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 pen to the classicals, a peaceful and wise audience, Senecas Oedipus was written to the roman prints, a military and violent community. Seneca successfully appeals to the elements of Roman literature therefore, Edith Hamilton in The Roman look c to long-stalkedys him the Father of sentimental drama. Seneca wrote the play in around 50 AD about 480 years after Sophocles production. The Roman audience responded to a histrionic plot rather than the tragical theme of the former Oedipus. Seneca, in revising the play Oedipus makes significant adjustments to suit the Roman audience, particularly plot and path changes. Melodrama in this sense (compared to tragedy) draws forth more of an perceptional, pitiful reaction and each evidence of terror is removed on the contrary, the emotion of compassionate is enlarged and stressed. The Greek wisdom and their capability to see beauty in all li fe created a desire for tragedy which draws forth reactions of both pity and fear according to the Greeks, tragedy portrays mankind at his finest, standing tall among suffering and capable of heroism by overcoming evil. Edith Hamilton in The Roman management says, . . . the unfamiliar and the extraordinary were on the whole repellent to them (the Greeks) and they detested all 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 do requisite seem merciless, while Sophocles suggested a tragic flaw, indicating the partial blemish of the character. The plot of Sophocles and Senecas Oedipus are much the same. Oedipus... ...d concentration on fate, Seneca appeals to the fierce Roman audience he writes to, as opposed to Sophocles pensive Greek audience. The Roman audience desired more violent literature, and responded to the concept t hat fate and predestination 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 original Oedipus tragedy, removes any indication of fear, completely concentrating on the emotion of pity. While Sophocles Oedipus can be called Greek tragedy, Senecas Oedipus exaggerates pity and horror 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.