Oedipus Tyranus Analysis

Decent Essays
Budelmann, Felix. "The Mediated Ending of Sophocles ' Oedipus Tyrannus." Materiali E

Discussioni per L 'analisi Dei Testi Classici 57 (2006): 43-61. Web. 11 July 2016.

Budelman’s scholarly article published in MD provides a detailed analysis of the final scene of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus. The article is broken into four sections: 1. Introduction; 2. Narrative Structure: Expectations and Continuity; 3. Character: Oedipus copes; and 4. Mediation and Complexity. Budelman’s introduction provides a schematic overview of the text from the last scene of the play and introduces the concept of a “mediated ending,” where the play mediates between the action of the play and the world the spectators will go back to when the play is over (45).
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Ho takes an in depth examination of the meaning of the term, hamartia, arguing that the term refers to the ignorance of one’s actions as applied to Aristotle’s Poetics. Ho’s close examination includes line-by-line correlation to the original Greek text. Although this essay does not provide a direct correlation to the play, Oedipus the King, the information discussed provides a valid reference to the meaning behind the term, hamartia. This paper is a useful secondary source to expand on one of Aristotle’s key elements pertaining to the definition of a tragic hero, hamartia. This detailed examination into hamartia will tie into the characterization of Oedipus as a tragic hero. The paper includes an extensive Works Cited providing additional potential resources for expanding on the research relevant to this …show more content…
Written by the English classicist, Bernard Knox, it is geared for audiences such as students and teachers studying the classic literatures. Knox attempts to focus on the interpretation of this classic work to support the claim that “the language of the play” suggests a comparison between Oedipus’ and fifth-century Athens and of all humankind (xi). The book consists of over three hundred pages to include five chapters discussing Hero, Athens, Man, God, and Hero (reverting back to the beginning, in the end). An extensive notes section if provided for each chapter in addition to suggestions for further reading. The book is well written and easy to understand. It implores interpretations into the meanings behind the play and character, Oedipus. This book directly relates to the topic of this research paper for use as a secondary source in discussion of the character, Oedipus, as a

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