Greek mythological plays, Oedipus The King by Sophocles, Medea by Euripides, Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus, Gods control, tragic plays, divine elements, fate
In Greek mythological tragedies, there is a persistent belief among the characters that a variety of gods control the course of events and the actions of men and women. The gods took a variety of forms in these plays, and they would often speak directly with human beings and inform them about various courses that they should be taking in life. If we analyze three plays from the time, this mindset and strong belief that gods are in control of everything that occurs is prevalent. In the plays "Oedipus The King", by Sophocles, "Medea" by Euripides, as well as in "Prometheus Bound" by Aeschylus a strong and persistent belief in various gods drives much of the action in the story and is an essential element in the lives of all the characters.
[...] He believes that everything happens for a reason, and he is unwilling to attribute anything to chance. For example, when he suspects that it may be very possible that he is in fact fulfilling the prophecy, he states who first saw the light bred of a match accursed, and accursed in my living with them I lived with, cursed in my killing” (Sophocles, ancienthistory.about.com). When Oedipus finally discovers that the prophecy was in fact fulfilled and plucks out his own eyes, he considers himself a whom God too hates above all men on earth” (Sophocles, ancienthistory.about.com). [...]
[...] This story is a very extreme situation in which gods interact directly with humans, as was the case when Prometheus gave fire to mankind. It is also an example of a play in which gods develop their own personalities and interact directly with each other. Throughout the course of the play, gods directly drive the action and make influential decisions that affect the lives of the main characters. In “Oedipus The by Sophocles, by Euripides, and “Prometheus Bound,” by Aeschylus, all three tragic plays include important divine elements. [...]
[...] From the beginning of the play, we quickly see the important role that the gods play in the lives of men. The common people tend to believe that good rulers were more in touch with the gods than ordinary people, and it was for this reason that they were able to handle problems with more care and deal more effectively with state matters. Oedipus, for example, was widely admired by his people because he saved the city from the cruel Sphinx. [...]
[...] In play Euripides reverses the role of men and women. Euripides depicts a particular woman, Medea, as more violent, cruel, and revengeful than even a man living at the time. In the play, Medea is a wicked woman who is exiled from the city of Athens by Creon. After causing the death of her own brother as well as a powerful ruler named Pelias, Medea is banished from the city and abandoned by her husband Jason. Throughout the play, the gods play an essential role in the action of the play. [...]
[...] Gods play essential roles in each one of the plays, they impact the lives of humans by helping them see into the future, and many human actions and decisions are attributed directly to the will of the gods. In some plays, such as “Prometheus Bound,” the gods interact independently of humans and have their own personalities, interest, and motives. If we take all of these plays as a whole, we will quickly realize that the gods play a very essential role in the lives of all of the characters in Greek mythology. Works Cited Aeschylus. “Prometheus Bound.” About.com Accessed April Euripides. About.com Accessed April Sophocles. “Oedipus The King.” About.com Accessed April 20, 2015. [...]
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