Sophocles lived in the 5th century BC, 2500 years ago, yet his plays are still performed today and continue to inspire modern playwrights. For example, the French playwright Jean Anouilh’s updated version of Antigone was first performed in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, taking Sophocles’ theme of the individual in resistance to the power of the state as an allegory of the French resistance. The play has been translated and performed across cultures, as illustrated by the indigenous Yupik performance included in the supplemental folder. Playwright Luis Alfaro also updated Oedipus, setting his play Oedipus El Rey in South Central Los Angeles, translating Sophocles’ theme about tragically inescapable fate to the present-day prison-industrial complex.
If you were to write an updated version borrowing a theme from either Sophocles’ Oedipus or Antigone, a new story inspired by Sophocles but made relatable to an audience of today, how might you translate Sophocles’ characters or themes?
Think about Aristotle’s elements of tragedy: plot, characters, unities, etc. (Watch the video “Aristotle’s Poetics” to reinforce your understanding of what makes a tragedy a tragedy in the classical sense.) Then imagine yourself as a playwright. What would your Oedipus- or Antigone-inspired play be about? Where and when would it take place?
Write a paragraph or more outlining the basic plot and characters. If you want to challenge yourself, include some hubris and/or a clearly defined hamartia. Then, for an additional challenge, cast the actors you would want to play the main roles.