It was first performed at the chur stadttheater in switzerland in 1948, with brecht s second wife helene weigel, in the lead role. Berthold brecht project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Eugen berthold friedrich brecht 10 february 1898 14 august 1956, known professionally as bertolt brecht german. In a version by bertolt brecht applause books bertolt brecht, sophocles, friedrich holderlin, judith malina on. The modest house where he was born is today preserved as a brecht museum. In 1944, when paris was occupied by the nazis, jean anouilh produced a version of antigone in which the audience was able to identify antigone with the french resistance fighters and creon with the occupying forces. Hasenclever presents his antigone as a radical rebel, and focuses on the social aspects of the play and the implications of the war for the people of thebes. Pdf antigone book the theban plays free download 80. The songspiel is the first of weills two mahagonny works the second being the threeact opera, the rise and fall of the city of mahagonny. Free download or read online antigone pdf epub the theban plays series book. Brechts antigone 1948 is a bold adaptation of holderlins classic german translation of. An english translation of brechts the antigone of sophocles, along with several texts directly related to it, are included in vol. The language of brechts antigone and its relation to holderlins version of sophocles. Antigone as his model of tragedy in a fashion similar to aris.
She is caught in the act by creons watchmen and brought before the king. In brecht s version, the war has been started by creon. For antigone, one such word is kakos, used as a noun and adjective and translated usually as evils or evil. In the original play, creon is seen as going against the laws of the land and the will of the gods by refusing to bury polyneices. Adaptation of the antigone of sophocles english literature essay. Its an easy readnot simplistic, but so well written that each line draws you to. Brecht shifts the focus of the play from the conflict between the individual and the state to the disintegration of the societypolis and the scattering of destruction left by war brecht 2003. The translations of holderlins antigone as they appear in this essay differ significantly from the extant version in english holderlin 2001. Gratuit antigoni 1961 imdb directed by yorgos tzavellas. Brechts adaptation of sophocles antigone in 1948 was openly a political gesture that aspired to the complete rationalization of greek tragedy.
The day after his testimony, on 31 october, brecht returned to europe. Antigone is a greek tragedy written around 451 bc by sophocles. Antigone in a version by bertolt brecht by bertolt brecht. The antigone of sophocles 1947 by bertolt brecht digitalized by. The german poet and playwright bertolt brecht produced a version of the play in german, in 1948, which had even more obvious references to the nazis. In brechts version, the war has been started by creon, who wishes to subjugate argos to thebes.
Antigones song 2010, short postapocalyptic musical western film based loosely on the myth of antigone by perpombellar productions antigone 1948, by bertolt brecht, based on the translation by friedrich holderlin and published under the title antigonemodell 1948 8 an english translation of brechts version of the play is available 9. Most later versions of the story emphasize one of these elements at the expense of the other two, holderlina s a. Coming of age during the weimar republic, he had his first successes as a playwright in munich and moved to berlin in 1924, where he wrote the threepenny opera with kurt weill and began a. The character of creon is slightly different in brecht s version. Antigone has been one of the most widely read, translated, performed, discussed, adapted, and admired of all classical greek texts. In sophocles play, you will recall, antigones brother, polynices, has enlisted aid from argos and other cities to fight his way to the kingship of thebes, and has died in the attempt. While sophocles antigone has long existed as a perennial text for revalorization jean anouilhs acclaimed version predating brechts by three years, brechts. This study compares bertolt brecht s 1948 antigone in relation to sophocles original version of the antigone myth. A sophocles antigone portrays religious, political and. In sophocles play, you will recall, antigone s brother, polynices, has enlisted aid from argos and other cities to fight his way to the kingship of thebes, and has died in the attempt. Antigone vs creon essay research paper antigone pages. Bertolt brecht project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. In february 1948 in chur, brecht staged an adaptation of sophocles antigone, based on a translation by holderlin. 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.
Antigones heroic resistance to creons petty, capricious, and unbending law has a neverending relevance even in the third millennium ce. The german poet and playwright bertolt brecht produced a version of the play in german, in 1948, which had even more obvious. The latest volume in methuens collected brecht includes two plays previously untranslated into englishvolume 8 of brecht s collected plays contains his last completed plays, from the eight years between his return from america to europe after the war and his death in 1956. Sophokles, play has captured the imagination of writers as diverse as friedrich holderlin, jean cocteau, jean anouilh, berthold brecht, rolf hochhuth, heinrich boll, and athol fugard, and of composers such as felix. Brecht s antigone 1948 is a bold adaptation of holderlins classic german translation of sophocles play. See more ideas about greek tragedy, theatre and greek plays. Brecht s antigone though brecht s antigone is not different from sophocles version in regards to its dramatic action, it is immediately obvious, from the moment antigone first speaks, that brecht has adjusted his version.
Creon has killed po lynices for trying to desert the theban. Brecht s version of the play begins in a berlin airraid shelter. Storr translation 1912 for the loeb classical library. Antigone an english version by dudley fitts and robert fitzgerald person represented antigone ismene eurydice creon haimon teiresias a sentry a messenger chorus scene. Turandot is brechts version of the classic chinese story is a satire on the intelligentsia of the weimar. Lorchestre attaquait une nouvelle danse, ismene riait aux eclats, labas, au milieu des autres garcons, et voila, maintenant, lui, il allait etre le mari dantigone. The framework of the war and its politics define brechts antigone as much as hasenclevers version. New york, oxford university press, 1969 1968 dlc 68059596 ocolc1036019. Apr 10, 2015 judith malina was cofounder, with julian beck, of the living theatre, the most experimental, radical, and uncompromising group in american theatrical hi. Antigone, also known as the antigone of sophocles, is an adaptation by the german dramatist bertolt brecht of holderlins translation of. Three versions of antigone chancellor, gary 19790101 00.
The latest volume in methuens collected brecht includes two plays previously. The play was adapted by german playwright bertolt brecht and renamed the antigone of sophocles. Adaptation of the antigone of sophocles english literature. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 80 pages and is available in paperback format. Apr 22, 2016 my favourite brecht, though, is his uncompromising version of antigone which roars its fury at war and dictatorship in glorious, brutal poetry. May 26, 2016 antigone s heroic resistance to creons petty, capricious, and unbending law has a neverending relevance even in the third millennium ce. Perhaps twothirds of the play follows the holderlin version, but even. Judith malina was cofounder, with julian beck, of the living theatre, the most experimental, radical, and uncompromising group in american theatrical hi. Pdf antigone book the theban plays free download 80 pages. It was first performed at the chur stadttheater in switzerland in 1948, with brechts second wife helene weigel, in the lead role.
Antigone, also known as the antigone of sophocles, is an adaptation by the german dramatist bertolt brecht of holderlins translation of sophocles tragedy. Sophocles, holderlin, brecht, malina four major figures in the worlds theatre have all left their imprint on this remarkable dramatic text. Other tv adaptations of antigone have starred irene worth 1949 and dorothy tutin 1959, both broadcast by the bbc. In each instance, the reader may substitute a more. Antigone at the barbican was a 2015 filmedfortv version of a production at the barbican directed by ivo van hove. Antigone an english version by dudley fitts and robert. My favourite brecht, though, is his uncompromising version of antigone which roars its fury at war and dictatorship in glorious, brutal poetry. Friedrich holderlin translated sophocles into german, brecht adapted holderlin, and now judith malina has rendered brechts version into a stunning english incarnation. Brechts politically oriented version is based on holderlins play. Antigone is one of my alltime favorite plays, and i picked up the brecht version because, well, its bertolt brecht and its antigone.
Creon, regent of thebes, forbids the burial of polynices, on the ground that he was a traitor. The latest volume in methuens collected brecht includes two plays previously untranslated into english volume 8 of brechts collected plays contains his last completed plays, from the eight years between his return from america to europe after the war and his death in 1956. To print or download this file, click the link below. Soon thereafter, i was inspired to go to new york for an announced version of the play written by anouilh in paris, early in the 1940s, and for seamus heaneys version, a. With irene papas, manos katrakis, maro kodou, nikos kazis. Jean anouilh antigone 2 personnages antigone, fille d. Yet with brechts version, antigone was the one in the righteous position because she was opening up the eyes of the state and the people that to deprieve the dead of burial is unjust and unfavoured by gods. Soon thereafter, i was inspired to go to new york for an announced version of the play written by anouilh in paris, early in the 1940s, and for seamus heaneys version, a recent adaptation 2005 titled burial at thebes.
The antigone of sophocles is an important adaptation of the original play, and you can check your understanding of it through this quiz and. Judith malina english translator of antigone in a version. The first edition of the novel was published in 441, and was written by sophocles. Each version of line 1 promises a faithful translation, but they are not the same english, since the translator cannot escape imposing his or her layer. Actions,characters and hubris in sophocles antigone essay pages. It was the result of a commission from the organizers of the deutsches kammermusikfestival a festival of modern german chamber music among them, hindemith who asked weill for something suitable for a programme of short operas for chamber. Antigone, daughter of oedipus, the late king of thebes, in defiance of creon who rules in his stead, resolves to bury her brother polyneices, slain in his attack on thebes. While generally opposed to it, brecht shares a certain conceptual tendency with his model. Introduction sophocles sophocles was born at colonus, a small village just to the northwest of athens, in 4965 bc.
As the receiver of the foreign greek original in the form of a foreign german translation, brecht. The main characters of this classics, plays story are antigone, ismene sister of antigone. Antigone shouldnt have buried polynices because this is against the states orders. Brecht, bertoltlibrettist the following text was automatically transcluded from category. The latest volume in methuens collected brecht includes two plays previously untranslated into englishvolume 8 of.
Currently unavailable to order this product is currently. A platform extends the length of the facade, and from this platform. In brechts version, the war has been started by creon. This was brechts first directorial collaboration with caspar neher. In his book the theatre of bertolt brecht, john willett writes of the antigone of sophocles. This was brecht s first directorial collaboration with caspar neher. The true tragic hero in sophocles antigone essay pages. Anouilhs treatment of the private perspective is especially revealing in this context because of the contrast it presents to that of brecht. Life and career bavaria 18981924 bertolt brecht was born in augsburg, bavaria about 80 km or 50 mi northwest of munich, to a devout protestant mother and a catholic father who had been persuaded to have a protestant wedding. The diary extract, conversations with brecht, which concludes. Brechts decision to appear before the committee led to criticism, including accusations of betrayal. Brecht shifts the focus of the play from the conflict. Brechts version of the play begins in a berlin airraid shelter. From the beginning, brecht made it his task to wrench ancient tragic poetry out of its ideological haze, and proceeded to dismantle and eliminate what he named the element of fate, the crucial substance of tragic myth itself.
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