A Wound Made Local: Seamus Heaney's 'Irishification' of Myth in The Cure at Troy

Abstract

This paper delves into The Cure at Troy, a dramatic work by Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, which is a modern adaptation of Philoctetes by the ancient Greek tragedian Sophocles. From the perspective of adaptation, this study meticulously analyzes how Heaney, through his adaptive practice, reconstructed the original work's fundamental structure, character portrayals, and themes. The article aims to reveal Heaney's motivations for adaptation, the techniques and strategies employed, and to evaluate its impact on contemporary literature. Heaney's adaptation is not merely a literary innovation but also embodies profound political significance. Firstly, his adaptation carries clear political intent; secondly, he employed diverse adaptive methods, boldly reshaping and innovating the plot and dramatic structure; finally, Heaney's adaptation strategies offer significant reference and inspiration for subsequent Irish writers dealing with Greek tragedy.