Oedipus the King by Sophocles

First of all, I loved Sophocles' play Oedipus the King and found I remembered accurately the events in the story. It was certainly better reading the second time—as I’ve grown so much as a person since the last time I read it. The thing that struck me most as I read was how accurately Sophocles captured human nature (i.e. Oedipus’s response to finding out the truth, meaning the pain of hurting himself physically was easier to bear than the emotional pain he finds himself in. The same logic applies with Jocasta’s suicide i.e. death is better than living with the truth). Maybe it reiterates the fact that we, as humans, haven’t emotionally changed at all as many people still act with those intentions today. I also was struck when Creon most wisely says to Oedipus that no sane man would want to be King but, that the best position to have is second-in-command for you have all of the power and none of the responsibility. A sentiment like that was running through my own head as our own Presidential elections were held not too long ago.
And lastly, I was floored by the sheer power of the play—I definitely had an emotional response as I read it. It’s the epitome of the tragedy, as the audience watches the emotional lives of Oedipus and Jocasta spiral out of control in the course of one day. In that sense it’s an actor’s feast for the character arcs in the story are so drastic. In my Trifles response I mentioned that sometime plays can stand alone as literature, even if they are really meant to be experienced in performance, when the subject matter or the writing is so strong that it transcends performance. I’d say that Oedipus definitely fits that category and that is precisely why we still study it today.

In thinking back on the study of this play in our course, I can't help but remember the discussion. I was so thrilled that the people in the class were as impassioned by the reading as I. I guess, as a theater person, it doesn't shock me that many of the things I love aren't mainstream. I think that discussion will go down as one of the great moments I've experienced in a class room setting. It not only shows the strength of the text, and the fact that it's still palpable today, but it reiterates my desire to dedicate my life to theater.

My last thought is: TRUTH survives and speaks to ALL cultures. I think the Greek Theatrical tradition demonstrates this perhaps more than any other theater type. One just has to watch/listen/experience the pivotal scene in The Trojan Women where Andromache loses her son to understand this. Here's a link to Vanessa Redgrave's performance in the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjgIZOWVRzQ

Here is the trailer for the recent National Theater production in London with Ralph Fiennes. If only I could have a time transport to take me there!