When put in the given context, the main character, Oedipus, is antagonized to the traditional perspectives on religion, society, and the world’s order. The primary controversy in the public consciousness of Athenians was based on the conviction in the patronage of gods and the attempts to gain their support, on the one hand and the necessity to make responsible decisions, and independently attain their realization, on the other hand. The ambiguous position of gods is the major concern in Sophocles’ play. New social tendencies were in the progress of development, and they challenged the old-fashioned, archaic worldviews held by the citizens. The dramatist lived in times of intense cultural and political changes. Additionally, he tried to discuss the issue of unity between them. While paying significant attention to the philosophical and theological issues, Sophocles aims to unfold the theme of relationships among individuals, society, and divine forces. When speaking of Sophocles, he integrates the myth of Oedipus into the plot of the play in order to demonstrate a deep conflict between the will of gods and the will of human beings. In the tragedy “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles raises one of the most important questions of his time – is an individual’s fate entirely controlled by gods or can it be shaped by the person’s will? It is possible to say that mythology, which served as the foundation for the ancient classical literature as a whole, was implemented and interpreted by every Greek dramatist in his own way.
0 kommentar(er)
