
Oedipus the King is the best-known play we have from the pen of Sophocles and was recognized as a masterpiece in Aristotle's Poetics, which cites the play more often than any other as an example of how to write tragedy. The principal character is the king of a city ravaged by a mysterious plague, who consults Apollo at Delphi and is told that the plague will end only when those who killed the previous king, Laius, are found and punished. He launches an investigation, in the course of which he learns not only that he is himself the killer, but that Laius was his father and Laius' widow, whom he married, his own mother. As a result of this revelation Oedipus changes from being a respected king and conscientious investigator into a polluted and self-blinded outcast. This volume presents a highly-polished English verse translation of Sophocles' powerful play which renders both the beauty of his language and the horror of the events being dramatized. A detailed introduction and notes clearly elucidate how the plot is constructed and the meaning this construction implies, as well as how Sophocles ably concealed the fact that his characters act in ways which differ from what we expect in real life. It also addresses influential misinterpretations, thereby offering an accessible and authoritative introduction to the play that will be of benefit to a wide range of readers.
A king’s desperate search for the murderer of his predecessor leads to the catastrophic discovery of his own unwitting crimes. Oedipus, the ruler of Thebes, initiates a rigorous investigation to identify the killer of King Laius in order to lift a plague devastating his city. As he interrogates witnesses and consults seers, he encounters logical resistance from those who know the truth, eventually uncovering a reality that defies his understanding of his own identity. The narrative unfolds through a series of intense dialogues and choral interventions, adhering to the classical structure of Greek tragedy where the protagonist’s hubris and fate collide within a single day.
Readers and critics frequently discuss the precision of this translation in maintaining the formal weight of the original Greek text. Discussion often centers on the effectiveness of the verse in conveying the psychological intensity of the protagonist's downfall. Scholars highlight the value of the provided notes in clarifying the structural mechanics that Sophocles employed to manipulate audience expectations. The work is widely regarded as a standard entry point for those seeking to understand the foundational elements of Western tragic form.
Page Count:
121
Publication Date:
2020-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0192597116
ISBN-13:
9780192597113
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