"Oedipus the King"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses some of the significant differences that can exist between different versions of the play "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles. The paper specifically focuses on the different ways that translators interpret and represent the ancient Greek play. It compares the translations of the play by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald, with that of Robert Fagles, focusing on one pivotal moment in the play.

From the Paper:

"The influence a translator can have on the final form of a translated text, in this case Sophocles' Oedipus the King, is quite obviously very significant. At times, the differences--like stanza and line break--can seem subtle, but have important effects on the play's presentation. Other times, the language is so wildly different that it would take a reader as blind as Oedipus not to note the extreme variation in translation. The cautionary tale of Oedipus, his pride, his fate, and his downfall is evident in both translations presented above. What differences exists are simply a matter of interpretation and intention. For Fagles: "These are the griefs that burst upon them both, / coupling man and woman" (ln. 1416-1417) while for Fitts and Fitzgerald the same play illustrates that "from the unhappiness of two this evil has spring. / A curse on the man and woman alike" (ln. 1231-1232)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. The Bedford Anthology of World Literature: Book I. Eds. Paul Davis, Gary Harrison, and David M. Johnson. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004. 899-951.
• Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Trans. Robert Fagles. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Volume A. Eds. Sarah Lawall and Maynard Mack. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2001. 617-658.

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