tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post3996558007666590686..comments2024-02-05T18:55:01.932+01:00Comments on In My Book: Oedipus the King by Sophocles: What's so Greek about It?Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-80160863102429502402013-08-19T04:53:12.246+02:002013-08-19T04:53:12.246+02:00I found Greek plays interesting because of the cho...I found Greek plays interesting because of the chorus, which makes it unique. I have only read two Greek plays, but I think I like them more than Shakespeare's :)Fanda Classiclithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07642429343958941266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-2140270903594231802013-04-04T00:26:51.220+02:002013-04-04T00:26:51.220+02:00Well, OK, Shakespeare has it, too. But most climax...Well, OK, Shakespeare has it, too. But most climax murders are still on stage. I'm thinking Othello, Romeo and Juliet, etc. Well, at least he was more diverse =)) <br /><br />Yes, their gods were rather cruel. I think it's some kind of divine revenge for trying to escape the prophesies, but for me it also doesn't make a lot of sense.Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-34629359477019100152013-04-04T00:21:42.977+02:002013-04-04T00:21:42.977+02:00Well, I see now that arguing about which adaptatio...Well, I see now that arguing about which adaptation is better has a long history :) Thanks for the info, I had no idea about plays being a festival event, I thought their theaters were regular, like ours. Eurovision is a cute comparison =)Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-77760893092218003842013-04-04T00:18:54.600+02:002013-04-04T00:18:54.600+02:00Yes, I've heard something of this marriage cus...Yes, I've heard something of this marriage custom before. I think it was done to prevent arguments about the heir. So he really had no choice! Gods are cruel...Arenelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-16557401747276200162013-04-03T19:29:15.097+02:002013-04-03T19:29:15.097+02:00Your review made me smile because of all the emoti...Your review made me smile because of all the emoticons. You seem to be having fun at your own expense. I prefer Shakespeare as well but you know, to be fair, Duncan is killed off-stage and a lot of the action in his plays occurs between speeches about the fighting or the off-stage violence. Not always but more often than I think I remembered. (I was rereading some Shakespeare and sort of boggled at how my memory filled in details that simply were not there.)<br /><br />But yeah. I never did quite understand why Oedipus deserved to suffer for his ignorance. It just doesn't make sense. But then I don't think much of what the gods are purported to do makes sense. Satiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03227625739706115993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-70588888090895334742013-04-03T19:06:43.120+02:002013-04-03T19:06:43.120+02:00Of course the play isn't about perversity--poo...Of course the play isn't about perversity--poor Oedipus didn't know. It's all Freud's fault that people think it is. :) I think it's about what Solon said--never call a man happy until he is safely dead. Oedipus has everything: he's clever, virtuous, wealthy, and a good king. He's always tried to do what's right and treat his people justly. And yet it turns out that he has unwittingly committed the most horrible crimes anyone can think of. So I think the story is about--What happens when your worst nightmare comes true?<br /><br />I did a bunch of Greek lit last year, and I learned that they never showed killing onstage. It was blasphemous, or in bad taste, or something. Indeed everyone did know the story already--they went to the play to see how skillfully the playwright could write and what he would do with the material. Sort of like watching a dramatization of Bible stories, I guess. The plays were only performed once at the festival, and then never performed again, since there were new ones the next year. Like Eurovision! :)Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14247515387599954817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-8695892952315734552013-04-03T14:36:03.180+02:002013-04-03T14:36:03.180+02:00Hey, thanks for participating. Yes, the Greek play...Hey, thanks for participating. Yes, the Greek plays are so different from other plays after. It's true that they assume me have known the story before coming to the theatre to watch it. I find the chorus pretty unique too. I don't know if they are more annoying than interesting, but it's just funny to hear other guys speaking to both sides of the thatre - audience and players - during the play. <br /><br />And I don't believe in Oedipus Complex or whatever Freud says at the first place. You can hardly blame Oedipus for marrying his mother, he didn't know. Besides, it was a custom (?) in that era to marry the previous king's wife when you take his throne. There. <br /><br />Oh, and I TOO prefer Shakespeare. :D Thanks for your post. Let's have fun with comedy this month. Lemon Treehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13340029101536146372noreply@blogger.com