Abstract
Reworking of a classic is a meansto contextualize a work of art incontemporary times. Aclassic stands out asit transcends the spatial-temporalplane of existenceand lends itself conveniently to modern interpretations. This paperwill explorethe reworking of AntigonebyJean Anouilh, in comparison to Sophocles’ Antigone. Anouilh reworked and producedAntigone as a protest against the fascist regime in France, imposed by Hitler after his army occupied the country during the Second World War. The play was produced in Paris in 1942 and it depicted the plight of the French people under the oppressive,totalitarian regime. Based on Sophocles’ ancient Greek tragedy, Antigonewas first performed in Athensin the 5th century BC.In Antigone’s repeated use of“no!” againstthe dictator Creon,the French audience sawtheirown resistanceagainsttheGerman occupation. The Nazis allowed the play to be stagedbecause some of Creon’s argumentsseeminglyfavoured autocracy.