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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely worthy of being a classic. I want to preface this review by saying that I don't agree with many of the decisions and statements that the chorus makes in this play. Why do they condemn Oedipus (or why does he condemn himself) when he unknowingly fulfills the prophecy? Do Oedipus's accomplishments as a king or before he was crowned (ie. solving the Sphinx's riddle) not count for anything once his fate is spelled out? If individuals have no control over their fate, why must they suffer individual blame? Even if our end is all equal and inevitable, doesn't the way we struggle while we are alive mean something, more so than the perceptions of the masses who never really knew us at all? (After all, most people already know how the Oedipus story will end before they starting this play, but they still live through the story for a reason.)
The fact that all these questions came rushing into my head while reading this play only solidify its place as a masterpiece of Greek drama. It was very compact, with every development tying back to the inciting action (the plague) and escalating the tension up until the climax. Foreshadowing also helped play to the audience's prior knowledge of myth. Incredibly, the story unfolds within a single space, with no set changes, and is fully thrust forward by the life and blood of the characters. After all, the greater focus on individuals compared to earlier Greek plays allows characters like Kreon, Tiresias, and of course, Oedipus, to have complicated, contrasting, and believable motivations. Even when I took a step back from the intricate plot, there was light symbolism to note and notions of free will, tragic flaws, and more to contemplate. Oedipus may suffer from hubris, but his crashing fall from favour is hardly earned. All in all, this was a terrifying affirmation of how little control we can exert in our lives, yet as humans have always done, we'll always feel the pull to try and find our way through the darkness of ignorance and untruths.
The fact that all these questions came rushing into my head while reading this play only solidify its place as a masterpiece of Greek drama. It was very compact, with every development tying back to the inciting action (the plague) and escalating the tension up until the climax. Foreshadowing also helped play to the audience's prior knowledge of myth. Incredibly, the story unfolds within a single space, with no set changes, and is fully thrust forward by the life and blood of the characters. After all, the greater focus on individuals compared to earlier Greek plays allows characters like Kreon, Tiresias, and of course, Oedipus, to have complicated, contrasting, and believable motivations. Even when I took a step back from the intricate plot, there was light symbolism to note and notions of free will, tragic flaws, and more to contemplate. Oedipus may suffer from hubris, but his crashing fall from favour is hardly earned. All in all, this was a terrifying affirmation of how little control we can exert in our lives, yet as humans have always done, we'll always feel the pull to try and find our way through the darkness of ignorance and untruths.
It's a fascinating concept, the question of whether or not you can truly escape your fate. This style of the play feels a bit clunky, and the content matter is HEAVY.
dark
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
"Nei, jeg kan si det fritt. Apollon har forkynt at jeg skal føre skjendig samliv med min mor og gi min far en blodig død med egen hånd. Og derfor holdt jeg forlengst fjernt fra Korint, og fant meg her et hjem, et hjem hvor lykken bor. Dog, intent syn er søtt som syn av far og mor."
challenging
dark
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, Murder, Abandonment
Imagine with me, that you are Oedipus.
You receive a prophecy that states that you will one day kill your father and marry and procreate with your mother. This disturbs you so you run away to not fulfill this strange prophecy and you’ve also been meaning to do some soul searching for a while.
While on your journey, you run into this random asshole King picking fights so you kill him, like one does. You then come across a dark entity abusing a neighboring kingdom and you outsmart and defeat it. Said kingdom is so pleased with you that you are crowned King and given the current dowager Queen Jocasta’s hand in marriage. Things carry on smoothly for you as King and husband to Jocasta and you even become a father to a couple lil rascals. But one day, that prophecy comes back to bite you in the ass.
Remember how you ran away from your parents? Apparently, those are your adoptive parents and your real father that you were prophesied to kill turns out to be that King you randomly killed on your journey. Well, at least you didn’t bang your mom! Except you did.
Your momwife is so horrified by this that she promptly kills herself and, in reaction to the suicide and the new revelation, you take her broaches and scratch your eyes out so you don’t have to face the truth of your unintended sin.
Hundreds of years later, your name is immortalized in Sigmund Freud’s theory of the Oedipus Complex which claims that all boys have a subconscious sexual attraction to their mothers and rivalry towards their fathers for their mother’s affections.
You are agape from whatever spiritual realm you now inhabit, because wasn’t it very obvious that you didn’t know your wife was your mom and it wasn’t good news? I mean, you didn’t scratch your eyes out for nothing, after all!
But there’s nothing you can do about it, Oedipus, all you can do is rest in peace.
You receive a prophecy that states that you will one day kill your father and marry and procreate with your mother. This disturbs you so you run away to not fulfill this strange prophecy and you’ve also been meaning to do some soul searching for a while.
While on your journey, you run into this random asshole King picking fights so you kill him, like one does. You then come across a dark entity abusing a neighboring kingdom and you outsmart and defeat it. Said kingdom is so pleased with you that you are crowned King and given the current dowager Queen Jocasta’s hand in marriage. Things carry on smoothly for you as King and husband to Jocasta and you even become a father to a couple lil rascals. But one day, that prophecy comes back to bite you in the ass.
Remember how you ran away from your parents? Apparently, those are your adoptive parents and your real father that you were prophesied to kill turns out to be that King you randomly killed on your journey. Well, at least you didn’t bang your mom! Except you did.
Your momwife is so horrified by this that she promptly kills herself and, in reaction to the suicide and the new revelation, you take her broaches and scratch your eyes out so you don’t have to face the truth of your unintended sin.
Hundreds of years later, your name is immortalized in Sigmund Freud’s theory of the Oedipus Complex which claims that all boys have a subconscious sexual attraction to their mothers and rivalry towards their fathers for their mother’s affections.
You are agape from whatever spiritual realm you now inhabit, because wasn’t it very obvious that you didn’t know your wife was your mom and it wasn’t good news? I mean, you didn’t scratch your eyes out for nothing, after all!
But there’s nothing you can do about it, Oedipus, all you can do is rest in peace.