Bibliograph

The Theban plays, translated by E.F. Watling

Type

Label

The Theban plays, translated by E.F. Watling

Language

eng

Index

no index present

Literary Form

dramas

Main title

The Theban plays

Oclc number

15838495

Responsibility statement

translated by E.F. Watling

Series statement

Penguin classics, 3

Summary

The legends surrounding the royal house of Thebes inspired Sophocles (496406 BC) to create a powerful trilogy of mankinds struggle against fate. King Oedipus tells of a man who brings pestilence to Thebes for crimes he does not realise he has committed, and then inflicts a brutal punishment upon himself. With profound insights into the human condition, it is a devastating portrayal of a ruler brought down by his own oath. Oedipus at Colonus provides a fitting conclusion to the life of the aged and blinded king, while Antigone depicts the fall of the next generation, through the conflict between a young woman ruled by her conscience and a king too confident in his own authorityE.F. Watlings masterful translation is accompanied by an introduction, which examines the central themes of the plays, the role of the Chorus, and the traditions and staging of Greek tragedy

Classification

Contributor

Creator