FratFiles

• Save Paper

BARRON'S BOOK NOTES
SOPHOCLES'
OEDIPUS TRILOGY

The Athens that Sophocles knew in the fifth century B.C. was a curious place. By modern standards it was a small and uncomfortable city. There was no running water, no central heating, and no adequate transportation. The average Athenian was poorly paid, uneducated, and probably would rather watch athletic contests than go to the theater.

Yet, amazingly, fifth-century Athens became a fountainhead of Western civilization in the study of history, architecture, sculpture, philosophy, and drama. No one can really explain why all this happened in that city at that time--unless it was because the Athenians' enormous spirit and energy led them to explore their world with a keen eye and an open mind. Like the early American settlers, the Athenians were a proud, independent, and fierce people who resisted any attempts to enslave them. Having fought off invasions by the Persian Empire from the east, and by others from the south, they were......

View the rest of this paper...

Approximate Word Count: 25140
Approximate Pages: 101 (250 words per double-spaced page)

Similar Essays

1. Cliff Notes - Oedipus Trilogy
   

   Cliff Notes - OEDIPUS TRILOGY. BARRON'S BOOK NOTES SOPHOCLES' OEDIPUS TRILOGY The
   Athens that Sophocles knew in the fifth century BC was a curious place. ...