The Cure at Troy
A Version of Sophocles' Philoctetes
Seamus Heaney
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
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Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
12/04/1991
ISBN: 9780374522896
96 PagesBarnes & Noble
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The Cure at Troy is Seamus Heaney's version of Sophocles' Philoctetes. Written in the fifth century BC, this play concerns the predicament of the outcast hero, Philoctetes, whom the Greeks marooned on the island of Lemnos and forgot about until the closing stages of the Siege of Troy. Abandoned because of a wounded foot, Philoctetes nevertheless possesses an invincible bow without which the Greeks cannot win the Trojan War. They are forced to return to Lemnos and seek out Philoctetes' support in a drama that explores the conflict between personal integrity and political expediency.
Heaney's version of Philoctetes is a fast-paced, brilliant work ideally suited to the stage. Heaney holds on to the majesty of the Greek original, but manages to give his verse the flavor of Irish speech and context.
Reviews
Praise for The Cure at Troy
“A purifying play, in the great tradition of modern Irish drama: think of Synge's Playboy of the Western World, O'Casey's early work, or even some of Yeats's Cuchulain plays.” —John Peters, The Sunday Times (London)
In the Press
Celebrating the Life and Work of Seamus Heaney | Work in Progress
Seamus Heaney's death last week left a rift in our lives, and in poetry, that won't easily be mended. A Nobel Laureate, a devoted husband, a sharp translator, a beloved friend, and the big-hearted leader of the "Government of the Tongue," Seamus was a poet of conscience... - FSG's Work in Progress
Reviews from Goodreads
About the author
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney
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