PDA

View Full Version : Oedipus rex by sophocles


Marzapan741
Oct 11, 2007, 08:26 PM
Can any one tell me a brief summary what it is about?
And is it worth reading?

I didn't seem to find it at my library, so that kind of explains why I am asking what it is about, haha.

* The most I know it is about Oedipus becomign king?

BambiStarlight
Oct 13, 2007, 06:28 AM
Can any one tell me a brief summary what it is about?
And is it worth reading?

I didnt seem to find it at my library, so that kind of explains why I am asking what it is about, haha.

* The most I know it is about Oedipus becomign king?
Yup... it's kind of like a legend.. there's three parts to it.basically it shows how when one tries to run away from fate, no matter what you do, things will happen they way it's meant to happen. It states how ironic it was that a blind prophet was able to see the truth of the situation and point out just how blind oedipus really is. I'm not too sure exactly how deeply you want to go into detail about the play but I really suggest that you read it as it's a wonderful piece of literature... I studied it for drama when I was doing my BA in English Lit and the play has stuck with me ever since..

But feel free to ask.. I'll try to help you out as much as I can!

shygrneyzs
Oct 13, 2007, 06:34 AM
You could try the online helps such as SparkNotes: SparkNotes Search Results: Oedipus Rex (http://gsearch.sparknotes.com/search?q=Oedipus+Rex&sort=&output=xml_no_dtd&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&client=default_frontend&proxystylesheet=default_frontend&site=default_collection&submit.x=28&submit.y=12)

This site does have Oedipus Rex - The Internet Classics Archive | Oedipus the King by Sophocles (http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/oedipus.html)

Marzapan741
Oct 13, 2007, 06:40 PM
Thank you both.

I think I am going to read it. It looks itnresting haha.

The book is a regular book or its in Play form?

BambiStarlight
Oct 13, 2007, 07:26 PM
It's a play... a pretty short one if you compare it to the other plays that we study for literature.. :o have fun!

Marzapan741
Oct 13, 2007, 07:33 PM
Haha that's good.
Unfortunately I have to wait to read this, school work takes up so much time for me now I dotn have free time for reading, so hopefully when yjamlsgiving break comes along I can have some time to readd!

BambiStarlight
Oct 14, 2007, 06:36 AM
Awesome! It's really cool... makes you realize how great sophacles' mind was even way back then...

Also, if you're really interested in literature, the play is also a very good example of how literature worked in the Greek era.. where there's the exodus and whatnot.. :cool:

Marzapan741
Oct 14, 2007, 08:56 AM
True :) haha.
I wonder how plays would have been done back then

BambiStarlight
Oct 15, 2007, 06:13 AM
Kind of cool actually... if you want,you can refer to Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite..

Lol.. when I start with literature, I can't stop!

Gernald
Oct 15, 2007, 06:19 AM
It's a little weird, but really good if you can decipher it.
Basically Oedipus runs away from home because of a prophecy that says he'll kill his father and marry his mother. But he dosen't know he's adopted... so the prophecy comes true and all hell breaks loose.

Marzapan741
Oct 15, 2007, 06:04 PM
Ohh he is odopted? Haha I don't know if that was part of the book or just something we all should know .

How many pages is this book ?

BambiStarlight
Oct 17, 2007, 06:27 AM
It's not a book.. I think it's about 8 pages or so of script.. yeah, he's adopted... he first thought that he was going to kill his mother, but doesn't realize that the prophecy is talking about his birth mother and not his adopted mother *whom he didn't know was his adopted mother at that time*

It's part of the story, sort of what makes the climax of the play... the way all the information unravels is what makes it worth paying attention to the details..

It's interesting how the more the tries to run from the prophecy, the more he actually fulfills it... and how everything around him is affected because of it

Marzapan741
Oct 17, 2007, 02:20 PM
Wow, Greek dramas were pretty intense. I heard he ripps his eyes out after find out what he did.

I really want to read this book now! Hopefully my library has it when I go check ><

Thanks for your response.



Hahah very slick of you, leaving us on a cliff hanger :p