Elektra
A New Translation
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Among the most celebrated plays of ancient Athens, Elektra is one of seven surviving dramas by the great Greek playwright, Sophocles, now available from Harper Perennial in a vivid and dynamic new translation by award-winning poet Robert Bagg.
Elektra masterfully explores the consequences of revenge—both for those who bear the brunt of violence and for those who become obsessed by hatred under its influence—as it focuses on the cycle of bloodshed that consumes a royal family. This is Sophocles, vibrant and alive, for a new generation.
This complete edition from Harper Perennial offers readers and performers a direct conduit to the power of Sophoclean drama:
A Classic Revenge Tragedy: Follow Elektra’s relentless obsession with avenging her father’s murder, a quest that explores the devastating psychological cost of hatred.The Cursed House of Atreus: Witness the legendary blood feud of a royal family as sister turns against mother in a devastating cycle of violence and matricide.Vivid and Performable Translation: Experience the play through the acclaimed, modern translation by award-winning poet Robert Bagg, crafted to be both vibrant on the page and dynamic on the stage.Essential Scholarly Context: Deepen your understanding with a comprehensive introduction, detailed play notes, and an exploration of the world of Sophocles and ancient Athenian theater.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Every era needs the classics on its own terms, so Sophocles' Electra, translated by Anne Carson (The Beauty of the Husband; Forecasts, Dec. 18, 2000), should prove very popular among newcomers and seasoned readers of the sublime dramatist's brutal drama, as well as among Carson's many fans. While Carson renders the book in her signature free verse, her major innovation is the phonetic preservation of Electra's "far from formulaic" screams: "OIMOI," "O TALAINA" and "PHEU PHEU" among them. As Carson writes in her excellent translator's preface, they are not stock ejaculations like "Alas!" or "Woe is me!," but "bones of sound" emitted by the daughter who finds herself cheering her mother's execution. Though Oxford's stock existentialist cover looks like something from the height of '50s abstract angst and the book's paper is pulpy, expect strong sales. ( Apr.)
