"Oedipus, the former ruler of Thebes, has died. Now, when his young daughter Antigone defies her uncle,
Kreon, the new ruler, because he has prohibited the burial of her dead brother, she and he enact a primal conflict
between young and old, woman and man, individual and ruler, family and state, courageous and self-sacrificing reverence
for the gods of the earth and perhaps self-serving allegiance to the gods of the sky." "Echoing through
Western culture for more than two millennia, Sophocles' Antigone has been a touchstone of thinking about human
conflict and human tragedy, the role of the divine in human life, and the degree to which men and women are the
creators of their own destinies. This exciting new translation of the play is extremely faithful to the Greek,
eminently playable, and poetically powerful." For readers, actors, students, teachers, and theatrical directors,
this new translation of one of the greatest plays in the history of the Western world provides the best combination
of contemporary, powerful language, along with superb background and notes on meaning, interpretation, and ancient
beliefs, attitudes, and contexts.