1 The Living Art of Greek Tragedy Marianne McDonald, Ph.D., MRIA ...

weigh the good and the bad and see whether one has indeed merited the word happiness. This
claim is a commonplace in Greek tragedy, beginning with the historian Herodotus. The Greek
philosophers pointed out that wealth and power are not sufficient for happiness: goodness in the
ethical sense is a necessary component.
Oedipus is a celebration of the human spirit. The play shows someone who will not give
up searching for truth even when he suspects it may destroy him. He will also not give up life.
Jocasta when she learns what she has done commits suicide. Not Oedipus. He will continue to
live after the Gods have taken their best shots at him.
The actor playing Oedipus should emphasize the little boy quality to him. After all, he is
still living with “mommy.” In the course of the drama he matures.
The set represents the palace. Exits stage right and stage left lead to the city and to the
country. There are probably extras to constitute the crowd at the beginning who come to seek
Oedipus' help. When Oedipus blinds himself at the end, perhaps he enters with a mask that
shows his bloodied eyes.
Oedipus at Colonus
This play begins with the aged Oedipus arriving at Colonus, a suburb of Athens and
birthplace of Sophocles. It has been foretold that he would die here, in this place which is sacred
to the Eumenides. Another oracle says that he will bring a blessing to the people who bury him.
He will be their guardian hero and bring disaster on their attackers. When he finds out where he
is (Antigone is guiding him and discovers from the locals that they are at Colonus), he asks for
Theseus to give him sanctuary in return for his blessing when he is dead. Theseus is summoned
and readily accepts Oedipus' offer. Creon comes from Thebes to bring Oedipus home, or rather
settle him near but outside the border of the city so that Thebes could avoid pollution, but benefit
eventually from the dead hero. Oedipus refuses. Creon has his guards take as prisoners both
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