Greek History Community

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is my favorite Ancient Greek play

1 - 5 of 5 Posts
seleanor

seleanor

Active member
This classic tragedy is still read and performed today. In the play, a father leaves his own son, Oedipus, to die in a field. Rather than die, he is taken in by another family and raised. While with this family, Oedipus is told by an Oracle that he will murder his father and sleep with his mother. Despite his best efforts to prevent this from happening, he does both of these things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Worldwide Greeks Editor
seleanor said:
This classic tragedy is still read and performed today. In the play, a father leaves his own son, Oedipus, to die in a field. Rather than die, he is taken in by another family and raised. While with this family, Oedipus is told by an Oracle that he will murder his father and sleep with his mother. Despite his best efforts to prevent this from happening, he does both of these things.
Click to expand...
Where do you find tragedy? In the verification of the oracle or in somethimg else?
 
amygdalE said:
Where do you find tragedy? In the verification of the oracle or in somethimg else?
Click to expand...
I thought tragedy is what they call all Greek plays?
 
paharo45 said:
I thought tragedy is what they call all Greek plays?
Click to expand...
No, my friend. There are two main species of Greek plays (dramas): tragedy and comedy. Aristophanes wrote comedies. In extreme forms, comedies are called farces. I will not answer the question I asked you; I will only point out that "tragedy" [< trago-ode : goat-song] originally was a lament by goat-attired men who exactly mourned the death of Dionysus (the mythical god-man, the son of Zeus and a human female, wherefore he inherited a double nature, just as Jesus of Nazareth will do in more recent times. The theater where tragedies were performed always had an altar to Dionysos, even when the tragedies had nothing to do with Him. But then, why do we call some dramas tragedies? What is lamented (usually by a chorus -- in a drama itself-- that represents the witnesses of something "tragic"? There are many theories, as by Aristotle, by Nietzsche, and others.
 
  • Like
Reactions: paharo45
amygdalE said:
No, my friend. There are two main species of Greek plays (dramas): tragedy and comedy. Aristophanes wrote comedies. In extreme forms, comedies are called farces. I will not answer the question I asked you; I will only point out that "tragedy" [< trago-ode : goat-song] originally was a lament by goat-attired men who exactly mourned the death of Dionysus (the mythical god-man, the son of Zeus and a human female, wherefore he inherited a double nature, just as Jesus of Nazareth will do in more recent times. The theater where tragedies were performed always had an altar to Dionysos, even when the tragedies had nothing to do with Him. But then, why do we call some dramas tragedies? What is lamented (usually by a chorus -- in a drama itself-- that represents the witnesses of something "tragic"? There are many theories, as by Aristotle, by Nietzsche, and others.
Click to expand...
Interesting how there is no in-between, just tragedy and comedy. Funny to think of our media now and how there are so many categories
 
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

Learning About Ancient Corinth

I’m hoping to visit the ruins of Ancient Corinth on a future trip to Greece, and I’d like to learn more about the history before I go. I always find that I appreciate archaeological sites more when I understand what I’m looking at and know some of the stories behind the ruins.

For those who have visited Ancient Corinth, what would you recommend learning about beforehand? Are there particular periods of the city’s history, important events, or historical figures that help put the site into context? I know Corinth had an important location and a long history, but I’d like to understand more about how the city developed and changed over time.

I’d also love recommendations for books, documentaries, podcasts, or other resources that give a good introduction to Ancient Corinth. What helped you understand the site and its history before or after your visit?

Daily Life in Ancient Athens?

When I visited Athens recently, I spent a lot of time walking around the ancient sites like the Acropolis of Athens and the Ancient Agora of Athens. Seeing the ruins up close was incredible, but it also made my imagination wander.

As I walked through the Agora and looked up at the Acropolis, I kept wondering what daily life was actually like in Ancient Athens. What did an ordinary day look like for people who lived there? Were the streets busy with merchants and philosophers debating ideas? What kinds of foods were people cooking, and how did families spend their evenings?

It’s easy to think about the big historical moments or famous figures, but I’m really curious about everyday life. What were homes like, how did people spend their time, and what might a normal day have looked like for the average Athenian? I’d love to hear any insights or resources people recommend!

Most forgotten period of Greek history?

I was in Crete once eating at a restaurant and there was a pile of artifacts heaped - broken pottery shards, etc. The restaurant told us that they were going to throw them out. I said, but they are artifacts, why?! They said that no one cares about that time period the artifacts came from - something about an Arabic occupation.

I thought it was interesting and it stayed with me nearly two decades later. This is clearly a forgotten period of Greek history. Does this happen a lot in Greece? Got me thinking about Greek history and what else may be forgotten... Would love your thoughts.

Which period of Greek history interests you the most?

Which period of Greek history interests you the most? There are so many fascinating eras that it can be difficult to choose just one.

Ancient Greece usually gets the most attention, especially Classical Athens, Sparta, the Persian Wars, and Alexander the Great. But I also find the Byzantine period fascinating because of its enormous influence on Greek religion, culture, art, and identity. Then there are the centuries of Ottoman rule, the Greek War of Independence, the Asia Minor Catastrophe, and Greece’s experiences during the World Wars and Civil War.

I’m curious which period everyone here finds themselves reading about most often. Is there a particular era, historical figure, battle, city, or event that drew you into Greek history?

I’d also love to hear about periods you think deserve more attention. Which part of Greek history would you recommend someone explore if they wanted to go beyond the usual ancient Greece topics?

Fall of the City States (Polis)

I’ve been reading more about ancient Greek history lately, and something struck me — we always hear about the rise of the polis and how important city-states like Athens and Sparta were, but I don’t see as much discussion about how that system actually declined.

What led to the fall of the polis as the dominant structure in Greek life? Was it mainly due to constant warfare like the Peloponnesian War, or did larger powers like Macedon gradually make the independent city-state model obsolete?

I’m especially curious about whether this was a sudden shift or more of a slow transition over time. Did people living through it even realize the polis era was ending?

I’d love to gather more insight on this. Greek history is a big interest of mine, and this feels like an important piece I haven’t fully understood yet.
Share and discuss Greek history!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top