COVID 19 was a plague that affected the modern world. Countries like the US and India faced lots of challenges during the pandemic.
I was in India when the deadly virus was infecting majority of the population. We were in quarantine with limited supplies and boundless restrictions. The country as a whole faced rapid spread of the virus causing storage of oxygen and ventilators. Due to large number of population in India people living in populated areas were unable to get beds in hospitals which led to people dying before getting any treatment. Likewise in the play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles the people of Thebes were facing a plague. “King, you yourself have seen our city reeling like a wreck already; it can scarcely lift its prow out of the depths, out of the bloody surf. A blight is on the fruitful plants of the earth. A blight is on the cattle in the fields, a blight is on our women that no children are born to them;” (Sophocles).
Due to the rising number of cases doctors and scientists questioned the core cause of the virus and acted immediately (to create a vaccine). In the same way the people of Thebes especially Oedipus were determined to find the cause of the so called cursed the kingdom was facing. “With what a plague our city is afflicted. My lord, in you alone we find a champion, in you alone that can rescue us” (Sophocles) In both cases, the parties were looking for the cause, a solution that will solve the problem faced by the people.
4 thoughts on “Doma Gurung Discussion 6”
Hey doma,
We both have same situation i was also in india and it was very hard time for people . People are dying fir not getting bed in the hospital and people have to stay in quarantine . If we have hero like oedipus in this hard situatuon so i think less people were die what you think about that?
Hi jainil, yes indeed I think so too. The whole country wouldn’t have been so gloomy if there had been a king/hero to look up to.
Doma, it is interesting to hear about life in India during the time of Covid. What about people’s behaviors? Were they similar to the behaviors of the citizens of Thebes. In the play, we see the people resorting to religion, praying fervently, petitioning the king for help, feeling terror and dread of the future. Oedipus started a conspiracy theory regarding Creon and Teresias. There was also denial on the part of some people. I am interested in hearing what everyone observed about human behavior in response to the plague.
My apologies if I forgot to point out the behaviors of the people of India. During the pandemic the people were desperate to find the vaccine. They were afraid of the virus being spread so rapidly. However, Like the citizens of Thebes the nation of India as a whole came together prayed and help each other in need.