The Tragedies of Sophocles

5W 1981 Sophocles, Franklin Library Edition 

Notes

The Tragedies of Sophocles typically include three of the playwright’s most famous and influential works:

1. Oedipus Rex (Oedipus Tyrannus): This tragedy tells the story of Oedipus, the King of Thebes, who seeks to rid his city of a plague only to discover that he himself is the source of the curse, having unwittingly fulfilled a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother.

2. Antigone: A sequel to Oedipus Rex, this play focuses on Oedipus’s daughter, Antigone, who defies King Creon’s orders to leave her brother Polynices unburied as punishment for his rebellion. Her actions lead to tragic consequences and highlight themes of familial duty versus state law.

3. Oedipus at Colonus (Oedipus Coloneus): The final part of the Oedipus trilogy, this play depicts Oedipus’s final days as he seeks refuge in Colonus, near Athens. It explores themes of redemption, the power of prophecy, and the nature of suffering.

Sophocles’s tragedies are renowned for their complex characters, exploration of fate and free will, and their profound impact on the development of classical drama.

Description 

Deep green leather bound edition with gold embossed detailing on spine, front, and back cover as well as gold embossed lettering on the spine. Gold fore edge with green silk bookmark and five raised bands. Pristine Franklin Library Edition.