Oedipus Rex Play’s Appeal to Modern Audience Report (Assessment)

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Introduction

Being, perhaps, one of the most famous Ancient Greek plays that have worked their way into the contemporary culture, Oedipus Rex has retained its appeal due to its focus on the emotional journey of the character and the drastic circumstances in which he found himself. The agony experienced by King Oedipus is easily understood by any reader; it transcends cultures because of the obviously abhorrent ethical situation and, thus, makes the myth well perceived and the moral struggles of its titular character easily understood.

What I See in Oedipus Rex

The appeal to the emotional aspect of the play, which makes Oedipus Rex so relatable and, therefore, popular and well-known among modern audiences, can be explained by the differences in the contemporary concept of a theater and its representation through the lens of the Ancient Greek culture. According to Fainlight and Littman, the Ancient Greek theater as a cultural phenomenon could be described as the “emotional extension of the audience” (xxi), thus, serving as the bridge between the world of reality and the environment created by a narrator. In the case of Oedipus Rex, the specified technique was crucial for the play to appeal to its initial demographics since the audience had to be immersed into the atmosphere of horror that the lead character experienced, and understand his motivations when he turns his pain into an act of self-destruction and ultimately faces an exile. In the environment of the contemporary culture, the scenario might seem surreal since it is placed in the setting of an ancient world, yet the fact that the play makes the foundation for the Western literary canon should be brought to one’s attention as the main reason for contemporary viewers and readers to be thrilled by the trials and tribulations that the lead character experiences (Sophocles).

Oedipus Rex in the Current World

Therefore, on a personal level, the play appeals to a contemporary audience with its uninhibited emotions. On a deeper level, the suspense that the traditional three-act structure creates for readers also contributes to building the thrill and adding the emotional weight needed to sympathize with the lead character. However, what makes the play especially thrilling is the presence of the character that comprises the qualities that could be described as noble yet possess the inherent flaw that will define his further redemption arch and, later on, lead to the ultimate tragic finale. Termed as “hamartia” by Greek writers, the identified literary trope is extraordinarily old, yet it has managed to stand the test of time since it helps build a very compelling and strong character (Fainlight and Littman xxii). It should be noted that the idea of a strong character should not be conflated with the one that provides a positive role model for the reader. King Oedipus is by no stretch a positive character. While he faces his impending doom bravely, he makes the choices that were ethically questionable even at the time that the play was written, such as a murder of a man whom he barely knew and who did not intend to harm him (Sophocles). However, the flaws of the character and the mistakes that he makes help represent him as incredibly believable and, thus, very relatable, It is doubtful that any of contemporary readers have ever faced the conflict that King Oedipus has to handle, but they have definitely been in the situation that felt like this scenario.

Conclusion

Therefore, it is the “difficulty of knowing oneself” (Fainlight and Littman xvi) that makes Oedipus Rex so compelling and makes the play stand the test of time. Enjoyed by modern audiences and appealing to them on a very personal level, the play takes them on a surreal journey that places them outside of the context of time and culture. Defining the structure of contemporary plays as a literary genre, Oedipus Rex remains unsurpassed in all its well-deserved and terrifying glory.

Works Cited

Fainlight, Ruth and Robert J. Littman. Sophocles. The Theban Plays: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2010.

Sophocles. . Translated by F. Storr. n.d. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, September 3). Oedipus Rex Play's Appeal to Modern Audience. https://ivypanda.com/essays/oedipus-rex-plays-appeal-to-modern-audience/

Work Cited

"Oedipus Rex Play's Appeal to Modern Audience." IvyPanda, 3 Sept. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/oedipus-rex-plays-appeal-to-modern-audience/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) 'Oedipus Rex Play's Appeal to Modern Audience'. 3 September.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. "Oedipus Rex Play's Appeal to Modern Audience." September 3, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/oedipus-rex-plays-appeal-to-modern-audience/.

1. IvyPanda. "Oedipus Rex Play's Appeal to Modern Audience." September 3, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/oedipus-rex-plays-appeal-to-modern-audience/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Oedipus Rex Play's Appeal to Modern Audience." September 3, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/oedipus-rex-plays-appeal-to-modern-audience/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1