The Three Theban plays

Yesterday, i finished reading The Three Theban plays by Sophocles translated by Robert Fagles.

I am big fan of reading mythological literature. Greek and Indian literature are more fascinating to read because they are so rich and so unconventional at the same time. The three theban plays that i read were Antigone, Oedipus and Oedipus at Colonus. The whole idea to read them started after i learnt about the story of Oedipus which is so shocking that you can get away with it only in mythological context. Imagine if anyone tries to write such a thing now, he would be issued a fatwa or its equivalent in his respective culture. Similarly, if you take the example of how Kauravas were born, Gandhari was beaten by an iron rod when she produced a bowl which was divided into 100 pieces. Even writers who write fantasy look conservative against mythological ideas.

While reading Theban plays, i was constantly reminded of Habib Tanvir. In all three plays, Sophocles has got chorus, a group of villagers, playing the role and telling the general mood of the city. This chorus has a leader as well. We see people talking to chorus, chorus advising characters etc. And chorus is not some background phenomenon, it is crucial to the story plot. Habib Tanvir used to do this in his plays. And in Tanvir's plays, the chorus used to sing beautiful lines, deep meaning. I wish only they make Dvds out of his play recordings before it is lost.

Next, i will be going in the journey of Oddyssey.