Article

Antígona de António Pedro (1954): o alcance social e estético de uma peça

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Abstract

Abstract: Antígona: Glosa nova da tragédia de Sófocles was a play written and directed by António Pedro for the second public performance of Teatro Experimental do Porto, in 1954. This play bears witness to the way in which Pedro engaged with the social realities of his time. Therefore, this paper examines how aesthetic and social features come together, in order to create an innovative adaptation of a classical theme in the context of the Portuguese 1950s. Through an analysis of the dialogue between this play and the work of Pirandello, Anouilh and the Brechtian precepts on classical adaptations, I intend to show how Antígona is a play intrinsically engaged with the dynamics of its time and also how it includes subversive elements, according to sanctioned theatrical praxis. The analysis will show how tragic destiny is deconstructed through meta-theatrical moments, responsible for introducing a ludic dimension to the plot. Freedom is presented a exclusively within the sphere of human responsibility, in accordance with the Brechtian lesson. Furthermore, this drama offers a reflection on the role of women through the introduction of a new character: Artemísia who, despite being depicted in an ambivalent manner, challenges (even if obliquely) the social limits assigned to Portuguese women at the time.

Keywords: play, social reality, metaphorical movements, freedom, human responsibility

How to Cite:

Mendes, I., (2014) “Antígona de António Pedro (1954): o alcance social e estético de uma peça”, Portuguese Cultural Studies 5(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/R5N877Q5