Even I, with my minimal knowledge of ancient Greek drama, knew this one was going to end badly. This translation (sorry, I forget who by) was dense but not impenetrable. The chorus were rather annoying as I suppose pushy commentators on the action often are ... Sophocles made great use of dramatic irony, as Oedipus railed against the murderer of Laius (himself, of course, as it turns out). It's funny to think that all these centuries later soaps such as Eastenders and Coronation Street are also keen users of irony. I was glad I had read this as it filled a gap in my knowledge, but even at only 54 pages, it wouldn't be my ideal choice of reading.
Day 168; Book 167
3 hours ago
I read Oedipus, (in a penguin ed.), at high school, I remember really liking it, I think all that fatalism appealed to the angsty teennager in me. Nice point about dramatic irony and the soaps.
ReplyDeleteOedipus rocks- the chorus is annoying though. Antigone- now that's what I call Greek drama!
ReplyDeleteLooks like there would be just as much angst in Antigone then ...
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