The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone

Customer Reviews:

Essential reading for a classical education.......2006-12-16

I read Sophocles Antigone for graduate Humanities class. It is an essential reading to understand Greek Tragedy. It is also a foundation stone of literature in studying Western Civilization.

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus in 3-cycle play, faces capital punishment for burying her brother who rebelled against Thebes. Obeying instincts of loyalty of love and the divine law, she defies Creon, the King and her uncle. Creon says laws of states outweigh all other laws, and family loyalty, when he finally relents it's too late.

Over the centuries there has been a great deal made about the conflicts played out in the play, law of state vs. law of goods, personal vs. state duties. Loves knowledge vs. state knowledge. Greek understanding of tragedy- Aristotle lays down understanding of Greek tragedy. He based it on Sophocles. Tragedy- most important thing for tragedy is plot, it is all essential. Tragedy defined as- is imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude in language embellished with incidents arousing pity and fear ant to the audience it accomplishes catharsis of such emotions. Every tragedy must have six parts that determine its quality. 1. plot 2. character 3. diction 4. fault 5. spectacle and 6. melody.

According to Aristotle, tragedy is higher and more philosophical than history or poetry; it is one of the highest expressive forms because it dramatizes what may happen. History is a narrative that tells you what has happened tragedy shows what is possible. History deals with particulars, tragedy deals with the universal. Tragedy creates a cause and effect chain and shows how the world operates. It frames human experience in universal discourse, tragedy is central in this effort. Tragedy arouses pity and fear in audience because we can envision ourselves caught in this cause and effect chain. Plot most important feature, the arrangement of incidents, the way incidents, and action is structured. Tragedies outcome depends on the outcome of these cause and effect changes not on being character driven. Plot must be whole, beginning middle and end. Beginning must have a motivation that starts the cause and effect chain of events must be a center or climax that is caused by earlier incidents. There must be an end some kind of closure caused by earlier events in tragedy. This is all part of the complication of the tragedy all must be connected. You can't have a dues ex machnia in a superior tragedy.

In tragedy, the hero or heroine walks knowingly towards the fate that is written and can't be changed. Unity of action plot must be structurally self-contained, each action leading invariably to the next without outside intervention. The worst kinds of plots are episodic, like a Jerry Seinfeld sitcom, can't be something about nothing, must have unity of action. Magnitude, quantatively meaning length, and quality of action, it must be serious. Must be of universal significance, depth, and richness. Character- most important feature is the fatal flaw. Motivations of characters are important but character is there to support the plot. Character must be a prosperous renowned personage. Change of fortune from good to bad will really matter and bring fear and pity to the audience. In ideal tragedy, the hero will mistakenly bring about his own downfall. Because they make a mistake, because knowledge of our selves is always partial, we can't have complete knowledge of ourselves. Hall quotes Descartes in the article, "The limited error prone perspective of the individual. Subject is always imperfect and human and these limitations include our ability to know in any reliable way ourselves." The fact that we as subjects, as agents can never fully know ourselves means that we are always prone to error, error is the essence of the tragic hero, tragedy is the essential drama of human subjectivity.

What is Hegel's understanding of concept of tragedy? He revises Aristotelian principals and logic. Immensely influential German philosopher, he writes about; tragedy in the Aesthete 1820-29, he proposes, "the suffering of the tragic hero are merely the means of reconciling the opposing moral clients." According to Hegel's account of Greek tragedy, the conflict isn't between good and evil, but between competing goods, all is good. Between two entirely ethical worlds that clash and can't come together. Both characters have an ethical vision or belief that they have to follow it is there one-sidedness of their vision that clashes with the one-sidedness of the other character. Both sides of contradiction are justified. Conflict of irreconcilable justifiable ethical worlds, ethical visions. Just as his dialectic must lead to an ultimate synthesis, so to must tragedy lead to a synthesis. This is dramatized in the death of the tragic actor, which becomes the synthesis. Hegel says; "the characters are too good to live." They are too good to live in this world. What is interesting is that Hegel so wants to correct moral imbalances his emphasis is on moral balances.

Greek tragedy is great reading for people interested in aesthetics, history, psychology, and philosophy.

Oedipus at Colonus.......2005-12-16

Oedipus at Colonus was a fairly good sequel to Oedipus the King. In this book Oedipus and one of his daughters go to Colonus the Gods sent sickness because he killed his father and then married his mother.

This book was a lot easier to read than I was expecting. Usually I have a tough time reading these old kind of plays but this one was written in such a way that I was able to understand it which was a plus. The whole plot is really good; Oedipus's sons are fighting over who gets to be king. If you read any of the previous stories of Oedipus you should know about the oracle. This is a wonderful element to these stories. When you hear the oracle's prediction you know that you should believe it because of what happen in the first story. Recomended for ages 15 and older.

Between Meaning and Music.......2005-06-17

Most English translations of, say, the Greek New Testament are shepherded by a conviction that the original words had divine inspiration and so are best rendered verbatim wherever possible. At the same time, there generally is a concession (for good or ill) to the reality that if what results is not sufficiently lofty and reverential in tone, the faithful are unlikely to accept it. Attempts at classical Greek drama and poetry tend to be guided by rather different considerations: The translator's audience may consist of fellow scholars, reluctant undergraduate students, or an adventurous minority of the general public; and each of these groups will have particular demands. Too often work thus emerges which is precise but lifeless, or loosely interpreted to conform to the structures of 19th-century-style Anglo-American poetry, or so liberally seasoned with present-day colloquialisms as to jar the reader repeatedly out of the proper period and setting.

For the most part, Paul Roche navigates skilfully through these hazards in trying his hand at Sophocles's Oedipus trilogy, and has produced a rendition that is readable, yet preserves classical distinctiveness. Once or twice in the first play a turn of phrase does feel awkwardly modern, but such flashes are rare and soon either disappear or blend into the overall arc of the stories. That Roche is himself a poet clearly enriched the labour, and his reflections, in the Introduction, on the essence of poetry and the challenge of its transmission across lines of language, era, and culture border on the profound. '... Poetry lies somewhere between meaning and music, sense and sound ...,' he writes; and in this region he attempts to set Sophocles's work. He echoes the meter of the original without imitating it exactly, and preserves more of the Greek dramatic structure (complete with `strophes' and `antistrophes') than do many other translations available. Yet Roche remains mindful that this is also a PLAY, and manages the formalized dialogue with an eye (or ear) to the possibility of his version itself turning up on stage. He also provides an afterword outlining principles to guide such performance.

The reader of this translation whose only prior encounter with the Oedipus legend was some now-vaguely-remembered lesson in school, or perhaps Edith Hamilton's summary, may be surprised at how effectively one is drawn in. Roche, like Sophocles before him, succeeds in bringing the remote and legendary close enough to touch, while allowing it to remain sufficiently mysterious to stir the imagination.

A good compromise between authenticity and accessibility.......2005-03-08

Roche has worked very hard at reproducing the feel of the original text by Sophocles, and by all accounts he has succeeded admirably. In his introduction, Roche goes on at length to explain why a strictly literal translation is not always the best course; he has done what he can to capture the essence of the original poetry, sometimes sacrificing a more literal translation.

That being said, this trilogy of tragedy remains inaccessible to the casual reader, with the verse, antiquated phrases, and lengthy unnatural monologues and speeches combining to obscure the beautiful and tragic story from the mind and heart of what might otherwise be an appreciative audience.

So where does this leave us? Did Roche waste his time by coming up with a version of the play that is neither authentic nor accessible? In my opinion, he did not. This book is an invaluable asset for intermediary scholars who are not ready (and may never be ready) to apply themselves to the actual text or a literal translation, and yet are willing to devote themselves to overcoming the obstacles that the non-traditional (by modern standards) format presents.

An english student, or an armchair literary enthusiast, will find this an excellent way to experience the power of Sophocles writing in english. The translation is beautiful, and powerful, and does indeed bring one of the most tragic and deeply resonating of stories to life; you just have to work a little to get there.

Fantastic!.......2004-11-08

I'm not one to pick up a book of plays with enthusiasm. In fact, I'm not one to pick up a book of plays in the first place. But when we were instructed to read The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles, my eyes were glued to its pages! Much like Homer's Odyssey, this book has all of the components of a good reading. It has suspense, romance, fear, and best of all, the tragedy that completes it all. I must say that I adored Oedipus in Colonus the most, and I thought it to be intriguing as well as heartwrenching.

Do not hesitate in your next trip to the library if you see this book lining its shelves! Take a look, and I assure you that you won't regret it.

Antigone, Oedipus the King, Electra (Oxford World's Classics)

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Great Book, for school and stuff
Translations
great translation
Strong Translation
Boring

Antigone, Oedipus the King, Electra (Oxford World's Classics)
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192835882

Book Description

Love and loyalty, hatred and revenge, fear, deprivation, and political ambition: these are the motives which thrust the characters portrayed in these three Sophoclean masterpieces on to their collision course with catastrophe. Recognized in his own day as perhaps the greatest of the Greek tragedians, Sophocles' reputation has remained undimmed for two and a half thousand years. His greatest innovation in the tragic medium was his development of a central tragic figure, faced with a test of will and character, risking obloquy and death rather than compromise his or her principles: it is striking that Antigone and Electra both have a woman as their intransigent 'hero'. Antigone dies rather neglect her duty to her family, Oedipus' determination to save his city results in the horrific discovery that he has committed both incest and parricide, and Electra's unremitting anger at her mother and her lover keeps her in servitude and despair. These vivid translations combine elegance and modernity, and are remarkable for their lucidity and accuracy. Their sonorous diction, economy, and sensitivity to the varied metres and modes of the original musical delivery make them equally suitable for reading or theatrical peformance.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book, for school and stuff.......2006-11-05

Basically i bought this book for my english class, and comparing this book to other books the school uses it is much better, might as well buy something worth more of an educational value, than use the books text book. My friends have another class and got the same book(But i mean title wise) and because it is greek translated, theirs was more simple. So if you want a book that explains more of what is going on in the story, rather than something very simple and explains everything for you already. I recommend this book because it makes you think( since it is more complex ) which is helps you learn.

Translations.......2006-03-20

Researching translations is never an easy task, and in this case, where you'll have to search on Amazon for the title and the translator to find what you want, it's particularly difficult.

Here's what I've found by comparing several editions:

1. David Grene translation: Seems to be accurate, yet not unwieldy as such. My pick. Language is used precisely, but not to the point where it's barely in English.

2. Fitts/Fitzgerald translation: Excellent as well, though a little less smooth than the Grene one. Certainly not a bad pick.

3. Fagles translation: Beautiful. Not accurate. If you are looking for the smoothest English version, there's no doubt that this is it. That said, because he is looser with the translation, some ideas might be lost. For instance, in Antigone, in the beginning, Antigone discusses how law compels her to bury her brother despite Creon's edict. In Fagles, the "law" concept is lost in "military honors" when discussing the burial of Eteocles. This whole notion of obeying positive law or natural law is very important, but you wouldn't know it from Fagles. In Grene, for example, it is translated to "lawful rites."

4. Gibbons and Segal: Looks great, but right now the book has only Antigone (and not the rest of the trilogy) and costs almost 3x as much. I'll pass. But, from a cursory review, I'm impressed with their work.

5. MacDonald: This edition received some good write-ups, but I wasn't able to do a direct passage-to-passage comparison.

6. Woodruff: NO, NO, NO. Just NO. It's so colloquial it makes me gag. Very accessible, but the modernization of the language is just so extreme as to make it almost laughable. You don't get any sense of the power of language in the play. You just get the story. If you want this to be an easy read, then get Fagles, not this.

7. Kitto: Looks good, though not particularly compelling over either Grene or Fitzgerald (or Gibbons if I wanted to pay so much more).

8. Roche: Practically unreadable the English is so convoluted. Might be the most literal translation, but what's the point unless you are learning Greek and want such a direct translation.

9. Taylor: Way too wordy. Might be more literal, but again, why?

Hope this all helps. Translations can make or break the accessibility of literature. Pick wisely.

great translation.......2004-04-07

As a Classics major, I've had to read these plays countless times. Last semester, I picked up this book while writing a paper on Electra, and I fell in love with it. The text that I had previously admired for its ideas I now respected as a work of art. Kitto's words bring a life and humanity to the text that other translations lack. It was like reading the plays again for the first time.

Strong Translation.......2003-11-10

H.D.F. Kitto was a distinguished interpreter of Greek tragedy. These translations, which were written for performance, are at once accurate, clear, and very elegant. Hall provides precisely as much information in the notes as the typical intelligent undergraduate requires. She also points out the few places in which Kitto has made minor departures from the Greek. I have found that undergraduates respond better to these translations than to those available in the Greene and Lattimore series published by the University of Chicago Press--though they too are good.

Boring.......2003-02-03

This book is very boring. I was very sorry that I had to read it.

Oedipus, the King ; And Antigone (Crofts Classics)

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Oedipus, the King ; And Antigone (Crofts Classics)
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Harlan Davidson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0882950940

Book Description

Translated and edited by Peter D. Arnott, this classic and highly popular edition contains two essential plays in the development of Greek tragedy--Oedipus the King and Antigone--for performance and study. The editor's introduction contains a brief biography of the playwright and a description of Greek theater. Also included are a list of principal dates in the life of Sophocles and a bibliography.

Oedipus the King (Enriched Classics Series)

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More than a translation
Misleading
Oedipus review
This is a tragedy
Naxos recording perhaps a bit too modern

Oedipus the King (Enriched Classics Series)
Sophocles
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416500332

Book Description

Enduring Literature Illuminated by Practical Scholarship

One noble family's descent into madness, mayhem, and murder -- the first play in Sophocles' great Theban trilogy.

This Enriched Classic Edition includes:

• A concise introduction that gives readers important background information

• Timelines of significant events in Greek history and theater that provide the book's historical context

• An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations

• Detailed explanatory notes

• Critical analysis and modern perspectives on the work

• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.

Series edited by Cynthia Brantley Johnson

Customer Reviews:

More than a translation.......2005-11-21

Oedipus the King is one of the classic works of Western literature. It was originally written as a play in around 429 BC by Sophocles (~496-406 BC), a Greek philosopher and playwright. It took the Greek world by storm, and has been handed down to future generations who have also been greatly influenced by it. Most notably in modern times, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) took this work as pointing toward a deep-rooted psychosis, the Oedipus Complex.

Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex or Oedipus Tyrannus) is the story of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, which is suffering under a horrific plague. Finding out that the god Apollo has laid the plague on the city until it should punish the murderer of its previous king, Oedipus pronounces a curse on the murderer and sets out to discover who the murderer was. Sadly for Oedipus, there is fate upon fate wrapped up in this mystery, and doom upon doom.

This book, is not merely a translation of Oedipus the King, instead it is an "acting version," created by the Stratford Shakespearian Festival Company of Canada for High School level students. The book begins with an introduction to Sophocles and Greek theatre, and after the play are copious notes, critical excerpts and questions for discussion. The play itself was written so that a young reader, with no background understanding of Greek theatre or culture will understand it.

Overall, I found this to be a great book. I enjoyed the information about the play a lot, and believe that it will be very helpful to any reader. But, foremost, I enjoyed the play itself. The story is powerful, and quite enthralling. I have never seen this play acted out, but do think that this translation would make it excellent. I loved this book, and highly recommend it!

Misleading.......2005-06-28

Warning to all those who are reading this for a school assignment: you may think that an "enriched classic" is simply the text with commentary also included. Not so, with this book. They shouldn't call it an "enriched classic". They should call it "dumbed down for lazy readers."

Oedipus review.......2002-11-08

Oedipus was a weird book to reab, because the plot was all twisted. The characters in the book are nasty. Oedipus kills his father and has two kids with his mother.....

This is a tragedy.......2001-04-11

The central statement of Greek tragedy is that Man can not control his Destiny; that there is an ineluctable Fate, preordained and inescapable. No matter how much the poor humans fight against it, it must be fulfilled. And there is no character as tragic as Oedipus in all literature. In this play, we see Oedipus as a successful man who has become King of Thebes, happily married to an older woman named Iocasta. As the play unfolds, we can feel the proximity of something terrible indeed. When the blind sage Tiresias starts to unfold the true story of Oedipus, we can creepily feel the sheer horror that grips him, as he learns that he has killed his father and married his mother, unknowingly. I have no notice of any other plot that can be described as more tragic than this one. Besides, it is one of the main sources of our culture, as with all true Classics. Oedipus summarizes some of our worst fears and traumas: the need to "kill the paternal figure", the "dependency on our mother", the "impossibility of control external forces that shape our fate". It is horrific and fascinating, and there is simply no way to be indifferent to it.

Naxos recording perhaps a bit too modern.......2000-11-18

The only budget series of audio books and recorded drama comes from Naxos. One of their more recent entries is a very modern version of Sophocles' in a translation by Duncan Steen. In fact, some might find it a little too modern with its use of idiomatic expressions such as "You can't pin that on me"--which might be taken as an ironic reference to the final horrible deed of the hero. But when the messenger the agonized Oedipus as calling himself a "mother f..." (although he stops at the "f") the effect is far too "modern" for comfort. You see, given a sound recording, we can only assume that the action is taking place in the nearly prehistoric past. I do not know the tone of Sophocles' Greek; but I do read that it is elegant and decorous. Therefore, I can only assume that this translator is doing his source a great injustice.

On the other hand, the dialogue MOVES. There is an excitement to this performance, although the Creon of Adam Kotz lacks some force. Michael Sheen is good in the title role, as is Nichola McAuliffe as Jocasta, Heathcote Williams as the Chorus Leader, and John Moffatt as Tiresias and the Narrator at the start of the recording. The Chorus itself is cut down to four voices, but they are handled nicely with stereo separation and are quite comprehensible. The music is meager but effectively used.

Book Description

Oedipus, the banished king of Greek mythology who killed his father and married his mother, is the subject of Sophocles' Oedipus Trilogy, a series of three tragedies that tell a connected story. Despite their antiquity, these timeless works bring up questions that remain relevant in our society, and their exciting, colorful stories have a universal appeal that still captivates readers.

Customer Reviews:

Great!.......2000-11-09

These cliff notes are great! They give you an indepth analyzation of all the characters, a great background, a summary and an analysis for every part of the book. These a great if you are not familiar with Greek literature or are having any trouble.

Not Too Bad.......2000-05-12

Leave it to Cliff Notes to produce another fine study aid to classic literature pieces. The insights were intuitive and well thought out and it made the difficult plays to read and understand quite easy. I would recommend it to anyone having to read any of the included plays.

Greek Tragedies, Vol. I (Agamemnon, Prometheus Bound, Oedipus the King, Antigone, Hippolytus)

Average customer rating:

Uprightness of heart

Greek Tragedies, Vol. I (Agamemnon, Prometheus Bound, Oedipus the King, Antigone, Hippolytus)

Manufacturer: Univ of Chicago Pr (Tx)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226307743

Customer Reviews:

Uprightness of heart.......2004-12-31

ANTIGONE portrays a sister's honorable act of burying her brother. HIPPOLYTUS tells of a young man resisting temptation. Phaedra, faced with love, first elects silence, and then seeks to conquer it with discretion and good sense. Phaedra's confession to the nurse is related to the husband's son. Phaedra dies by her own hand and Theseus, the husband, misguidedly orders the banishment of his son.

This is a fabulous collection of some of the best plays ever written. The translations are excellent. Aeschylus's AGAMEMNON and PROMETHEUS BOUND are included. Brightness, austerity, directness are qualities in the works serving to give joy to the readers. Cassandra foretells Agememnon's doom.

Prometheus, in PROMETHEUS BOUND believes that one day Zeus will come to him in amity. Prometheus gave mortals hope, and his conduct is perceived as a criminal enterprise by Zeus. Prometheus believes that all that the mortals have came from him. Hermes scolds Prometheus as a thief of fire. Prometheus avers that there is no disgrace in suffering.

The volume also contains OEDIPUS THE KING, Sophocles. Creon and Oedipus have been commanded to drive out the pollution from the land. Creon is brother to Queen Jocasta. Oedipus believes his father Polybus of Corinth has died a natural death and that he has escaped the prophecy. He then learns that Polybus is not his father. Jocasta begs him to stop his inquiries. As he seeks to unravel the mystery of his birth and his fate, tragedy ensues.

OEDIPUS THE KING (Translated By Francis Storr)

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OEDIPUS THE KING (Translated By Francis Storr)

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000BVOTHS

Product Description

Collector's Edition Bound in Genuine Leather.

The Theatre of Apollo: Divine Justice and Sophocles' Oedipus the King

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The Theatre of Apollo: Divine Justice and Sophocles' Oedipus the King
R. Drew Griffith
Manufacturer: McGill-Queen's University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Oedipus the King (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection) (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collections)

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Oedipus the King (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection) (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collections)
Noel Coward
Manufacturer: La Theatre Works
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1580812856

Book Description

"Oedipus the King" grew out of ancient Greek myths dating back over three thousand years. For centuries the story of the King who unwittingly kills his father and marries his mother, like those of the Greek tragedies, was passed down from generation to generation as oral history, spoken or sung. Then, around 750 B.C, the Greek discovered writing, and began to record their myths. Sophocles wrote his play around 428 B.C. This production is a new translation from The Original Greek by Nicholas Rudall.

Book Description

To Laius, King of Thebes, an oracle foretold that the child born to him by his queen Jocasta would slay his father and wed his mother. So when in time a son was born the infant's feet were riveted together and he was left to die on Mount Cithaeron. But a shepherd found the babe and tended him, and delivered him to another shepherd who took him to his master, the King of Corinth. Polybus being childless adopted the boy, who grew up believing that he was indeed the King's son. Afterwards doubting his parentage he inquired of the Delphic god and heard himself the word declared before to Laius. Wherefore he fled from what he deemed his father's house and in his flight he encountered and unwillingly slew his father Laius. Arriving at Thebes he answered the riddle of the Sphinx and the grateful Thebans made their deliverer king. So he reigned in the room of Laius, and espoused the widowed queen. Children were born to them and Thebes prospered under his rule, but again a grievous plague fell upon the city. Again the oracle was consulted and it bade them purge themselves of blood-guiltiness. Oedipus denounces the crime of which he is unaware, and undertakes to track out the criminal. Step by step it is brought home to him that he is the man. The closing scene reveals Jocasta slain by her own hand and Oedipus blinded by his own act and praying for death or exile.

Customer Reviews:

High Quality, Low Price.......2007-09-24

I purchased this title because the cost of the book was low and I have read it before. Although I didn't notice the other reviews of this book, saying there were errors, I got this book and it it didn't have any missing pages or paragraphs. I would recommend this title because of the high quality and low price.

Do Not Order This Version.......2007-08-27

I had already ordered a copy of this before I saw the other reviewer's comments, and hoped that maybe that person had just gotten a bad copy. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and as they said, this book is incomplete. Someone really should contact the publisher about this and get this book off the "shelves."

missing text.......2007-08-04

This version is missing at least 14 pages to the end. It cuts off mid-sentence, in the middle of a word! I bought it for my son's English summer reading, and he got one from the library to compare. If he had not read this before, he would not have realized that at least an entire scene was missing. I will have to order a different version as well.

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