The Greeks are some of the renowned writers who have ever been known. Although most of their works were done in the past, scholars still use their poems up to date. The Greeks seemed to have mastered the art of poetry and tales since the pieces were done in a style that drew their readers’ attention. Even though some of their stories are regarded as myths, some may be true considering the timings of their writings. Moreover, poems were written from stories that were passed from one generation to the subsequent one. The Iliad and The Three Theban Plays are some of the books which show the greatness of the works, and they are relevant to the current generation of scholars.
The Iliad book offers insight into the rise and fall of kings and the conflicts they encountered. Similar to other old epic poems, The Iliad, for instance, sets the main subject of the story from the beginning. The opening word of the poem “rage” tells it all. To be specific, The Iliad focuses on Achilles’ fury from its start, the destruction of the Archean army, and finally, how Achilles’ anger becomes directed to the Trojans (Fagles, 1991). Although the entire poem is based on the Trojan conflict, the totality of the battle only provides background information rather than the subject matter. By the time Agamemnon and Achilles start arguing, the Trojan conflict has lasted for almost a decade. However, Achilles’ absence only lasts for a few days before the epic ends. Based on the poem, there is no beginning or end of the Trojan war; however, it scrutinizes the start and end of Achilles’ anger, thus limiting the scope from the larger conflict to the warring individuals.
The Three Theban Plays books, on the other hand, provide an in-depth view of gender issues, tragedy, and religion. In general, it handles matters that are sensitive in the current society. Antigone, for instance, is a poem that focuses on feminism. Antigone is a female person who fights for her position in a male-dominated society. She exhibits excellent strength and bravery over all the male characters who scorn her just because she is of the opposite sex that is considered weak (Sophocles, 1984). The play is not only based on feminism but also radicalization of society and rebelling against authority. Many females across the globe are discriminated against, and they find it hard to prosper in a male-dominated society. Although there are many organizations, including the United Nations, which are advocating for equal opportunities, society is still not ready to embrace them. They, therefore, resort to using radical means to fight for their position.
The story of Oedipus the king was well known to people, and it depicts the tragedy that often befalls people. The play begins when Oedipus travels to Thebes and finds the town experiencing a tragedy caused by the Sphinx curse. To remove the blasphemy, a riddle must be answered, and Oedipus solves it (Sophocles, 1984). He is quickly made the king and forced to marry the queen since the previous leader was murdered. As time goes by, Oedipus realizes that he is Theban, and he killed his father and married his mother. Shocked by the discovery, he blinds himself and flees his village forever. In this epic, it is clear that the poet is demonstrating misfortunes that befall people as they try to find peace with themselves. Oedipus is initially cast out of the village, only to return and experience more tragedy by murdering the king, his father, and marrying his mother.
Oedipus at Colonus, on the other hand, does not talk of tragedy but more of religion. It ends when Antigone sets her fate in Thebes. The poem hardly has any plot, and there are no dramatic issues exhibited in the previous plays. The story is quite religious, and it does not rely on suffering which is displayed throughout the book but uses the tragedies to bring hope.
In conclusion, the two authors focus on different issues that are frequently witnessed in society. For example, the Iliad offers insight into the nature of humans. People are prone to anger, especially if their expectations are not met. Achilles becomes angry with Agamemnon, and his rage ends up destroying his army. In as much as individuals may become angry, the poet demonstrates that fury only destroys rather than solves a conflict. In the Three Theban Plays book, the poet believes that tragedy, gender, and religion are some of the main issues which affect society. Antigone illustrates that women find it hard to compete with their men counterparts who have dominated society for an extended period. In Oedipus the King, the poet demonstrates that humans are prone to tragedy, and no matter how much they want to avoid it, misfortune always comes their way. However, Oedipus at Colonus gives hope to people through religion. As much as society is suffering and excluding some members, there is always hope to cling on.
References
Fagles, R. (Ed.). (1991). The Iliad. Penguin Classics.
Sophocles, E. A. (1984). The three Theban plays. Penguin books.