Exploration of relevance of Greek tragedy for representations of modern national identity in Scotland, based on analysis of Scots adaptations of Ian Brown’s Antigone and Liz Lochhead’s Medea.

Abstract

Scottish national identity being represented in theatre has been a prominent fixture in Scotland, and a popular way of exploring this identity is through adaptations using the Scots language. This study aims to explore how relevant Greek tragedy can become for representation of modern national identity in Scotland based on analysis of Scots adaptations of Ian Brown’s Antigone Liz Lochhead’s Medea. Through an in-depth analysis, this study has discussed themes of national identity, language, nostalgia, and political events leading to devolution in the adaptation by Ian Brown and Liz Lochhead respectively of two classical Greek plays Antigone and Medea. The study concludes that through the adaptations of the two classical Greek tragedies it is possible to offer relevant and timely commentary on the issues of national identity in contemporary Scotland.