Oedipus vows to find the murderer and curses him for causing the plague. Keep your eyes fixed on your last day. Call no man happy until he reaches it, and finds rest from suffering. It's one of those tales tha "Look and learn all citizens of Thebes. It's one of those tales that's been on our collective consciousness forever even though we may not even be able to assertively answer about its origins. The same might be said, for example, of Odysseus and Don Quixote: they've been so used and re-used, adapted and re-adapted throughout so many generations and in so many different formats that one might as well state they were simply born within us, for they're public and common knowledge.
I, for one, believed Oedipus and Jocasta's tale came from the Bible! As I was never a religious person and therefore never payed much attention to it - and unfortunately never decently studied Greek mythology -, I used to unconsciously attribute to the Bible the origins of all stories which seemed to me as too ancient to properly date. I'm terribly sorry and embarrassed about that, Sophocles. I stand corrected now.
Every time I read an ancient text I recurrently find myself to blame because of the same mistake: being surprised by its quality despite being written so long ago. It turns out more and more I agree with an analysis I've read somewhere that states that, unlike science, there is no progress, no discovery in art. An artist, while he creates, is not helped by the efforts of all the others - like scientists are - and depends upon his own individual truths.
The ancient art is in no way a primitive version of the art created by our contemporaries. So it should not be astonishing to me that a text written thousands of years ago possesses the same qualities or refinement of awarded pieces that only now cracked their fifty years of age mark. Putting the story itself a little aside, it's precisely this refinement, this brilliance in the construction of the narrative that impressed me so much.
The pace, the development of the action and disentanglement of this intricate plot was written so masterfully that it requires little investigation in discovering the reasons why it became so influential to the subsequent generations.
Now, I'm not knowledgeable enough to affirm that Sophocles himself wasn't influenced by other works that preceded him, so I'm not claiming unprecedented originality to his name here, but merely! The ability with which he created, sustained and solved the various mysteries that surround this classical tragedy is very remarkable, as well as a striking mixture of pity and horror that the themes developed here successfully imposes on the reader.
Themes such as fate, free will, interference in human life by the Gods for some that hasn't changed much, has it? The ever so mesmerizing battle between destiny and logical consequences also plays a big role here: does fate completely control Oedipus's actions - is it all predetermined? Oedipus Rex also known as Oedipus the King and Oedipus Tyrannus tells the story of Oedipus, a man that's respected and loved in Thebas, where he is King after solving the riddle of the Sphinx and marrying Jocasta, the widow of the previous king.
After a plague threatens his kingdom, he is begged by a chorus of Thebans for help and Oedipus sends for an oracle in order to find some guidance. As it turns out, Tiresias, the blind prophet, believes the King is the only one to blame for his malady. At first outraged and, because of it, incensed into proving his innocence, he starts connecting the clues that he receives from various bits of information gathered by different sources.
Now it was clear to him that, besides murdering his father, he has slept with his own mother and fathered children that were also his brothers and sisters. Jocasta, upon finding out this complex imbroglio, can't deal with the unimaginable situation and kills herself. I've read some criticism stating that some of the drama in the play is a bit over the top, and while I wouldn't agree and, more importantly, couldn't possibly begin to imagine myself in the same situation, I guess it was in vogue at the time that the heroes would suffer so much when they'd find their worlds turned upside down that they would impose on themselves severe sentences such as mutilations or death.
Part of their heroism is exactly accepting to endure serious consequences, not once pleading blamelessness. Even later, in Shakespeare, we were still to find six or seven characters dying just like that, entire families decimated because of the belief that there could be no way out once the universe had programmed their fates. When I found out there was one Edipo Re , directed by Pasolini, I instantly picked it to watch as I imagined that controversial material filmed by controversial director could only result in very interesting movie - to say the least!
Much to my surprise, the ick factor was greatly downplayed and this time the Italian director focused more on the emotional aspects of his narrative than on the sexual ones. His rendition was very faithful to the story, although the linear narrative lacked the sophistication employed by Sophocles that chose to slowly reveal details of the plot by making use of different characters referring to past events.
The power of the prophecy and the influence in human lives by the Gods were also not as active as in the original story.
The intro Pasolini used though was very interesting: it begins in modern days where a father is very jealous of his son's connection with his mother and decides to get rid of him, as if he was anticipating an Oedipus complex situation; after that, time goes back to the ancient days. Rating: I can't wait to read more from Sophocles and if my anticipation for the remaining plays in this trilogy Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone means anything, is that it's a great testament of Oedipus Rex 's qualities and how highly I enjoyed this short but intense reading experience: 5 stars.
View all 27 comments. Nov 07, Sean Barrs rated it it was amazing Shelves: plays , ancient-greece , classics , 5-star-reads. Sometimes life's a real bitch. Fate is unavoidable in ancient Greek Tragedy. Trying to avoid it will only lead to it, and doing nothing will lead you there too.
Any preventative action you take will only lead to the same ending. You might as well lie down and accept it. The God's are mean. But, Sometimes life's a real bitch. Poor Oedipus. He could do nothing to intervene with his own destiny, mainly because his tragic flaw is his lack of awareness about his true origins. He hears a rumour of the prophecy told to his farther, so he endeavours to stay away from him. But, in doing so he is pushed ever closer to his real farther.
Indeed, it suggests that no free will exists at all because any exertions of the supposed free will lead to the predetermined fate. So every action has been accounted for already.
The intended audience may have been aware of these powers but Oedipus and his farther were hapless in their wake. They had to both learn the hard way. Oedipus had to recognise it, and in the process he shattered his life: it made him tear out his very eyes.
The tragedy is created, in part, by the complexity of its plot which leads towards the catharsis. A simple plot will only establish one of these; therefore, it will have a limited catharsis. The recognition anaghorsis is achieved through the acquiring of knowledge, like the knowledge Oedipus gains of his birth. Aristotle argues that an effective plot has its anaghorisis bound up with the peritpeteia. The structure is the key; it is everything in delivering the plot.
If, in the cathartic moment, the action can evoke suffering through a combination of a reversal of circumstances during a brutally stark recognition, then the ultimate delivery of pity and fear will be achieved. Such is the case with Oedipus. He has unknowingly committed incest with his mother and murdered his farther, so, like I said, life is a real bitch. View all 9 comments. View all 3 comments. Sep 05, James rated it really liked it Shelves: 3-written-preth-century , 3-multi-book-series , 1-fiction.
If you are unfamiliar with Greek tragedies, the thing you need to know most is that the authors often played with the concept of fate: not just that some things are meant to be or to come back and haunt you, but that there is always more going on than you realize at the time. This is one of the plays you should absolutely read. Although borderline spoiler, it's important to know 1 fact about the play, as it plays into the mind of so many psychologists today when they speak about an Oedipal Complex, as in all young boys kids?
Essentially, Oedipus kills the King and marries the King's wife. Little does he know How does that happen? Find a translation and read it. It's a little convoluted, and the language may be a bit metaphorical in too many places, but the characters and the plot is amazing!
About Me For those new to me or my reviews I write A LOT. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. View 2 comments. Mar 04, Kalliope rated it it was amazing Shelves: classics , classical , re-reads , drama.
Powerfully acted out, with an eerie chorus and dramatic music, it has been a superb experience. I have come back to this play now in a roundabout way. We had been discussing the contributions of Hegel to Aesthetics, and he wanted us to visit the play and think of the role of Sphinx and the significance of Thebes.
Earlier architecture and art were still immature attempts. For example, the large Egyptian monuments were undertakings in which matter still prevailed over Geist. When Hegel saw some Kouroi in Munich now in the Glyptotech , specimens of very early Greek art, he was struck by the significance of the step in this walking man. In Egyptian representations of humans, legs are seen in profile. They depicted stability, while the Greek marble in Munich man was striding forward.
The Kouros, although still using Egyptian conventions presented something very new. It embodied gesture. And Hegel thought that art should strive to represent movement. The conceptual step of the Kouros, an awakening out of immobility, separated the worlds of the two Thebes: the one in Boetia in ancient Greece from the one up the Nile in ancient Egypt. In Greece Geist was finally on the move. If Hegel favoured Greek sculpture, he found that Greek drama could offer an additional dimension to sculpted beauty as the unfolding of time could be represented as well.
For him Greek tragedy had invoked the greatest aesthetic power. Hegel had also understood the Egyptian Sphinx as the first instance of the representation of human emerging out, liberating himself, from his animal nature.
In this reading of Oedipus Rex as I have tried to keep on some sort of Hegelian glasses and forget about the pervasive Freudian interpretation , I have seen the solution of Oedipus to the riddle of the Sphinx, and the consequent dissolution of the curse on Thebes and the destruction of the monster, as the emergence of humanity over its previous servitudes and imprisonment.
And yet, this conquered freedom also brought the possibility of unwilled intention or of the unintended will and the impossibility of unlearning what one already knows. Trapped in this situation Oedipus attempt to escape his knowledge by doing away with his eyes, could only bring death.
As the chorus chants: it is the only liberation. View all 28 comments. Oedipus of Sophocles is a great work of art written by a great poet,this play symbolizes for the human misery and despair Oedipus hears about his dreadful fate from the Delphic oracle and flees from Corinth. But instead of fleeing from his fate he runs into it Oedipus a passionate heart,who ask questions and take risks,has all the quali Oedipus of Sophocles is a great work of art written by a great poet,this play symbolizes for the human misery and despair Oedipus a passionate heart,who ask questions and take risks,has all the qualities of a great man Despite his flaws, Oedipus is a good person who seeks the truth no matter how devastating.
At the end of the play, Oedipus accepts his fate as well as the punishment given to him He had promised to exile the one who is responsible for the plague , and he fulfills his promise even if he himself is the one to be exiled. By mercilessly punishing himself, he becomes a great hero Jocasta, on the other hand, appears as a person who would rather control the situation.
She reveals that she is more mature than Oedipus and even reveals a maternal side towards him. This is evident in the way she tries to stop Oedipus from investigating further into the mystery of his birth.
At this point, she has realized the possibility that Oedipus may be her son. She would rather let the dreadful fact remain a mystery then let it ruin their lives The entwined sheets with which she hangs herself symbolize the double life she has led Oedipus tragic position and his trial to elude the prophecies and to challenge his Fate, that was inevitable as he at last fails, but just having the courage to attempt , makes him a true hero.
This play raises a question,when someone is trying to avoid doing things. Does he have free will or the ability to choose his own path or is everything in life predetermined? View all 13 comments. Aug 25, Dave Schaafsma rated it it was amazing Shelves: plays. I read this because 1 recently I had read out of order Antigone and thought I might reread the whole trilogy; 2 I plan to see a local production of the play and 3 I had some vague notion that the play, about a king, might throw some literary light on our current American King and kingly conduct.
I listened to it, though I had to start over times because the reader was literally the worst reader of a text I have ever encountered; I would have preferred hearing Siri read the text to this play.
I thought he was deliberately doing a flat, comic interpretation at times. He made the already formal language especially stilted and dry. I already preferred Antigone, but this experience made me like the play a little less. Oedipus is the first in the trilogy, also known as Oedipus Tyrannus.
Trump is known for having tiny appendages; write a page paper reflecting on the implications of appendage size regarding kingly pride. Each king makes a decision that his subjects question or disobey; each king misconstrues disagreement as rebellion. While Creon saw his mistake, Oedipus refuses to listen to anyone who disagrees with him. Question: Is listening a useful property in a leader?
This play really builds up a lot of steam by its tragic end. And it's probably the greatest classical tragedy, by reputation, so in spite of the fact that I connected a bit better to Antigone because I like that character in the play better, I still this is a play well-worth reading about politics and human nature. I'd say "spoiler alert" but it seems ridiculous. I've taught this play for years, and I think this year I finally decided what makes this play great.
My students never feel sympathy for Macbeth, but they do for Oedipus, and that always used to bother me. They whine in their teenage attitudinal voices, "But he didn't know that was his father. He is essentially a good man, one who tries to help people, who makes tragic mistakes.
In this sense my students mirror the feelings of the people of Thebes: the chorus defends Oedipus to the end, unable to believe evil of this great man who saved them once and is trying to save them again. When Oedipus is revealed as not being the son of Polybus and possibly the son of slaves, the chorus believes then that he must be the child of a god, for who else could spawn such a great man?
But Oedipus' humanity lies in his course of action which spirals out of his control - and that, I think, is the element in Oedipus with which my students identify. Oedipus becomes a victim of the unforseen consequences of his own actions. These actions, of course, are fueled by his own pride - arrogance to think he can avoid Apollo's prophecy, and pride turned to anger in being pushed off the road when he feels the other driver should be giving way to his own great self Ancient Greek road rage!
He may have been doomed since before birth by Apollo's curse on his family, but Oedipus creates his own problems. In believing he can avoid Apollo's prophecy, he shows us that he thinks he has outsmarted the gods, that he is greater than the gods.
SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Summary Read our full plot summary and analysis of The Oedipus Plays , scene by scene break-downs, and more. Literary Devices Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in The Oedipus Plays , from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.
Themes Motifs Symbols. Quotes Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes. Oedipus is notable for his compassion, his sense of justice, his swiftness of thought and action, and his candor. At this early stage in the play, Oedipus represents all that an Athenian audience—or indeed any audience—could desire in a citizen or a leader.
In his first speech, which he delivers to an old priest whose suffering he seeks to alleviate, he continually voices his concern for the health and well-being of his people. Sophocles seizes every opportunity to exploit this dramatic irony.
For example, when the old priest tells Oedipus that the people of Thebes are dying of the plague, Oedipus says that he could not fail to see this 68— Oedipus eagerly attempts to uncover the truth, acting decisively and scrupulously refusing to shield himself from the truth. Although we are able to see him as a mere puppet of fate, at some points, the irony is so magnified that it seems almost as if Oedipus brings catastrophe upon himself willingly.
For a moment, Oedipus takes upon himself the role of a god—a role the Chorus has been both reluctant and eager to allow him see 39— Oedipus is so competent in the affairs of men that he comes close to dismissing the gods, although he does not actually blaspheme, as Creon does in Antigone.
SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Themes Motifs Symbols. Summary Oedipus the King, lines 1—
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