A review by mxmorganic
Antigone by Jean Anouilh

challenging dark funny reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a fascinating read in conversation with Sophocles’ play. At certain points it’s almost a 1:1 adaptation from the original, while at others scenes can differ quite dramatically from the moments they’re based on. Seeing where and how Anouilh chose to innovate as he retold this story is a rich, rewarding experience. 
 
Moreover, the play is a fascinating work in its own right. There’s a character standing in for the Greek chorus who frames the play at its beginning as a tragedy that simply cannot be stopped. Everything’s already been decided, and it cannot be changed, and the machine is simply going to run the way it was designed to. Examining that through-line as the play progresses is a highlight of the reading experience. Antigone in particular seems to be rather aware that she’s just a character in a tragedy, and hearing her speak to other characters, knowing what she does but will not tell them, is a tremendous element of the play. 
 
Finally, kudos to Jeremy Sams for this translation. I cannot speak to how it stands in comparison to Anouilh’s original French, but the English he has produced is a delight to read (minus an unfortunately high number of typos for a work this small). 
 
In short, whether approaching it in conversation with Sophocles or reading it more as the excellent play that it is, Anouilh’s Antigone is absolutely worth a read.
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