed life’s border without having suffered [paskhein] any pain.
I wasn't as much of a fan of the Oedipus plays as I was Antigone, but for what they're worth they definitely give very interesting insight and context for the development and growth of heroic cult worship of ancient Greece. Really glad to have read this as part of Gregory Nagy's The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours class as I think it gave more heft to the real meaning behind these plays.
laura96's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed Sophocles' plays far more than those of the other writers of Greek tragedy that we have read so far for my class! His transitions are very smooth and these plays are easy to follow and relate to one another!
dukeofthelotls's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lethean's review against another edition
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
belouwe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Antigone: 5/5
Oedipus the King: 4.5/5
Oedipus at Colonus: 3/5
When I started Antigone, I had already read Oedipus the King a few years ago, and had it in my head that Oedipus the King could not be beat. Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed Antigone. Maybe it’s because there was a clear hero and villain in Antigone, whereas in Oedipus the King, Oedipus often does things that make him unlikable, verging on tyrannical and villainous, yet is obviously meant to me the hero. Flawed heroes are great though, so I still loved Oedipus the King - he is hero and villain both. But still, Antigone, also flawed, was more appealing to me as a hero.
And, to defend my label of these plays as ‘funny’: the sentry in Antigone was hilarious (nobody can convince me otherwise) and the arguments in Oedipus the King between Oedipus and both Teiresias and Creon had me giggling and kicking my feet.
Oedipus at Colonus, though, just didn’t do it for me. Oedipus is more insufferable(though I stand by his hatred for his sons) . Theseus makes me uncomfortable, since I know his myths wherein he kidnaps a goddess and abandons an innocent woman on an island . So, all the praise of him being so kind and magnanimous is weird to me, even though I understand why Sophocles would have written him that way.
Ultimately, it’s a series of plays I would recommend, though maybe I’d suggest skipping Oedipus at Colonus if you aren’t too fussed about not having all the context for Antigone. Especially since your technically meant to read Antigone first, anyway.
Oedipus the King: 4.5/5
Oedipus at Colonus: 3/5
When I started Antigone, I had already read Oedipus the King a few years ago, and had it in my head that Oedipus the King could not be beat. Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed Antigone. Maybe it’s because there was a clear hero and villain in Antigone, whereas in Oedipus the King, Oedipus often does things that make him unlikable, verging on tyrannical and villainous, yet is obviously meant to me the hero. Flawed heroes are great though, so I still loved Oedipus the King - he is hero and villain both. But still, Antigone, also flawed, was more appealing to me as a hero.
And, to defend my label of these plays as ‘funny’: the sentry in Antigone was hilarious (nobody can convince me otherwise) and the arguments in Oedipus the King between Oedipus and both Teiresias and Creon had me giggling and kicking my feet.
Oedipus at Colonus, though, just didn’t do it for me. Oedipus is more insufferable
Ultimately, it’s a series of plays I would recommend, though maybe I’d suggest skipping Oedipus at Colonus if you aren’t too fussed about not having all the context for Antigone. Especially since your technically meant to read Antigone first, anyway.