Long Live the King: Oedipus Rex (Santa Fe College Edition)

I am a fan of Sophocles's plays because of the very reason that they are serious, yet humorous, tragedies. Tragedies purposely situate the reader in a position in which they empathize with the characters in the story, even if the central character is not the best example of a "hero." Each play emphasizes a different notion that branches from hubris, a vice many of us see in others and (sometimes!) ourselves. I believe Sophocoles purposely focused on this specific vice because one's pride is, to an extent, the foundation of one's identity. However, he focuses on the typical human character but with much harshness and exaggeration possibly for more emphasis. Sophocoles does so in a witty manner that almost seems so natural to the point that it is believable that such a travesty (what Oedipus Rex went through) can happen to just about anyone if they were in Oedipus's position. This very quality of literature, especially through these distinct plays, reveal more of the individual than one thinks. This is also why literature is an important aspect of the humanities because through literature, one is not only able to learn from these characters, but also understand how themes can be applied to every day life. Never did I expect to go to a Sophocles play nor did I know Santa Fe actually created an adaptation of the play up until my humanities class had listed a discussion dedicated to the play on the syllabus, which I talked about in my prior post. I refused to miss the opportunity to watch it and sincerely anticipated the screening because 1) it had been a long while since I saw a live play in an actual theater and 2) it was my college's own adaptation of the play itself, which I thought was genuinely amazing if you ask me. What made Santa Fe's play different from Sophocles's original is the integration of climate change and global as the "plague" introduced at the very beginning of the play. The plague is the catalyst of Oedipus Rex's search for his own identity which eventually led to his downfall and his family's. The oracle was also from the "Apollo Institute", which adds a modern touch to even the government's contribution to the environment and issues in the play (and in real life). The setting, of course, was also changed to purposely make it more Floridian and modern in order to discuss the specific disasters the state of Florida is undergoing--distasters many of us may not have been aware of. The chorus was also modernized by having them rap and dance to hip-hop-like music, and the chorus' leader were two newsreporters, a synecdoche that serves as a representation of today's media we all know and love. Oedipus Rex represents modern society and the blindness and ignorance society may have towards important issues that are gradually worsening day by day. As I mentioned before, climate change was used as the plague. But why use climate change? I believe the reason being is because, again, it is possible that not many of us are aware of these circumstances. I had not known about some of the situations addressed, and I was in utter disbelief after I did some research for my humanities class discussion. Problems included were dried up and polluted springs, sea levels rising because of global warming (and this is not happening just to Florida's coastal cities), and even multiple forest fires due to prolonging droughts. Climate change in Florida and all over the world should not be something that is ignored; it cannot be ignored unless tragedy is what we aim for. In one of the essays we read for my Humanities class, Ian Johnston’s “Fate, Freedom and the Tragic Experience,” shares his observations: “ Oedipus is the story of western civilization, the story of its own confidence, its own powers to shape nature and make it answer to its own conceptions,” which is basically stating how the civilization we are has the potential to change our destinty in terms of what we do in order to reduce the effects of global warming (such as recyling, being more resourceful, and substituting fossil fuels before they completely wipe out). Later he states that Oedipus does not live "exactly live in Thebes. Thebes is the setting in the actual story, but the situation itself can be seen all over the world. Johnston writers, "Oedipus lives in proper relationship with no one. Like Oedipus, we lack a sense of living as member’s of Earth’s community.” In terms of Santa Fe's adaptation, the play's focus is to warn us that this plague is real and is happening now. It has the potential to impact the world, and the individuals that are "out of balance", or those that choose to dismiss the damage done to our planet (as well as innocent lives) will face consequences if we do not reinforce the changes needed to preserve Earth. When looking at the surface of the play, it seems like a parody. But when you dig deeper, meaning and significance is instilled which is what learning about the humanities has taught me to do.