Reviews

The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles

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liewick's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Oedipus tells the classic and horrific tale of humanities lack of control and the powers of fate in the downfall of every individual. It is truly a haunting tale applicable to everyone in all times and places despite its ancient roots.

4 stars only because the classical translation was a bit too formal for me but it’s script format made it still accessible to read and understand.

Content Warnings

spam_jordz's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

leoreadssmut's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A fine group of plays small yet pack a punch. Wish my copy of the plays where in the right order by putting Antigone last. Oedipus is more complex than what pop culture turn it into.

Content Warnings

trulybooked's review against another edition

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dark emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

tallulahjt's review against another edition

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3.0

It is difficult to give this specific book a rating because it is a collection of three plays plus analytical essays describing each play and the historical/mythological context. Essentially, there are so many facets to this book, it is difficult to provide one overarching rating.

I will say, however, that I think the book is overall very well put together. The translations allow for the drama and tragedy to shine through (but could we really expect anything less from Robert Fagles? I love him). Additionally, there is an ample amount of information about each of the plays and about Sophocles' life. That brings up another difficult aspect to reviewing this book: there are essentially two authors. Sophocles wrote the plays but Robert Fagles translated them and provided the contextual essays.

Moving on to the content of the plays, I can definitively say that Antigone was my favorite. It was short, concise, and extremely dramatic (so basically, a very fun reading experience). Oedipus Rex described the prophecy which cursed Oedipus and the effects of said prophecy on his family and on Thebes. I really loved watching each character unravel the story of Oedipus' prophecy and its consequences. Oedipus at Colonus, however, was my least favorite of the three plays. It was extremely long and full of frail, blind Oedipus suffering the repercussions of his curse (basically whining and fighting with Creon and Theseus).

rebeccazh's review against another edition

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Read Oedipus for one of my modules.

A play that looks at the limits of Hellenic knowledge - Oedipus who was on a quest for knowledge, but was horrified at the truth of himself and blinded himself so he would never see his shame anymore. The play inverts the usual idea of knowledge=light, ignorance=dark; Oedipus' self-blinding puts him forever in the dark, and seems a mark of having attained full self-knowledge (e.g., Tiresias the blind prophet who sees all). There's also the idea of sight passing on knowledge - he blinds himself so he can't pass on the shame of his truth; others want to see him, but can't bear to look at him for fear that his knowledge is 'contagious', in a sense.

The play is centuries old, but the dreadful tension and intensity that escalates and escalates to a fever pitch till the truth is revealed is as compelling as if it were a modern play. Really liked this play.