Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex (the King) and Seneca’s Oedipus Essay -- compar

Sophocles Oedipus Rex (the King) and Senecas Oedipus Contrary to Sophocles Oedipus that was written to the Greeks, a serene and wise earreach, Senecas Oedipus was written to the Romans, a militaristic and violent community. Seneca successfully appeals to the elements of Roman literature therefore, Edith Hamilton in The Roman Way calls him the Father of drippy drama. Seneca wrote the play in around 50 AD about 480 days after Sophocles production. The Roman auditory sense responded to a melodramatic plot kinda than the tragic theme of the former Oedipus. Seneca, in rewriting the play Oedipus makes operative adjustments to suit the Roman audience, particularly plot and direction changes. Melodrama in this understanding (compared to tragedy) draws forth more of an emotional, pitiful reaction and any evidence of cultism is removed on the contrary, the emotion of pity is exaggerated and stressed. The Greek apprehension and their capability to see beauty in all smell created a desire for tragedy which draws forth reactions of both pity and fear harmonize to the Greeks, tragedy portrays mankind at his finest, standing tall among suffering and fitted of heroism by overcoming evil. Edith Hamilton in The Roman Way says, . . . the unfamiliar and the marvelous were on the whole repellent to them (the Greeks) and they detested every form of exaggeration. She goes on to say, Greek tragedy had no appeal as the Romans understood the words. The Romans viewed life as cheap, almost worthless therefore, to appeal to this audience, Seneca made fate come out merciless, slice Sophocles suggested a tragic flaw, indicating the partial fault of the character. The plot of Sophocles and Senecas Oedipus are much the same. Oedipus... ...d concentration on fate, Seneca appeals to the vicious Roman audience he writes to, as opposed to Sophocles pensive Greek audience. The Roman audience desired more violent literature, and responded to the concept that fate and predestin ation were inescapable, while the Greek audience defined tragedy, including a tragic flaw of the character, as mankind at his best because the character becomes wise. Seneca in rewriting the true Oedipus tragedy, removes any indication of fear, completely concentrating on the emotion of pity. While Sophocles Oedipus discount be called Greek tragedy, Senecas Oedipus exaggerates pity and disgust and must be classified as melodrama. Instead of arousing pity and fear from the audience, Seneca uses plot and style changes and simply appeals to the emotion of pity to adhere to his Roman audience.