The legends surrounding Oedipus of Thebes and his ill-fated offspring provide the subject matter for Sophocles' three greatest plays, which together represent Greek drama at the pinnacle of its achievement. Oedipus the King, the most famous of the three, has been characterized by critics from Aristo[...]

Here, for the first time in English, is celebrated French classicist Jacques Jouanna's magisterial account of the life and work of Sophocles. Exhaustive and authoritative, this acclaimed book combines biography and detailed studies of Sophocles' plays, all set in the rich context of classical Greek [...]

After completing his labours, Herakles finally returns home, sending ahead a young woman, Iole, to serve his bed. In an attempt to regain Herakles' affection and defend her position, his faithful wife Deianeira accidentally destroys the hero by her use of magic. Sophocles' "Women of Trachis" deals w[...]

In his final play, Sophocles returns to the ever-popular character of Oedipus, the blind outcast of Thebes, the ultimate symbol of human reversal, whose fall he had so memorably treated in the 'Oedipus Tyrannus'. In this play, Sophocles brings the aged Oedipus to Athens, where he seeks succour and f[...]

Detailed notes accompany modern translations of the stories of Oedipus, a king who is unable to escape his tragic fate and ends his days in exile[...]

With text blocks hand-inked on the page by Anne Carson and her collaborator Robert Currie, Antigonick features translucent vellum pages with stunning drawings by Bianca Stone that overlay the text.Anne Carson has published translations of the ancient Greek poets Sappho, Simonides, Aiskhylos, Sophokl[...]

A landmark anthology of the masterpieces of Greek drama, featuring all-new, highly accessible translations of some of the world s most beloved plays, including Agamemnon, Prometheus Bound, Bacchae, Electra, Medea, Antigone, and Oedipus the King

The great plays of Ancient Greece are among th[...]

When an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, here's the lit-crit help students need to succeed! SparkNotes Literature Guides make studying smarter, better, and faster. They provide chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. Lively an[...]

Described as the Mona Lisa literature and the world's first detective story, Sophocles' "Oedipus the King" is a major text from the ancient Greek world and an iconic work of world literature. This book covers the afterlife of the play in depth and provides a comprehensive guide to further reading fo[...]

Antigone is Sophocles' masterpiece, a seminal influence on a wide range of theatrical, literary, and intellectual traditions. This volume sets the play in the contexts of its mythical background, its performance, its relation to contemporary culture and thought, and its rich reception history. But i[...]