Oedipus the king by Sophocles by August Wilson - Research Paper Example

Thematic and stylistic devices in Oedipus the king by Sophocles and the fences by August Wilson Introduction The play Oedipus the king by Sophocles presents a situation where a disaster has occurred in Thebes. The inhabitants of the place show themselves outside the king’s palace. They want the king to provide a solution to the situation, and replies by telling them that he had sent his brother, creon, to the oracle to find out what was the problem (Grene 12). When Creon comes from the oracle, he conveys the message that the plague will terminate on condition that those involved in the murderer of the former King of the land receives punishment for his deeds. The massager conveys information that the culprit is within the town. Oedipus confirms to his people that he will provide a solution for the issue, by cursing and chasing the murderer from the land (Grene 12). In order to solve the issue, Oedipus seeks the services of the prophet who unravels to him that he is himself the murderer. Oedipus does not believe; instead he blames the prophet and his brother of being in cohorts to destroy his kingship (Grene 16). August Wilson’s fences commences with Troy and Brono in their usual drinking place. Troy is inquiring from his employer the reasons behind the black’s denial to drive the vehicle for garbage. Bono has a notion that Troy is unfaithful to his wife. Meanwhile, troy and Rose’s son have have a place in the soccer team (Shannon 14). Their father was once in the team but could not take part in important leagues because he was old at the moment the team could accept blacks. Cory resigns from the job and wants Troy to let him play, but Troy declines telling him to resume work. Later, troy gets a job as driver contrary to his expectation. In this play, Wilson explores the encounters of blacks in the United States by covering various aspects of discrimination against blacks. In this paper, emphasis is on comparing and contrasting the plays Oedipus the king and fences, taking into consideration thematic and stylistic devices (Shannon 14). Themes In Oedipus, the king various themes are evident. The author of the play presents the theme of fate and free will where the king has no option because the prophecy must be fulfilled. However, he has no idea until the plague befalls his land (Grene 8). Determined to solve the problem, he sends his brother to the oracle to come with a solution for the problem. His brother comes with the news that the murderer of the former king had to flee from the land for the plague to end. The prophecy stated that Oedipus would “die a victim” after killing his father and sleeping with his mother (Grene 9). When Oedipus learns of the prophecy, he has no powers to change the situation thus he succumbs as the prophecy state. In this case, the Oedipus cannot decide on what to do because there are powers beyond his abilities, he has no free will, and fate has to prevail. The theme of fate attempts to portray how it is impossible to escape fate (Grene 11). From an observers view, it is not right to blame Oedipus for his deeds because they occur without his consent. Moreover, the prophecy must come true. He has no power to overcome the condition hence he lacks the free will to direct his life since it is fate that depicts his life. The play, fences by Wilson portrays the theme of racism where the blacks face immense suffering due to discrimination (Shannon 15). Troy and Brono narrates to each other the problem they encountered when they were young under the southern regime. Their stories indicate how similar and different their times were, in comparison to the times of their children. Bruno and Troy recalls the life during slavery and after slavery when their father participated in immoral issues. Bruno narrates how his father experienced stress to an extent of failing to play his role as a father (Shannon 18). Racism is evident where the blacks cannot participate in major matches of a national team. The first scene occurs with Troy being unable to play in Negro leagues because of age (Shannon 19). In addition, the play depicts Troy as making queries as to why the employer failed to allow him drive the track for garbage. He and other black workers would only load the track. This shows the level of racism that prevailed in the United States (Shannon 19). In the two plays, similarities arise where the Oedipus, Troy and Buno grows within life cycles. In the story, Oedipus the king, the parents abandon him when he is small because the oracle has prophesied that he will kill his father plus lie with his mother (Grene 8). The parents wanted him eliminated, but the one given the task failed to perform his duty. Oedipus happens to grow in a different land and without his consent kills his father a situation that he comes to realize later (Grene 16). Troy narrates about his father and how evil he was. He remembers how his father beat him in the presence of her girl and eventually defiled the girl. Moreover, troy indicates his father as immoral because he could not retain women, a condition that left him grow without a mother. Bono tells of his ordeal with his father who had some differences from Troy’s father. Bono reveals that his father failed to provide for his family because of stress subjected by the status quo of slavery. Like Troy’s father, he could not stay married for long. He wanted to move in the northern sides to look for land. Symbols The inflamed foot of Oedipus in the play arises because his father abandoned him in the mountains. This condition caused him a permanent injury. This was a symbol of how fate would direct his life. This explains how the prophecy turned him to a person devoid of free will (Grene 16). Like Oedipus the king, Wilson’s fences utilize symbolism. Trains are in use to symbolize the presence of a fundamental transformation of a character (Grene 16). Troy sings a song that depicts ridding a train to communicate with his wife for favors. The voice in the song indicates the homeless state of Troy who seeks companion from his wife. He wants a reunion with his wife because they separated after being unfaithful to her. In addition, the train symbolizes the period that Troy plus other people used when moving in the north as migration proceeded (Grene 17). The train depicts the suffering plus poverty experienced by the slaves during the era of slavery. The song portrays the American traditions plus conservatism during at the era of his father (Nassaar 187). Sophocles play, Oedipus the king utilizes the symbol, three-way-crossroads to portray fate plus the power of prophecy compared to free will (Nassaar 187). The cross road indicate the region where choice was to occur thus they symbolize the points where any decision will culminate to significant consequences. At these points, varying choices are feasible. The crossroads presents the past that a person will hazily remember. It indicates the time Oedipus made a decision that depicted his fate (Nassaar 187). In Wilson’s fences, the term fence is in use to demonstrate both literal and metaphoric device. Rose’s desire for the fence indicates its importance because it is useful for covering those she loves (Koprince 348). The notion of Troy and Cory is that the fence is a drag and does not take it serious when constructing it. The fence represents the condition that Troy kept her wife away by committing adultery. Troy’s failure to ensure seriousness in constructing the fence depicts his inability to commit himself to his marriage. The death of Troy reveals a complete fence because the family joins together after his death. The completeness of the fence is indicative of the strength that the family possesses, unlike in the past when the fence was not complete (Koprince 345). Dramatic irony In the play Oedipus the king, dramatic irony is in use to enable the observers develop privilege and attachment. This style provides a link between the audience and the person performing the drama. At the start of the play, the audience has information about Oedipus the king. They know that killed his father because his story is famous among people (Grene 9). In the story, the audience creates a link with the protagonist hence they can feel what he undergoes. Dramatic irony is evident where in the play; Oedipus speaks to his people about the plague that has befallen his region. In Wilson’s fences, irony is evident where the death of Troy ironically leads to a reunion of his family (Nassaar 187). Poetic realism The play, the fences by Wilson incorporate poetic realism in the entire scenes. A great number of characters are blacks who speak with an American accent. The play possesses unique poetic qualities thus the actors are capable of producing a speech in a manner that is of an advanced level. This realism is also evidence in a less extent in Oedipus the king (Kronegger 5). Works cited Sophocles, , David Grene, and Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010. Print. Literature: Craft & Voice (fiction, Poetry, Drama). McGraw-Hill Humanities Social, 2009. Print. Shannon, Sandra G. August Wilson's Fences: A Reference Guide. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2003. Print. Nassaar, Christopher S. "Sophocles' Oedipus The King." Explicator 55.4 (1997): 187. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 May 2012. Koprince, Susan. "Baseball As History And Myth In August Wilson's "Fences.." African American Review 40.2 (2006): 349-358. Professional Development Collection. Web. 6 May 2012. Kronegger, Maria E. Literary Impressionism. New Haven, CT: College & University Press, 1973. Print. Read More