The theatre of Apollo : divine justice and Sophocle's Oedipus the King / R. Drew Griffith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Griffith, R. Drew, 1958-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sophocles.

Sophocles. Oedipus Rex.

Apollo (Greek deity) in literature.

Justice in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 147 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Divine justice and Sophocles' Oedipus the King

Place of Publication:

Montreal : McGill-Queen's University press, 1996.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

By imaginatively recreating the play's original staging and debunking the interpretations of various critics, including Aristotle, Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, E.R. Dodds, Frederick Ahl, and John Peradotto, Griffith shows that Apollo is a constant, powerful presence throughout the play. He contends that although we can sympathize with Oedipus because of his sufferings, he is still morally responsible for murdering his father and sleeping with his mother. Apollo is therefore not indifferent and his actions are not unjust. Griffith focuses on Apollo's commandment "know thyself," a commandment Oedipus belatedly and tragically fulfils, to stress both the need for self-understanding in the study of ancient literature and the usefulness of ancient literature in achieving self-understanding.

Contents:

Front Matter

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Poem as Fact: The Historical Method in Literary Criticism

Stage Directions for Sophocles’ Oedipus the King

Oedipus Pharmakos? Alleged Scapegoating in the Play

Asserting Eternal Providence: The Question of Guilt

The Authority of Prophecy: Theodicy in the Play

Reading the Name of Oedipus and Other Riddles

The Humiliation of Oedipus

Conclusion

The Date of the Play

The Scene of the Crime

The Meaning of ύφεῖϱπε γάρ πολύ (786)

Notes

Abbreviations

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612854187

9781282854185

1282854186

9780773566279

0773566279

OCLC:

144084232

Publisher Number:

2027/heb33522 hdl