Early modern antigones: Receptions, refractions, replays

Abstract

Early modern reimaginings of Antigone's story often focus on Creon the tyrant, or fragment the tale into rhetorical or moral lessons. They often overlook Antigone herself or transform her into a pious family supporter or a doomed romantic. They begin in humanist receptions of Greek tragedy, especially the seminal works of Camerarius and Melanchthon. Latin translations of Sophocles by Gabia, Winshemius, Ratallerus and others present other variations. The reimaginings continue in various refractions by Erasmus and others, fragmentary appropriations of the Antigone mythos. And they culminate in dramatic replays, Continental and English versions of the Antigone story by Alamanni, Garnier, Watson, and May. As Antigone herself said prophetically to Ismene,(l. 557, 'Some thought you reasoned rightly, others thought I did'). Pervasive patterns of early modern deflection, recontextualization, and refiguration show that most early moderns, implicitly or explicitly, sided with Ismene. © 2013 The Author.