Response to Seneca’s Oedipus, Essay Example

Seneca’s version of Oedipus is often overlooked in comparison to the more famous play by Sophocles.  Even so, Seneca’s interpretation of this age-old story brings with it its own contribution to the dialogue around one of the most well-known of all the classical myths.  This paper will seek to talk about some of the similarities and differences in the two plays, and also about Seneca’s possible motivations in adopting some of these differences.

Similarities in the Sophocles and Seneca Oedipus

Both plays follow the same basic plot: Oedipus is brought up in exile by the king and queen of Corinth, believing himself to be their own son. His real father Laius, banished him after hearing the prophecy that his son would kill him and marry his own mother. Oedipus, on the road to Thebes, he meets his real father, Laius and they quarrel.  Oedipus kills him, thus fulfilling part of the prophecy.  Later, as his reward for solving the riddle of the Sphinx, he is given his mother, Jocasta’s, hand in marriage.  A plague comes because of this and Oedipus sets out to solve who is causing it. When he realizes who he really is and what he has done, he blinds himself and Jocasta commits suicide.  Over both plays, there is a feeling of dark, atmospheric doom, perhaps caused by what the audience knows is coming and what the main characters remain ignorant of until the end of the play.  Both plays are compact, and the action moves quickly to its bloody finale.

Differences in the Seneca and Sophocles Oedipus

Two of the most startling differences are the concept of fate and the personality of Oedipus himself. Sophocles followed the traditional format laid out by Aristotle: a tragic character is one who brings his fate upon himself by “fatal flaws” in his own personality.  In contrast, the Seneca Oedipus seems entirely at the mercy of a fate from which he is helpless to escape. In character, the Sophocles Oedipus seems oblivious.  In the opening seen, he asks his priests, who are on a vigil because of the plague: “My children…why sit ye here as supplicants?” (Sophocles 1) as if he were unaware of the city’s problems. Indeed, he seems oblivious right up until the end of the play when he is questioning the shepherd. Jocasta has already realized at this point what she has done and runs into the house to hang herself while Oedipus stumbles on. He is blind throughout the play, not just when he takes out his own eyes.  The Seneca Oedipus, in contrast, seems aware from the very beginning of the play that, on some level, he himself is to blame:  “When thou dreadst some great calamity, though thou thinkst it cannot befall, still do thou fear” (Seneca 1).

Seneca and his interpretation of Oedipus

The conception of Fate in his interpretation of Oedipus seems to match Seneca’s own stoic philosophy, which held that people are powerless against much of life, except perhaps their attitude towards it.  This powerlessness is certainly a large part of this tragedy. Also, the sheer darkness and pessimism about it could well have been a historical product. Seneca was an adviser to the Roman court of the infamous Emperor Nero and tried, apparently, to curb some of his excesses.  There was a lot darkness in the historical context of this play, and it might even have been written as a subtle criticism of the politics of the day.

Conclusion

Seneca’s interpretation of Oedipus, while not as widely-known as its counterpart by Sophocles, is still well worth the read.  This darkly brooding play, with its main character moving ever nearer to his own destruction, is every bit as chilling as the older, Greek version.  Perhaps, too, there is even more pity in it, considering the absolute helplessness of its protagonist to escape his fate.

Works Cited

Seneca.  “Oedipus”. Classical E-Texts Website.  2012. Web. 9 April 2014.

Sophocles. “Oedipus Rex”. The Internet Classics Archive.  2010. Web. 9 April 2014.