Oedipus the King (Greek Drama Series) - Softcover

Sophocles

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0136304915 ISBN 13: 9780136304913

Publisher: Prentice Hall, 1970

Synopsis

Based on the conviction that only translators who write poetry themselves can properly recreate the celebrated and timeless tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the Greek Tragedy in New Translations series offers new translations that go beyond the literal meaning of the Greek in order to evoke the sense of poetry evident in the originals. Under the editorship of Peter Burian and Alan Shaprio, each volume includes a critical introduction, commentary on difficult passages, ample stage directions, and a glossary of the mythical names and geographical references encountered in the dialogue.
Sophocles' Oedipus the King paves the way as the first in the series to appear in paperback. In this highly-acclaimed translation of the greatest of all Greek tragedies, Stephen Berg--the well-known poet--and Diskin Clay--the distinguished classicist--combine their talents to offer the contemporary reader a dazzling version of Sophocles' timeless work. Emphasizing the intensity of the spoken language, they capture the unrelenting power of Sophoclean drama. No other English translation conveys the same terrifying emotional level, especially in the choral odes, the forceful descriptions of Jokasta's death, the blinding of Oedipus, and the final scene of desolation. Berg and Clay's translation--now available for the first time in paperback--both adheres strictly to the original meaning of the play and breathes new life into its language.

About this title

About the Author

Stephen Berg is a founder and co-editor of the American Poetry Review and the author of several volumes of poetry, including The Daughters, Grief, Akmatova at the Black Gates, and In It.
Diskin Clay, Professor of Classics at Johns Hopkins University, is the author of numerous articles, translations, and reviews in classical journals.

From AudioFile

Aristotle admired OEDIPUS TYRANNOS as the pinnacle of tragic art. Indeed, aside from its fine poetry and Freudian undertones, it is a taut, suspenseful detective story. It is up to King Oedipus to ferret out and purge the town of whoever murdered his predecessor. This British production is a tad too reverential and somewhat pretentious. No accommodation is made to the sightless medium, making the action hard to follow. The choral odes drone on monotonously. There's little life in the production, but there's so much life in the play that it manages to shine brightly through the chinks. Y.R. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Edition details

• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 1970
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0136304915
• ISBN 13: 9780136304913
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 178