In the hands of Sophocles, the master dramatist, the anguished tale of a man fated to kill his father and marry his mother retains its power to shock and move beyond any Freudian reference. In this new translation, performed by an outstanding cast led by Michael Sheen, the searing inevitability facing Oedipus proves as shocking as it was 2,500 years ago when it was first presented in the theatre at Athens.
Translated by Duncan Steen.
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"A play famous for the anti-hero's tragic flaw, this ancient work is actually very good drama. One technique that works well is, in two instances, giving the audience some plot twists or clues to pending twists in advance of the characters' realization to them." — David (4 out of 5 stars)
"A play famous for the anti-hero's tragic flaw, this ancient work is actually very good drama. One technique that works well is, in two instances, giving the audience some plot twists or clues to pending twists in advance of the characters' realization to them."
" I really didnt enjoy this anybit. I hate how a mother could give a child away , and perhaps thats the reason why I didnt enjoy this,I do not recommend this. "
" If you publish a piece of literature that ends up somehow being a feature of parlance (e.g., Oedipal complex), then you're either a lucky fucker or a genius. Either way, you should get an automatic five stars. "
" i read this some time in high school. it's pretty pointless, in my opinion. although maybe i didn't get much out of it in high school. maybe it's actually a critique of power and hierarchy. well, i don't care enough to find out. "
" a good piece that shows no one can escape fate "
" I just finished reading this for my World Literature course. I was already familiar with the plot, having read 'Antigone' back in high school. I actually really enjoy Sophocles's tragedies. "
" Certainly makes you realize that you cannot change your fate nor should you attempt to alter it in anyway. "
" Pretty good story, I really like the tragic endings to these plays "
" I read a translated version of this play for English class in college. I liked the play but in typical English class fashion we over-analyze the play and had to write an essay. "
" depressing story but still beautifully told. "
" Sophocles understood that to see his name in print he would have to appeal to the masses with a base, electrifying tale of love, lust, revenge, and redemption (or not). "
" I wish I had realized how great this was when I read it sophomore year of high school. I read it again last semester and thought it was amazing. "
" I thought it was annoying. Oedipus is very demanding, not willing to listen to anyone else. Plus it's full of murder and incest. I definately won't be reading it again. Yuck! "
" I have to read it for my college English class... However, it is not as bad as Julius Caesar in my opinion. "
" A very interesting and timeless play. "
" Think your life stinks? Try waking up one day to discover that you unwittingly murdered your own father, married your own mother and had four children with her. That's enough to make anyone gouge out their own eyeballs. "
" For classical structure, there is no better play. But Oedipus is totally a dick. "
" I had to read this book for a mythology class. The book didn't take long to read but it was boring. I could summarize the whole book in a few paragraphs. I felt that the plot was very predictable which was a major reason why I thought this book was boring. "
" Thousands of years old - no, just this century...read them to see how the simple sentences can make your heard blled raw. I loved Antogone best - the rebel ... "
" I prefer the more modern translations and this one is easy to follow. "
" Antigone's still my favorite to teach of the three. "
" I need to read more Greek tragedy. "
" disturbing and yet fascinating at the same time =) "
" Antigone is my homegirl and what not, but I really liked Oedipus better this time around. (it's a re-read) "
" "There once was a man named Oedipus Rex/You may have heard about his odd complex/His name appears in Freud's index/Because he...loved his mother..."- Tom Lehrer "
" This is a great interpretation. Easy to read without losing the original intent. "
" one of the more fun AP lit books "
Sophocles (496 BC–406 BC), one of the great Greek dramatists of the ancient world, was born to a wealthy family at Colonus, near Athens. He had a charmed childhood, was highly educated and a personal friend of prominent statesmen, and, as a good Athenian, served faithfully as a treasurer and general for Athens when it was expanding its empire and influence. Though he wrote approximately 123 plays, only seven tragedies survive in their entirety: Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. With Sophocles, Greek tragedy reached its most characteristic form; he frequently beat out rivals Aeschylus and Euripides in annual drama competitions.
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