Baxter's 'Tragic Moment': James K. Baxter's Adaptations of Sophocles' Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus

Abstract

James K. Baxter is most recognisable as an important poetic voice in New Zealand literature, but his dramatic works and attitude towards a local theatre are notable in the history of New Zealand dramatic writing. While classical mythology was a vital resource which Baxter drew upon for all his works, this thesis specifically examines his adaptations of Sophocles' Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus through a close analysis of Baxter's versions and the Sophoclean originals. Sophocles' plays provide not only the fundamental mythological material but also specific versions from which Baxter, influenced by the French dramatists Jean Giraudoux and Jean-Paul Sartre, was able to create his own original dramatic works which combined his established poetic themes with his interpretation of Sophocles.