Sophocles Oedipus Rex Essay

Tragedy was one of the primary sources of entertainment in ancient Greece. Of all the Greeks, “the most successful writer of Greek tragedies was the Athenian playwright Sophocles, (c. 496-406 B.C.E.)… although only 7 of his 123 plays have survived.” (Western Civilizations, 75) One of his most known plays is Oedipus Rex, which presents several themes to the audience. The interesting part of this play is that it presents itself to the audience in a minimalistic way, though it somehow overkills many of its points.
The Greek Tragedy was presented approximately 429 BC, a time where the Greek states were faltering under the rules of the three city states Athens, Sparta, and Thebes. The characteristics of the time targeted by Oedipus Rex was the waning belief in the during the Persian Wars. The over emphasis of the gods power’s shows that this story is more about the lessons provided, rather than the everyday persons ability to relate to it. The diction is also over embellished,

A man who is an all-powerful king, taking charge of the future of city, can’t even control his own destiny. Everyday facts point to the truth, but both Oedipus and Jocasta ignore these facts until they must face the truth.
In the version that we watched, translated by William Butler Yeats, the set and characters are dressed very sparsely. Oedipus stands out from the greys, blues, and browns, in gold with an extravagant headdress and open mouth. This approach keeps the focus on the diction (169) and plot (170) of the story. The actors playing the citizens freeze throughout the showing, acting as part of the background and giving way to moments of exposition and focused discovery. They also assist in showing the advancement of time throughout the play, as they chant