All That You've Seen Here Is God

August 1, 2015

The searing, harrowing power of classical Greek tragedy derives from its unsparing confrontation of competing moral claims. There are no easy answers. As such it remains profoundly contemporary and relevant for those coming to grips with the wounds of war and other traumas, physical, psychological, and spiritual. Writer and director Doerries, founder of Theater of War and artistic director of Outside the Wire, has translated selected plays by Sophocles and Aeschylus to initiate dialog and healing for servicemen and -women, veterans, and their families. The play Ajax is applicable to those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while Philoctetes offers insight into the condition of the disabled veteran. Prometheus Bound probes the tensions among duty, honor, and freedom, as does the Women of Trachis, which also explores mercy killing. Each of the plays confronts trauma and suffering and our difficult responses to them. Doerries's translations are free, eschewing the formal and linguistic properties of the Greek; nevertheless they vividly demonstrate the power and enduring relevance of the originals. VERDICT While not appropriate for students of classical drama, these translations are highly recommended as swift, accessible, and actable.--Thomas L. Cooksey, formerly with Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah

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