Eternal Destiny and Judicial Satire: Dissecting King Oedipus and The Wasps
KING OEDIPUS PLAY ANALYSIS
Play Language: The dialogues are written in long, short-syllabled, rhythmic, occasionally changing meter, unrhymed verses. The predominant poetic form is free verse.
Theme and Subject: The play depicts that one cannot escape their destiny, emphasizing the importance of not angering the gods and fulfilling their commands. Oedipus unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, having children with her. Despite everything, he seeks to understand and investigate his fate and true identity. After learning the truth, he blinds himself as atonement for the tragic events and goes into exile.
Characters:
Oedipus: The king of Thebes. Responsible, fair, and caring for the people.
Jocasta: The queen of Thebes. Oedipus's mother and wife.
Creon: Jocasta's brother, the former king of Thebes. Represents the state.
Tiresias: An old, blind prophet. Knows the events from the beginning but keeps silent.
Priest: Respected by the people, a priest of Zeus.
Laius's Servant (Shepherd): A knowledgeable character with limited dialogue.
Corinthian Messenger and Messenger: Assisted Oedipus in solving the mystery.
Chorus Leader: Analyzes events logically and remains loyal to Oedipus.
Dramatic Structure:
The play begins with news of a plague. The cause of the plague is the shepherd, who rescued Oedipus and gave him to the Corinthian kingdom. Although the shepherd thinks he did a favor for the childless king and queen, it leads to a catastrophe. Oedipus brings Apollo's curse to the city (in ancient Greece, a murderer carries disease and is cursed). One external conflict is this, and the other is Oedipus's escape from Delphi after learning the prophecies to avoid harming his parents. He thinks he can prevent the events but unknowingly contributes to fate and clashes with destiny.
Despite his unfortunate fate, Oedipus does not evade searching and questioning himself. Being devoid of knowledge, he's audacious. He cannot escape the cycle of being cursed and ignorant. Although he tries to discover his true self and understand, the internal conflict isn’t explicitly mentioned; it's subtly portrayed.
Oedipus blinding himself is a consequence of his hubris and ignorance, and he cannot escape the gods' punishment. This event serves as a lesson to obey the gods' commands and urges people to be moderate.
THE WASPS PLAY ANALYSIS:
Play Language:
Theme and Subject: Criticizes and mocks Athens' justice system. Tells the story of a judge who wants to judge people but learns he is also judged by the system through his son.
Characters:
Two servants of Philocleon: Two individuals who guard the door or chimney to prevent Philocleon from escaping.
Philocleon: An angry, elderly judge who constantly desires to judge people.
Bdelycleon: Philocleon’s son. An intellectual who wishes to cure his father's sickness.
Chorus of Old Men in the Guise of Wasps: Use needle-like pens in their costumes, embodying the process of judgment.
Chorus Leader: Wants to judge Bdelycleon forcefully.
Chorus Leader's Son: A poor person guiding the chorus.
Two Men in the Guise of Dogs: Individuals defending themselves in the trial.
A Guest, a Woman, and a Man: Angry people who lost a young woman, a musician, and their belongings."
