Reviews

This was decent. The stories of Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone were all very strong and had a lot to say about the inevitability of fate and the role of women in Ancient Greece. Surprisingly, Oedipus at Colonus was my favourite; I thought the imagery used to describe the grove was very luscious and the appearance of Theseus was a nice touch. Moreover, the characters of Jocasta and Antigone in the other two plays were also very thought-provoking and left big impressions on me. However, my one main qualm was that most of the action occurred off-stage, being described by other characters- I wanted to see it!

patrickwadden's review against another edition

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4.0

It's funny, the thing that surprised me most about reading the Theban plays, stories that have most certainly been consumed by everyone on at least some small part by pop-cultural osmosis, is just how short they are. For real, I think even an attention-seeking tik-tok user of our generation would find these plays move so quickly it's hard to keep up; especially when people start dying! I did enjoy how the sadness just compounds and compounds; messengers serving as a way to tease and bemuse our pro/antagonist with riddles before ultimately announcing the death of a loved one, only to leave the stage for about two lines and come back with more tragedy.

Beginning with Oedipus Tyurannis (⭐⭐⭐⭐), I was delighted to read the great prose that wasn't highlighted in my Greek Mythology course last year, but I knew everything that was about to accumulate and it's still a pleasure watching it unravel. I believe it does the play great help in pacing (and avoiding not even made-yet cliches) to not hear the prophecy of Oedipus at the get-go, like I assumed it would but instead only indulges us in the cosmic prophetic eventualities after Oedipus clues in 'Oh, that old man I killed? Could have been someone..." It's just such a nice complete puzzle box where it all ties nicely together at the end, and what are we all, If not wandering blindly around if we mess w/ the primal forces of nature? see also, incestuous murderers.

Sophocles In Colonus (⭐⭐⭐)
It hits the same drum that is constantly in the back of the other two plays, of a good leader and the difference between Thebes and Athens. I like that it serves as a more direct voice and vision from Sophocles of rewriting his own mythology with an aged voice, but beyond that; there's a man who needs a place to stay for a night...and that's all that happens? I mean, I guess they founded a religion off that...

Antigone (⭐⭐⭐⭐) My highlight
Speaking of nothing happening, Antigone features the main conflict stemming just from a woman TRYING to bury her brother. And it's fucking great. Cosmic fates come back in, Athens versus Thebes, Family over the law, law vs morality, and we get some hints of what makes a good leader, being strong enough to learn from others; imagine learning from YOUR SON! Especially with all the Odepieous connections that this entails. It has more death, some great melodrama and some reckoning. A great piece with great prose.

lydiah's review against another edition

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3.0

This was such a weird experience. Idk what was in the water that made ancient Greeks want to keep these plays for hundreds of years. Though I laughed a few times. I don’t think it was on purpose but credit where credit is due.

Also this translation was strange. He kept referencing God/ the Heavenly Father while also talking about Zeus and other gods. You can’t have both, Edward. Also he kept mixing up the Greek and Roman gods. He mentioned both Pluto (Roman) and Ares (Greek). Please pick a pantheon, mister, you’re confusing me.