Anne Carson’s translation presents more emotionally detached characters in the ending of Antigone in comparison to Robert Fagles’ translation through analytical, meta-textual, and third person elements in character speech.
In both Carson’s and Fagles’ translation, when Kreon sentences Antigone to death, Antigone reveals she would make the same sacrifice for a husband or child as she did or Polynicesc. In Antigonick, Antigone then continues, “This is a weird argument” (Carson). After the dramatic verse, this analytical comment suddenly drains the emotion. In contrast, Antigone from Fagles’ translation follows her speech with an accusation: “For this, Creon, the king, judges me a criminal” (1006). This serves to uphold the sorrow towards Antigone’s death and the outrage towards Creon’s actions. Carson presents Antigone as a more
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In Antigonick, “This is Eurydike’s monologue” (Carson) prefaces her monologue. Immediately, the meta-textual comment portrays Eurydike as an emotionally detached character, as it gives the impression she has a more narrative role as opposed to an emotionally invested one. On the contrary, Eurydice in Fagles’ translation addresses listeners with, “My countrymen, / all of you” (1304-1305). Her prompt establishment of a relationship with the other characters gives her an empathetic quality, and suggests she experiences a similar emotional trauma. Furthermore, unlike Fagles’ translation, Antigonick tarnishes Eurydike’s importance as a character when she says, “it’s her [Eurydike’s] only speech in the play” (Carson). When Antigonick presents Eurydike as a minor character—as the quote illustrates—it further decreases her apparent emotional investment. Fagles’ translation of Sophocles’ play upholds Eurydice’s emotional contribution to the play more effectively than Antigonick, which makes Eurydike seem more emotionally