When Then Is Now: Three Greek Tragedies

by Brendan Kennelly

"When Then is Now" brings together Brendan Kennelly's modern versions of three Greek Antigone by Sophocles and Euripides' Medea and The Trojan Women. All three plays dramatise timeless human dilemmas as relevant now as they were in ancient times. All focus on women whose lives are torn apart by war, family conflict and despotic regimes. In his preface, Brendan Kennelly describes how writing these three plays helped him enormously at difficult times in his own life. "When Then is Now" gives living testament of his belief that 'listening to ancient voices can help us confront, understand and express many problems of today'.

212 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2006

About the author

Timothy Brendan Kennelly, usually known as Brendan Kennelly, was an Irish poet and novelist. He was Professor of Modern Literature at Trinity College Dublin until 2005. Following his retirement he was a Professor Emeritus at Trinity College.

Reviews

[gavroche · Rating 4 out of 5]

"that is my word, my deed. / word and deed are one in me. / that is my glory."
"it was the cry / of the first woman / betrayed by the first man."
"whoever loves me against my will / teaches me how to kill!"

the stories are still the same ones but are infused with a language and even with thoughts on language specific to the author, and with Irish themes in the background. weirdly I found the first two plays more entertaining that the last one, which is supposed to be the best, but all in all these are three great plays about women and how their quiet wars changed the world.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful modern versions of Antigone, Medea, and The Trojan Women. Full of rage. Feminist? I'm not so sure. Very disturbing works, now like they were then.