Sophocles uses this parable to make a statement about man's responsibilities. Even today, people are continuously making choices that have negative impacts on their own lives, yet they shirk any blame or responsibility for the fruits of those choices. Sophocles shows us that Oedipus is not a victim of the whims of the gods, but a victim of his own actions. Sophocles uses Oedipus to make social commentary on the self-denial of the common man. In modern times, we see this reflected in the attitudes of the average American- we constantly seek to place the blame for our misfortunes on external sources instead of acknowledging our own contributions to those misfortunes.
As much as Oedipus is a victim of his own actions, he is a victim of his emotions. He carries the anger and resentment of his exile for years, until when the opportunity comes to reconcile with his son, he is overcome by bitterness and refuses to hear his pleas. This rejection leads directly to the mutual destruction of both his sons, by each other's hands. By selfishly seeking vindication for past wrongs, Oedipus condemns his own children to death. While Oedipus may not shed tears for his two estranged sons who cast him out of Thebes, his actions directly led to the death of one of his loyal daughters, Antigone (in the
Antigone willingly gives up her own life to secure proper funerary rights for her dead brother. Thus, if Oedipus had been able to overcome his own bitterness and extended forgiveness to his son; he could have saved the lives of two of his children. The modern world is also victim to this destructive stubbornness.
Take for example the ongoing struggle between Israel and Palestine. There seems to be no end to the conflict, as neither side is willing to let go of past grievances and transgressions.
Sophocles shows us over and over how our actions can come back to haunt us with unforeseen consequences. As much as Sophocles was a man of his times, he writes about issues that are close to us in modern times. He shows us the wisdom of considering our actions carefully. He shows us the dangers of nursing negative thoughts. Most of all, he shows us that no matter what, we have the power to choose our actions. With that power, however, comes the responsibility to be accountable for those actions. Taken in perspective, we can see that Sophocles is a voice that speaks to us from across the ages about the lives we lead today.
In other words, the Greeks did not merely triumph in the dominance of history books, but their teachings still culturally resonate with simple, human questions and concerns that we ask ourselves as a society -- why do we love, why do we fight our family members, why does fate seem so inexorable? The Greeks do not just leave a legacy of myths and learning, they have created the intellectual and
Odysseus is an ideal of manly conduct and resourcefulness in ancient Greek society, as is shown in Homer's The Odyssey. For example, it is the idea of Odysseus to have his men tie him to the mast of their ship and to pour wax in their ears when they are sailing past the sirens: Odysseus wants to hear the music but he is smart enough to know that if
Nature of Justice -- Secular or Divine? Comparative Essay The comparison of Antigone and Dante's Inferno is interesting as they are really quite different in style, tone, context, and story type. Both stories address the choices made by mankind, and the allegiances that people form and that impact their actions. Dante is in charge of the telling in his story, but Antigone must suffer through the interpretations, telling, and retelling of her
The tragic hero always elicits sympathy from the audience. According to Struck (2002): "Finally, Oedipus' downfall elicits a great sense of pity from the audience. First, by blinding himself, as opposed to committing suicide, Oedipus achieves a kind of surrogate death that intensifies his suffering. He comments on the darkness - not just the literal inability to see, but also religious and intellectual darkness - that he faces after becoming
Condors eat dead squirrels but the colossal birds also consume the poisons intended only for those squirrels. The Condors talk to each other, fearing extinction, introducing naturalism. In 1985 the last 22 Condors are plucked from their tortured habitat and taken to the San Diego Zoo and other venues for captive breeding. Fast forward to 2012. An Aristotelian plot structure with mind-bending irony -- first utilizing the reversal of fortune
Classical and Modern Greek Theater There are clear connections between the classical and modern theater in Greece - just as there are clear connections between the theater of classical Greece and the modern theater of the West in general. Much of what we believe to be proper theater-making comes from classical works: We still use many of the same ideas about character, about motif, about plot. But even as many of
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