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Oxford University Press, USA

Electra (Greek Tragedy in New Translations)

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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 poetry of the originals. Under the general editorship of Peter Burian and Alan Shapiro, each volume includes a critical introduction, commentary on the text, full stage directions, and a glossary of the mythical and geographical references in the play. Although it has been at times overshadowed by his more famous Oedipus Tyrannus and Antigone, Sophocles' Electra is remarkable for its extreme emotions and taut drama. Electra recounts the murders of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus by Clytemnestra's son Orestes, to avenge their murder of his father Agamemnon, commander of the Greeks at Troy, upon his return home. Sophocles' version is presented from the viewpoint of Electra, Orestes' sister, who laments her father, bears witness to her mother's crime, and for years endures her mother's scorn. Despite her overwhelming passion for just revenge, Electra admits that her own actions are shameful. When Orestes arrives at last, her mood shifts from grief to joy, as Orestes carries out the bloody vengeance. Sophocles presents this story as a savage though necessary act of vengeance, vividly depicting Electra's grief, anger, and exultation. This translation equals the original in ferocity of expression, and leaves intact the inarticulate cries of suffering and joy that fill the play. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press


Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 19, 2001


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 144 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195049608


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 02


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.8 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.03 x 5.1 x 0.34 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #1,647,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #518 in English Literature #634 in Ancient & Classical Dramas & Plays #1,376 in Ancient & Classical Literary Criticism (Books)


#518 in English Literature:


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Five Stars
beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2018 by middle night
    • Five Stars
Met my expectations
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2016 by kadriien
    • Sophocles looks at the psychological dimensions of Electra
The murder of Clytemnestra by her son Orestes is unique in Greek mythology in that it is the one story for which we have extant versions by all three of the great tragic poets. Consequently, it is insightful to notice how each tragedy privileges different parts of the story. In "Choephoroe" ("The Libation Bearers") by Aeschylus, the middle part of his "Orestia" trilogy, Orestes is obedient to the gods in avenging the death of his father and the pivotal scene is the confrontation between mother and son when Clytemnestra begs for her life. In "Electra" by Euripides the title character has to persuade Orestes to go through with the deed and the dramatic confrontation is now between mother and daughter. In the Sophocles version of "Electra" the emphasis is on the psychological dimensions of the situation; after all, it is from this play that Freud developed his concept of the Electra complex. Towards that end Sophocles creates a character, Chrysothemis, another sister to both Orestes and Electra. The situation is that Orestes is assumed to be dead and the issues is whether the obligation to avenge the death of Agamemnon now falls to his daughters. There is an attendant irony here in that Clytemnestra justified the murder of her husband in part because of his sacrifice of their oldest daughter Iphigenia before sailing off to the Trojan War (the curse on the House of Atreus, which involves Aegisthus on his own accord and not simply as Clytemnestra's lover, is important but clearly secondary). The creation of Chrysothemis allows for Sophocles to write a dialogue that covers both sides of the dispute. Electra argues that the daughters must assume the burden and avenge their father while Chrysothemis takes the counter position. Sophocles does come up with several significant twists on the Aeschylus version. For one thing, Sophocles reverses the order of the two murders and has Clytemnestra slain first, which sets up an interesting scene when Aegisthus gets to revel over what he believes to be the corpse of Orestes and makes the death of the usurper the final scene of the play. This becomes part of the most significant difference between the Sophocles version and the others. Whereas Orestes emerges from the skene distraught after the murder of his mother in "Cheophoroe" and is repentant in the Euripides version of "Electra," Sophocles has Orestes calmly declaring that all in the house is well. Electra is not as central a character to the drama as she is in the Euripides version, mainly because she does not have a functional purpose in this tragedy. Her main purpose is to lament over the death of the father and the supposed death of her brother. She does not provide Orestes with a sense of resolve because in this version he does not consult the oracles to learn whether or not he should kill his mother but rather how he can do the deed. Still, the part of Electra has enormous potential for performance. Ironically, this "Electra" is the least interesting of the three, despite the fact Freud made it infamous: by his standards the Euripides play speaks more to the desire of a daughter to see her mother dead, but since Sophocles wrote "Oedipus the King" it probably seemed fair to point to his version of this tale as well. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2003 by Lawrance Bernabo
    • Sophocles for today: Electra
An excellent translation of a powerful ancient Greek play. The introduction, b Peter Berger, an academic who staged the play, is especially good, as an incisive analysis of the meaning of this great play. For all those who wish to read a powerful Greek drama, to know what the power of the Greek stage was, this is a great book to read. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2018 by M. A. Seifter
    • Daughter of Agamemnon
The love of her father, her murdered father, is a sort of madness. Electra notes that Niobe wept perpetually. She awaits the coming of Orestes, her banished brother, being childless, husbandless, past child-bearing age. She wonders how it could be honorable to forget. Aegisthus sits on her father's throne and occupies his bed with her mother, Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra had a problem with Agamemnon's conduct. He sacrificed her child, a daughter. It is falsely reported to the House of Atreus that Orestes is dead. Orestes comes into the scene when he deems it safe with only the chorus and Electra present. He advises Electra then that he is alive. Electra prays to Apollo to know what plans the Gods will exact for wickedness. Clytemnestra is dealt with by Orestes in the absence of Aegisthus. Aegisthus then is compelled to see her wrapped dead body as he views it under circumstances wherein he believes that he will be seeing the deceased Orestes and the end of the danger to his own life, presumably pursuant to an oracle. Orestes leads Aegisthus away, reminding him that he is not to dictate the details of his own demise. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2006 by Mary E. Sibley

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