In Ancient Greece, one of the principal activities that citizens partook in was the attendance of Grecian theatre. Sophocles' Oedipus the King is often regarded as the superior example of a Greek tragedy that would be viewed during one of these attendances.
In Oedipus, such themes as the tangibility of free will and predetermined destiny occur. Fate was an enormous part of the Greek culture, especially the discussion about whether humanity can affect it. This enormous theme of fate in Oedipus tells us about the belief system of the Ancient Greeks. In Greek mythology, the Moirae (also called The Fates) were three deity incarnations of destiny. They were said to control the 'thread of life' of every person from their birth to their death. Oedipus was shown to be unable to escape the fate that was predicted for him, and thus suffered enormous tragedy. Because Greek mythology was, at the time, the major religion followed by the Grecian people, the Moirae were believed to be real, and fate to be set.
Over the centuries, there have been philosophical discussions over whether fate is predetermined or is changed by decisions. Oedipus raises these questions once more; was it the fact that he knew about the predestined fate that he met it? Were his choices he made the reasons for the fulfillment of the prophecy, or were his choices already predestined to happen? Today, this discussion is still relevant, because fate is still an intangible idea.
The Greek appreciation for tragedy, especially in Oedipus, is still reflected in modern times as well. Throughout history, the prevailing examples of dramatic works are reflections of tragedy, like Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare), Saturn Devouring his Son (a painting by Goya), or, more recently, A Streetcar Named Desire (Williams) and Magnolia (the 1999 film). There is a common human fascination with suffering. Tragedies especially appeal to pathos, which is an appeal to the audience's emotions. Pathos is an idea originating from the Ancient Greeks, and the impact of the pathos upon the audience is the power with which the playwright moves the audience to action (or perhaps, simply discussion).
Our group discussed about another significant literature which emerged during the era. We discussed about Homer's epic poem "Iliad" and how it set the guidelines and standards that writers even today imitate. We also discussed how the theme of “tragedy” was greatly influential and shaped most of the Greek and Roman writings of this era. Ofcourse Oedipus and Oedipus the King is included as the most appreciated literature.(ash.p1.t4)
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