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bucketofcrows's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Beaucoup d'amour pour le style d'écriture et le prologue.
gabrielle_erin's review against another edition
5.0
This was FASCINATING. I positively adored it in every aspect - potentially my new favourite play?
madeleinegeorge's review against another edition
4.0
What a beautiful adaptation. Initially published in France during the Nazi occupation, Anouilh masterfully evaded censorship while managing to comment forcefully and theatrically on the subversion of power, the strength of conviction (+ women), and proceeding in the face of imminent disaster. Which-- it feels particularly timely these days. It’s English debut at the New Theater, London six years later featured Laurence Olivier as Prologue and Vivien Leigh as titular protagonist-- what I wouldn’t have given for one of those tickets.
An amazing combination of the highly americanized Our Town and a kind of fleeting Brechtianism, this piece spares no one-- not the actors and definitely not the audience. One of the most moving scenes (for me at least) was one of the first between Antigone and Haemon. It is as demanding and exacting to us as Antigone is to Creon-- she will not compromise for his comfort, she will not accept life / love / mercy / justice unless it comes to her in full.
There’s a reason we can’t let this story go. Anouilh (and subsequently Sams) reminds us why.
Essentials:
“Since the curtain rose she’s been feeling, what, a sort of distance. A distance growing and growing at a dizzying rate, […] between her and us. Between her and those of us who are quite content to sit here, and watch her, quite content because we don’t have to die. Well we do, but not necessarily tonight.”
“I don’t want to partly understand anything.”
“ISMENE It’s proper for men to believe in ideals and to die for them, but you’re a girl.
ANTIGONE Oh yes I know that, and every day I’ve cursed the fact.”
“Ultimately, tragedy is almost restful, because you know there’s no hope, and there’s nothing more unsettling than hope, is there?”
“CREON Merely being human is not enough for your family. You have to go head to head with destiny or death.”
** “Don’t feel sorry for me. Don’t soften. Be strong. Do what I’m doing. Do what you have to do. And if you’re human, do it quickly. That’s all I ask. I can’t be this brave forever.”
“I can say ‘no’ to whatever it is that I hate, and be responsible only to myself. But you, with your crown and your guards and your whole entourage, you have no choice but to put me to death… because you said ‘yes’.”
“You know, you’re much too sensitive for a tyrant. But you’ll still have to put me to death soon, you know you will, and that’s why you’re scared. There’s nothing uglier than a man who’s scared.”
“CREON Life is a book one loves, it’s a child playing at your feet, it’s a tool that sits well, in your hands, it’s a comfy chair where you can sit and watch the sun down. You’re going to hate me even more for saying this, but to know this is one of the few consolations of old age. That life consists of nothing more than the happiness we can get out of it.”
“What kind of happiness do you see for me? What kind of happy woman will Antigone be? What little sins will she have to commit to qualify as one of the happy people? Who will she have to lie to or fawn on or sell herself to? Who will she have to leave to die?”
“Your idea of happiness disgusts me. Your idea of life as something you have to love come what may. […] I want everything and I want it now. And I want it to be whole and complete otherwise I’m not interested."
** “Yes I am ugly. My heart is screaming at you. Why should that be tidy or pretty?”
“My dearest darling, I wanted to die and perhaps you won’t love me anymore."
An amazing combination of the highly americanized Our Town and a kind of fleeting Brechtianism, this piece spares no one-- not the actors and definitely not the audience. One of the most moving scenes (for me at least) was one of the first between Antigone and Haemon. It is as demanding and exacting to us as Antigone is to Creon-- she will not compromise for his comfort, she will not accept life / love / mercy / justice unless it comes to her in full.
There’s a reason we can’t let this story go. Anouilh (and subsequently Sams) reminds us why.
Essentials:
“Since the curtain rose she’s been feeling, what, a sort of distance. A distance growing and growing at a dizzying rate, […] between her and us. Between her and those of us who are quite content to sit here, and watch her, quite content because we don’t have to die. Well we do, but not necessarily tonight.”
“I don’t want to partly understand anything.”
“ISMENE It’s proper for men to believe in ideals and to die for them, but you’re a girl.
ANTIGONE Oh yes I know that, and every day I’ve cursed the fact.”
“Ultimately, tragedy is almost restful, because you know there’s no hope, and there’s nothing more unsettling than hope, is there?”
“CREON Merely being human is not enough for your family. You have to go head to head with destiny or death.”
** “Don’t feel sorry for me. Don’t soften. Be strong. Do what I’m doing. Do what you have to do. And if you’re human, do it quickly. That’s all I ask. I can’t be this brave forever.”
“I can say ‘no’ to whatever it is that I hate, and be responsible only to myself. But you, with your crown and your guards and your whole entourage, you have no choice but to put me to death… because you said ‘yes’.”
“You know, you’re much too sensitive for a tyrant. But you’ll still have to put me to death soon, you know you will, and that’s why you’re scared. There’s nothing uglier than a man who’s scared.”
“CREON Life is a book one loves, it’s a child playing at your feet, it’s a tool that sits well, in your hands, it’s a comfy chair where you can sit and watch the sun down. You’re going to hate me even more for saying this, but to know this is one of the few consolations of old age. That life consists of nothing more than the happiness we can get out of it.”
“What kind of happiness do you see for me? What kind of happy woman will Antigone be? What little sins will she have to commit to qualify as one of the happy people? Who will she have to lie to or fawn on or sell herself to? Who will she have to leave to die?”
“Your idea of happiness disgusts me. Your idea of life as something you have to love come what may. […] I want everything and I want it now. And I want it to be whole and complete otherwise I’m not interested."
** “Yes I am ugly. My heart is screaming at you. Why should that be tidy or pretty?”
“My dearest darling, I wanted to die and perhaps you won’t love me anymore."
bookeen_la_rouquine's review
5.0
très intéressant de pouvoir comparer la version de sophocle et celle de Jean anouilh
luxlisbonsghost's review against another edition
4.0
Ismene：Antigone, be sensible. It's all very well for men to believe in ideas and die for them. But you are a girl!
Antigone：Don't I know I'm a girl? Haven't I spent my life cursing the fact that I was a girl?
mxmorganic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a fascinating read in conversation with Sophocles’ play. At certain points it’s almost a 1:1 adaptation from the original, while at others scenes can differ quite dramatically from the moments they’re based on. Seeing where and how Anouilh chose to innovate as he retold this story is a rich, rewarding experience.
Moreover, the play is a fascinating work in its own right. There’s a character standing in for the Greek chorus who frames the play at its beginning as a tragedy that simply cannot be stopped. Everything’s already been decided, and it cannot be changed, and the machine is simply going to run the way it was designed to. Examining that through-line as the play progresses is a highlight of the reading experience. Antigone in particular seems to be rather aware that she’s just a character in a tragedy, and hearing her speak to other characters, knowing what she does but will not tell them, is a tremendous element of the play.
Finally, kudos to Jeremy Sams for this translation. I cannot speak to how it stands in comparison to Anouilh’s original French, but the English he has produced is a delight to read (minus an unfortunately high number of typos for a work this small).
In short, whether approaching it in conversation with Sophocles or reading it more as the excellent play that it is, Anouilh’s Antigone is absolutely worth a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Death
Minor: Police brutality and Death of parent