Book Review: Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Kronos

“Where are your eyes, Majesty?

You did what should not have been done”

Good lord, this was like watching a train crash happen in slow motion. I don’t typically say that lightly - I think the last time I said that was when I read Othello. Again, this is a monumental piece of theatre written by The Bard, but this week, we are talking about one of the best playwrights of all time - Sophocles. I may have mentioned this before, but not many of Sophocles’ works survive; in fact, there are only seven that have survived the erosion of time in full. However, over the course of his career as a tragedian, he wrote over 120 (that we know about). His most famous plays include Antigone, Ajax and, of course, Oedipus.

This publication of Oedipus is more of a double-bill. The first play you read is ‘Oedipus’ the next is ‘Oedipus at Kolonos’. The play is the start of a series of other plays - often called the Theban Plays. We meet a lot of the characters we meet in later plays, such as Antigone. This play sets the scene for the ensuing plays that happen - they’re all a bit of a trainwreck.

We all know the story - a child is born, and their parents take the child to see the Oracle of Delhi to determine the child's fate. The oracle decrees that the child will kill its father and mate with his own mother. It is quite a fate and a hideous self-fulfilling prophecy. What we do know is that King Laius and Queen Jocasta leave their child on a rock to die - but he is saved and brought up by a shepherd. Years later, Oedipus is confronted at a crossroads and kills a man seemingly in self-defence, he then enters Thebes and falls in love with the Queen. Chaos ensues.

If we think about the themes of this play, fate probably being the biggest. In trying to avoid fate - it happens anyway. It is an interesting look at whether it's possible to change one's fate or if it is set in stone. According to the oracle at Delphi - it is set in stone. You cannot outrun your fate. Laius and Jocasta knew that but tried to change it anyway. What fools these mortals are, eh? We are but playthings for the gods. The next theme in this is around the subject of ‘sight’. Now, it might seem that I am stating the obvious here, but we have an oracle - who has the gift of foresight. Oedipus has seen what should not have been seen and done what should not have been done. After learning that he has mated with his mother (and subsequently seeing her hanging body) he blinds himself. He has only the hindsight left to him - that is his punishment.

I’m reading a translation of the text. Nothing wrong with that - we all need translators to understand each other. But I will say the translation I read does lose the rhythm that Greek tragedy traditionally has. I can only imagine the pace that the play has in its original form. It doesn't necessarily take away from the intensity of the drama, but it could’ve helped and added to it.  Would I still see the play live? Yes, yes I would. It is a classic for a reason and is famous for a reason - it has even lent its name to psychology. Oedipus - it's been over 2400 years - and it's still relevant.