Over the past two weeks, I’ve found poetry difficult to understand, but I think I’ve gotten better at looking for deeper meanings. Poems often use figurative language, which can be confusing, but I’ve learned to slow down and think about what the poet is really trying to say. This will help with Oedipus the King because Greek tragedies also use symbolism and hidden meanings that aren’t always obvious at first. One poem that connects to the play is “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost. In the poem, the speaker pauses in the quiet, snowy woods but remembers he has “promises to keep” and must continue on his journey. This reminds me of Oedipus because, even when he tries to escape his fate, he keeps moving forward, only to realize he was following the prophecy all along. The idea of being on a path that can’t be avoided connects both the poem and the play. Reading this poem helps me understand Oedipus the King because both show how, even when we stop and question things, we still have to keep going toward what’s meant to happen.
One thought on “Week 7”
Shazanie, you and about seven others are drawing a comparison between Oedipus and “Stopping by Woods. . .” How are you all arriving at the same thought?