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551 reviews for:
The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone
Sophocles
3.87 AVERAGE
551 reviews for:
The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone
Sophocles
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is not really a good translation of what, if translated right, a really great Ancient Greek trilogy of plays. It's very simplified, almost like Sophocles for Dummies. Because the translation is not very good, you can only really pay attention to what is happening and not what is being said but even then, due to the sub-par translation it may not be clear why certain characters due certain things since the poetry of their words is missing. A good trilogy, definitely a must-read, just not in this translation.
I read Oedipus the King before seeing an opera called Greek (the Boston Lyric Opera suggested reading this as the primary text). It's an amazing play in that it takes a familiar story and creates a magnetic and dynamic scene as Oedipus discovers the horrors of his past in one terrifying reveal after another. The cocksure king begins so arrogantly only to finish in agony and with self-inflicted blindness. The brilliance of the play is not in surprises for the audience but in watching the surprises unfold for the king himself.
Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus are less powerful by contrast, but still stand up well considering their age. (While Antigone herself is almost painfully dutiful to her father in the latter, she is a sparkling rebel in the former as she claims to be fulfilling the will of the gods.) Few other works over two millennia old would be so compelling. The introductions and translations of this particular edition also make them more accessible to the modern reader.
Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus are less powerful by contrast, but still stand up well considering their age. (While Antigone herself is almost painfully dutiful to her father in the latter, she is a sparkling rebel in the former as she claims to be fulfilling the will of the gods.) Few other works over two millennia old would be so compelling. The introductions and translations of this particular edition also make them more accessible to the modern reader.
Sometimes really dry, confusing with all the mythology and long monologues, but apart from that I surprisingly enjoyed reading them. Can't say I'm too fussed about them, but it's one of the better reads for university.
oedipus the king and antigone were AWESOME oedipus at colonus was just some guy
Alternate title: in which everyone stabs or hangs themselves.
Seriously, this book features a hell of a lot of suicide. And I get it - finding out that you've been banging your son for the past 15-20 years can't be a pleasant experience. But this just ended up feeling repetitive to me.
The biggest problem with this one for me, I suspect, is that all the action in the story takes place off stage. And I totally understand why that's the case, but it means that all the reader/viewer gets is recaps of what's been happening off stage, and frankly? It dragged.
Antigone was probably the most interesting of the three plays for me, but even that wasn't the most fascinating subject matter. So I appreciate them for their historical merit and value. But I won't be rereading them in a hurry.
Seriously, this book features a hell of a lot of suicide. And I get it - finding out that you've been banging your son for the past 15-20 years can't be a pleasant experience. But this just ended up feeling repetitive to me.
The biggest problem with this one for me, I suspect, is that all the action in the story takes place off stage. And I totally understand why that's the case, but it means that all the reader/viewer gets is recaps of what's been happening off stage, and frankly? It dragged.
Antigone was probably the most interesting of the three plays for me, but even that wasn't the most fascinating subject matter. So I appreciate them for their historical merit and value. But I won't be rereading them in a hurry.
In order of best to worst:
1. Oedipus Rex
2. Antigone
3. Oedipus at Colonus
I now realise that in Greek tragedies people aggressively unalive in the space of 2-3 lines
1. Oedipus Rex
2. Antigone
3. Oedipus at Colonus
I now realise that in Greek tragedies people aggressively unalive in the space of 2-3 lines
Antigone -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oedipus the King -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oedipus at Colonus -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was obviously a five star read. I was so impressed the whole time with how readable this was, and how much I enjoyed it. Some classics are merely enjoyable because after reading them you see how they have influenced culture. This was interesting for that reason, but was also enjoyable just on the basis of the stories. I really liked it
Oedipus the King -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oedipus at Colonus -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was obviously a five star read. I was so impressed the whole time with how readable this was, and how much I enjoyed it. Some classics are merely enjoyable because after reading them you see how they have influenced culture. This was interesting for that reason, but was also enjoyable just on the basis of the stories. I really liked it
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes