how does the production of Oedipus maintain the elements of original Greek tragedy?

(masks, chorus, music, religious ritual, etc.)

The production of Oedipus the King was well done, if a little odd or awkward in places. The face-paint on Oedipus and a few of the chorus members mimicked the masks of old Greek theater, as well as the idea of a closed theater where no one leaves the stage. That element was the most odd and gave me a good taste of what Greek theater would have been like, given the setting in which greek plays were performed, the ancient amphitheater.

The music and chorus provided an additional element of original Greek tragedy. Most renditions of old plays that I've seen have either removed the chorus entirely or incorporated the chorus into the play as speech, when in all likelihood they were actually sung. The music and dance provided key interludes and helped to explain back story and advance the overall plot.

Oedipus the King: pride and blindness

Ah, Oedipus the King. What a tragedy. It's likely that the very idea of a "tragic hero" or heroine originated with Sophocles' plays Oedipus and Antigone, and there are few examples in literature as perfect as these. King Oedipus, a tyrant but well-loved by his people and his family, the main character and hero of the play, experiences a tragic, swift downfall when he discovers his origins.

I've read Oedipus at least three times now in my lifetime, and every time I read it I become even more convinced that the hamartia of King Oedipus' is his pride. When he learns that the curse on Thebes will only be lifted through finding and exacting justice for the murder of the previous king, Oedipus makes elaborate promises and takes upon himself the responsibility of finding the murderer/s, "I will bring this to light again" (133 emphasis added). He believes that as king, he has both the authority and power to do anything, invoking even the Gods to help him in this righteous endeavor.  "Those who do not obey me, may the Gods grant no crops...nor children...! May a fate like this, or one still worse than this consume them" (269-272)! Oedipus puts a kind of Holy Grail value on his quest, ultimately sealing his fate with his own zeal.

Pride prevents Oedipus from accepting the truth. While at first he respects Teiresias for his wisdom, Oedipus quickly turns on the prophet when he finds himself accused. Angrily, he demands, "And who has taught you this truth?" (357), dares, "Tell me again that I may learn it better" (358), and jumps to conclusions by accusing Creon of "brazen-faced daring that...you tried, openly, highway robbery of my crown" (533-535). Pride causes most of the pain that comes as a result of the truth. Queen Jocasta hangs herself from shame (1256), Oedipus violently blinds himself (1268) and requests his own death and banishment (1410).

While we feel sympathy for the horrible nightmare Oedipus is forced to endure, the audience must also feel a certain disconnect -- Oedipus cannot side-step his fate as willed by the Gods, and his downfall is made all the more dramatic by his own flaw, his pride.

an introduction: four epithets

Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean. (Just kidding)

In response to our first classic civilizations assignment, here are my four "epithets" -- poetic metered descriptions of myself:

Champion of Arrows -- I picked up archery one summer nine years ago after watching The Lord of the Rings and I've never looked back. Because of a great deal of practice and the support of a team and my family, I pursued my dreams to win a state championship and compete in three national tournaments.

Sister-mother -- after ten years as the youngest child in my family, I was blessed with three more siblings. Because of our age gap, I have often felt more like a mother than a sister to them, and I've learned many useful skills that have completely reshaped me.

Soul of a Meon Saor -- Translated from Irish, I have the soul of a free spirit. I'm very connected to my places of ancestry, which include but are not limited to Ireland and Germany. At the risk of sounding like a stereotypical hipster, I've always thought of myself as a free spirit -- appreciative of my heritage but excited to make and follow my own path.

The Missionary -- Missionary work is one of the biggest parts of my life. I have always had the desire to serve a mission, and the recent age change changed many of my plans and none of my desires. I am starting and turning in my papers within a few short months and the gospel of Jesus Christ is what I consider to be the reason that I'm here! It means the world to me and comes before anything else.