Introduction
Antigone is a well-known work written by Sophocles. Among the adaptations is the 1986 translation by Don Taylor. The first striking resemblance between the two is the characterization. In the original play, from the beginning, one can see the heroine’s determination to bury her brother despite the new laws, an element of rebellion.
Comparison of Original Play and Translation
Conformity
When talking to her sister, Ismene, who is the element of conformity in the play, Antigone claims, “Creon is not enough to stand in my way” (Sophocles, 1939, line 45). In the 1986 play, instead of relying simply on persuasion, Antigone focuses on the pain endured by the family, focusing on the “physical pain, contempt, insults” (Taylor, 1986, 1:57). The imagery that emphasizes physical damage reinforces the readers’ emotions.
Tone
Another similarity between the works is the tone of the pieces. The tone is somber and tragic in the original play and the adaptation. In Scene 2, the readers are exposed to the clash between religion and laws, seeing how Creon confronts Antigone for attempting to bury her brother.
As the woman claims, she should be praised for her actions, and the men who obey Creon would support her “were their lips not frozen shut with fear of you” (Sophocles, 1939, line 400). The play similarly demonstrates Antigone’s anger and frustration. Antigone delivers the same message: people disagree with the king but are too afraid. Both works show the brave and genuine nature of the heroine.
Fate
Finally, there is a similarity in the larger cultural theme of fate. Both pieces emphasize that although Antigone is determined to bury her brother and break the laws, even though two of her brothers died. Similarly, in the play, Antigone says to her sister, “We have two brothers, both of them dead,” which is fate and cannot be reversed (Taylor, 1986, 3:19). Therefore, the larger theme in the works emphasizes that the heroine focuses on her will instead of accepting the fate.
Conclusion
Overall, both works effectively demonstrate the mentioned elements since they convey the messages correctly and maintain the main characters’ personalities. I saw the written play as similar to the adaptation. This can be seen in the Prologue, where imagery and metaphors are kept in the adaptation.
References
Sophocles. (1939). The Antigone of Sophocles. Harcourt, Brace, and Company, Inc. Web.
Taylor, D. (1986). The Theban plays of Sophocles: Antigone. Films on Demand. Web.