The story of Oedipus and his tragic fate was written by Sophocles in Ancient Greek times, but it contains poetic language and themes such as family, death, community, violence/war, and surrender that are relevant to readers today. People are affected by these matters to a certain extent, whether experienced first hand or from a distance. These themes are also used for entertainment in excessively dramatic contemporary shows and movies, such as soap operas. They may not be as intense as the murder, incest, suicide, and eye gouging involved in the story of Oedipus, but still very theatrical.
There are also so many emotions that people experience in devastating times that are expressed in “Oedipus the King” including hopelessness, desperation, anger, and distrust. Although shown in an exaggerated state due to the plot, it can still be relatable to be that passionate in a heated moment. “Oedipus the King” is an example of what would happen if people did not control their emotions. These qualities make this story an enduring one that will always be disturbingly fascinating.
One thought on “Victoria Santagato Discussion 7”
Hello Victoria, I agree that although the events, behavior and emotions that we see throughout the story are extremely dramatic, we still can find similarities in us today in real life outside of a fictional story. Even the extremes like incest, suicide/ self harm, and murder are a reality, they may not be relatable to us students, but still something that actually happens. I like how in most of the posts from this class, the themes we’ve chosen to talk about are seen during the climax of the story. Thanks for sharing!