falls between the first two, cultural adaptation involving the attempt to make a text relevant
to a new audience, while still retaining its own authenticity. In order to help you understand the distinctions, for
this essay you are to write a paper on either of the plays read this week — Sophocles’ Antigone or Kalidasa’s
Sakuntala and the Ring of Recollection — and focus on one way that the filmmaker attempted to make the
ancient play accessible to a modern audience.
The films included in the syllabus reflect several different ways to bridge the gap. The first Antigone film is in
Greek, with English subtitles; the second is a student production, with commentary by the director; and the
third is a animated narration; and the fourth a dramatization (though the audio is poor).
As with the first two essays, you must first familiarize yourself with the material. Read the plays over and watch
the films. Decide which play you wish to work with, and which production interests you the most. Then, think
about the ways the modern productions attempt to bring the ancient culture to the modern audience. Again,
you cannot consider the entire play but must focus on a particular aspect. For example, you can write about
how the modern actor conveys the emotional impact of the ancient dilemmas.
Sample Solution