Looking at Antigone - by David Stuttard (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Antigone is one of the most influential and thought-provoking of all Greek tragedies. Set in a newly victorious society, where possibilities seem boundless and mankind can overcome all boundaries except death, the action is focussed through the prism of Creon, a remarkable anti-hero - a politician who, in crisis, makes a reckless decision, whose pride (or insecurity) prevents him from backing down until it is too late, and who thereby ends up losing everything. Not just the story of a girl who confronts the state, Antigone is an exploration of inherent human conflicts - between men and women, young and old, power and powerlessness, civil law and the 'unwritten laws' of nature. Lauded in Antiquity, it has influenced drama and philosophy throughout history into the modern age.

With an introduction discussing the nature of the community for which Antigone was written, this collection of essays by 12 leading academics from across the world draws together many of the themes explored in Antigone, from Sophocles' use of mythology, his contemporaries' reactions and later reception, to questions of religion and ritual, family life and incest, ecology and the environment. The essays are accompanied by David Stuttard's performer-friendly, accurate and easily accessible English translation.

Review Quotes

"This book is a thought-provoking and useful addition to the scholarship on Antigone, the most often performed and re-worked of all the Greek tragedies." --Classics for All

"Stuttard offers an illuminating introduction ... I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read and review this wonderfully diverse collection of essays ... The authors have given us twelve insightful and accessible essays, which would benefit specialised scholars and non-specialised readers everywhere." --The Classical Review

"Stuttard has brought together his own humane and sensitive translation of one of ancient Greece's most famous tragedies with a stellar cast of insightful minds who offer new, thought-provoking and exciting journeys into the rich texture of the play. Not to be missed!" --Michael Scott, Associate Professor in Classics and Ancient History, University of Warwick, UK

"Stuttard's eminently speakable translation is richly illuminated by essays probing not only Antigone's uncompromising moral imagination and abiding influence but also Theban society's dilemmas in the aftermath of civil war." --Niall W. Slater, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Latin and Greek, Emory University, USA

"A first-rate companion to an enduringly famous play. David Stuttard's introduction and wonderfully speakable translation, along with essays by twelve well-known scholars, make Looking at Antigone a rich resource for both readers and performers." --Pat Easterling, Regius Professor Emeritus of Greek, University of Cambridge, UK

"Raises and suggests ways to answer the questions raised by today's readers; an accessible and informative resource for anyone who reads the Antigone in translation." --Mary Lefkowitz, Andrew W. Mellon Professor Emerita in the Humanities, Wellesley College, USA

"This is a very important collection ... Despite the complexity of the arguments contained in this collection, the authors have given us twelve insightful and accessible essays, which would benefit specialised scholars and non-specialised readers everywhere." --The Classical Association

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