Thursday, September 22, 2011
Oedipus
I've really enjoyed reading Oedipus Rex in class. I feel like reading it allowed and having different people act as characters helps me to understand the entire story and really see all the facts that are hiding. I think a main theme is the idea of fate vs. free will. Oedipus thinks that he has been living in free will, but in reality the oracle that was predicted for him is completely true. This relates back to the Aeneid, and Aeneas' fate to found the city of Rome. He was happy staying in Carthage and being involved with Dido but he had to be reminded about his destiny and then he was on his way to found Rome. Oedipus (at the point we are at) still does not believe that the oracle has come completely true, but he is definitely worried that it may come true. It is almost unbelievable that could forget that he killed a man. What do you guys think?
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5 comments:
Like Mrs. Quinet and King said, him killing those thieves really wouldn't have been a big deal back then. It's hard to imagine there was ever a time when killing someone could be easily forgotten. Also, the poem is an excellent example of a tragedy. If you saw this play at a theater I'm sure it would really have an effect on one's emotions.
Yeah it's so surprising that people just killed one another just because they were in their way on a road. In today's society, everything is so much different. I am really intrigued by this play and am truly interested in what Oedipus does next. He figures out that he killed the king and his prophesy came true but now he will have to be killed or exiled to fulfill the next prophesy. I want to know what happens next.
I agree with mallory. I love reading the play in class because I associate the characters with the people that are readding their lines and therefore I can easily differentiate them. It's interesting how much the gods played a role in ancient Roman literature. And again, as mallory said, this can be seen in the Aenied and can be brought back to the theme of fate vs. free will.
It's weird to think that the first democracy, the foundation of western thought, had roads where socially respectible people could commit murder without a second thought. I agree with yall; I thought the irony of Oedipus wrestling with his fate was intresting because Aeneas also wrestled with fate and this preimmenence of fate seems to be kind of a societal trend.
That's true. I forgot they said that in class. It is weird to think that it would have not been a big deal to kill someone and just walk away from the scene. I am excited to see how the rest of the story unfolds and see how oedipus and jocasta figure out that the prophecy is true.
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