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Author
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Topic: What is Oedipus Rex?
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Blackarts
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posted 12-27-2000 07:09 PM
A few times i have noticed that people are commenting on how one thing or another relates to something called Oedipus rex. Could anyone enlighten me as to what this is.thanx. |
Slick84
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posted 12-27-2000 07:25 PM
Oedipus Rex is an ancient playwrite by some greek or roman writer back thousands of years ago. That's all I can remember though. |
Sluggo
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posted 12-27-2000 07:45 PM
go here http://www.pathguy.com/oedipus.htm for a quick outline of the legend------------------
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication--Leonardo da Vinci, used in an early Apple Computer ad |
multimedia light & magic
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posted 12-27-2000 11:55 PM
what kind of greek name is rex?poor guy, heheh. i've been studying that this semester...great stuff.  |
SilverbladeX
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posted 12-28-2000 02:19 AM
Are we talking about the OEDIPUS chronicles written by the greek author SOPHELICIES? |
B. Rhomboid
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posted 12-28-2000 04:54 AM
Deep Breath...Rex just means King. King Oedipus is one of the most important figures in Greek history, and Freudian psychology:
In brief. When Oedipus was born, his father was told that the boy would one day kill him and take the throne. Consequently Oedipus was banished from the country.
Cut to... yeras later. Oedipus is grown up, and a strong young man, and happens to wander back into his father's kingdom. He encounters his father (without realising who he is), kills him, becomes king, and marries his own mother. When he realises what he has done he is so pissed off he tears his own eyes out. There's more to it than that, but those are the key points. Hence, in Freudian psychology, an Oedipus complex, is the (supposed) jealousy that exists within young men of their fathers (and desire to kill them), and equally lust for their mothers (and desire for an incestuous relationship). Freud however, although he hafd some good ideas, was a bit obsessive about certain things, principally incest, masturbation, crap and misogyny. Hey, if he were alive today he'd probably have been Eminem. |
Nayman
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posted 12-28-2000 10:07 PM
what? tyranosaurus rex? HUh? WHERRE?! |
Webmaster Dale
Administrator
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posted 12-29-2000 12:30 AM
B.Rhomboid is correct. Thanks B...
<Begin Hype from the Thespian>
Oedipus The King (or Oedipus Rex) is a glorious Greek tragedy by Sophocles written circa 496-500 BC. It may well be one of the most important and influential dramas ever written. Its beauty out shines by leagues any silly rhetoric or dysfunctional bull crap that was super-added to the story by the psychological ramblings of one Sigmond Freud.
Oedipus THE KING , was the story of a KING in the true and historical sense of what it meant to be KING. He was the HERO, THE savior of the city, THE person inspired by divine inspiration, but the story, in paradox, defies the historical ideal and shows the truth that he, the KING, is flawed. His ultimate failure to "know himself" plunges his blessed Thebes into disaster , both supernatural and natural, his failure to know himself lies in, his tragic pride, and his physical acts of patricide (killing his father), and incest , (marrying his mother) (these were committed because THE KING did not know his own history.) and yes, he ends up ripping out his own eyes in his passion and grief (but the story continues see Antigone).
Oedipus The King Is an inspiring story, one to be read and to be taken to heart over and over again. Read it, or it is best experienced on stage, see it at the theatre.
</hype form the thespian>
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Webmaster Dale
(Administrator for Likeastory Forums.)
[This message has been edited by Webmaster Dale (edited 12-29-2000).] |
E. Flask
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posted 12-30-2000 12:42 AM
I don't mean to be a know-it-all, Webmaster Dale, but the story actually continues in "Oedipus at Colonus," the second in the Oedipus trilogy. True to the tradition of second-in-the-series works, it is the worst of the bunch. I like "Antigone" the best. I agree that the point of "Oedipus the King" is lost on those who only know the name through a lame little paragraph in their Psychology 101 textbook. It's a good read, and not as dense as Shakespere. "The true definition of insanity is expecting different results from the same actions."-- unknown. |
Tn
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posted 12-30-2000 07:16 AM
Irony |
Webmaster Dale
Administrator
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posted 12-30-2000 05:34 PM
Yes, E.
Oedipus at Colonos is next as far as the narrative goes. I had not forgotten it. To me it does not seem to have the flair that Oedipus the King and Antigone have.
Speaking chronologically about the works of Sophocles however;
Antigone in all probability was the earliest of the three tragedies.
Followed chronologically by Oedipus the King and
Sophocles' last work Oedipus at Colonos.
As for the story of the life of Oedipus (and off-spring) they do lie out.
Oedipus the King
Oedipus at Colonos
Antigone.------------------
Webmaster Dale
(Administrator for Likeastory Forums.) [This message has been edited by Webmaster Dale (edited 12-30-2000).] |
Fastlou
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posted 01-01-2001 04:43 AM
Recently I was thinking of old texts I had previously read that might be updated or modified to make a new movie or short from, and I recall thinking of Oedipus. That is a story that most people know simply from the Freud angle, but has not really been remodeled (at least as far as I can think of it) in a long time.
I haven't put much deep though into it, in terms of going through and seeing what might still be applicable to a modern audience, but I have a feeling, that if done right, that story could ahve new life and meaning in today's world. | |
