Oedipus the King
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $5.42
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
full cast
-
By:
-
Sophocles
About this listen
This perfomance features a new translation from the original Greek by director Nicholas Rudall.
Starring (in alphabetical order):
Spencer Garrett as Shepard, Chorus
Francis Guinan as Messenger, Chorus
Gregory Itzin as Creon
Charles Kimbrough as Priest of Zeus, Chorus
Harry J. Lennis as Oedipus
Rod McLachlan as Second Messenger, Chorus
Carolyn Seymour as Jocasta
W. Morgan Sheppard as Teiresias, Chorus(P)2003 L.A. Theatre Works
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Oedipus Rex
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: John H. Fehskens
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, is a tragedy that has been enjoyed for centuries. This drama is an absolute must for any scholar, student, drama lover, or classical literature fan. Here, you will find the unabridged and complete version of the work.
-
-
NOT THE SAME AS THE BOOK
- By Dominic on 10-10-21
By: Sophocles
-
Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: full cast, Denis Daly, Libby Stephenson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Oedipus at Colonus, the banished king, after years of wandering, accompanied by his faithful daughter Antigone, finds himself in Athens. Receiving a warm if guarded welcome from Theseus, King of Athens, he prepares to settle himself to spend his last days in peace. However, unwelcome visitors from his tortured past continue to haunt him until the very end.
-
-
Awful translation, awful performance
- By KSa on 02-02-24
By: Sophocles
-
The Plays of Sophocles
- Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophocles was born at Colonus, near Athens in about 496 BC and is considered to be one of the premier playwrights of Greek tragedy. His stories may have been filled with strife, but Sophocles himself was prosperous and came from a good family. It is said that he was handsome, wealthy, and a highly respected citizen of Athens. During his life, he wrote over 120 plays and was instrumental in how plays would eventually be performed, including the addition of stage props.
-
-
Bad Dialogue
- By Zoe Olvera on 08-12-18
By: Sophocles
-
Medea
- By: Euripides
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 1 hr and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the "barbarian" kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering Jason's new wife as well as her own children, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
-
-
Great Narrator makes this story work
- By cosmitron on 08-02-18
By: Euripides
-
Hamlet: Fully Dramatized Audio Edition
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hamlet, Shakespeare's most popular, and perhaps most puzzling play, follows the form of a "revenge tragedy", in which the hero, Hamlet, seeks vengeance against his father’s murderer, his uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. Much of its fascination, however, lies in its uncertainties. This new full-cast recording - based on the most respected edition of Shakespeare's classic - expertly produced by the Folger Theatre, is perfect for students, teachers, and the everyday listener.
-
-
Loved the voice actors
- By Kenni on 11-25-15
-
The Oresteia
- Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Furies
- By: Aeschylus
- Narrated by: Lesley Sharp, Hugo Speer, Will Howard, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The classic trilogy about murder, revenge and justice, as heard on BBC Radio 3 – plus a bonus documentary exploring Aeschylus's seminal Greek tragedy. A chilling tale of homecoming, violent death and bloody vengeance, The Oresteia dates back to the fifth century BC, but its themes still resonate today. At once a family saga, morality tale and courtroom drama, it recounts how two generations of the cursed House of Atreus become locked into a deadly cycle of atrocities....
-
-
Three adaptations, three writers
- By purplecrayon88 on 03-12-21
By: Aeschylus
-
Oedipus Rex
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: John H. Fehskens
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, is a tragedy that has been enjoyed for centuries. This drama is an absolute must for any scholar, student, drama lover, or classical literature fan. Here, you will find the unabridged and complete version of the work.
-
-
NOT THE SAME AS THE BOOK
- By Dominic on 10-10-21
By: Sophocles
-
Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: full cast, Denis Daly, Libby Stephenson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Oedipus at Colonus, the banished king, after years of wandering, accompanied by his faithful daughter Antigone, finds himself in Athens. Receiving a warm if guarded welcome from Theseus, King of Athens, he prepares to settle himself to spend his last days in peace. However, unwelcome visitors from his tortured past continue to haunt him until the very end.
-
-
Awful translation, awful performance
- By KSa on 02-02-24
By: Sophocles
-
The Plays of Sophocles
- Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophocles was born at Colonus, near Athens in about 496 BC and is considered to be one of the premier playwrights of Greek tragedy. His stories may have been filled with strife, but Sophocles himself was prosperous and came from a good family. It is said that he was handsome, wealthy, and a highly respected citizen of Athens. During his life, he wrote over 120 plays and was instrumental in how plays would eventually be performed, including the addition of stage props.
-
-
Bad Dialogue
- By Zoe Olvera on 08-12-18
By: Sophocles
-
Medea
- By: Euripides
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 1 hr and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the "barbarian" kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering Jason's new wife as well as her own children, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
-
-
Great Narrator makes this story work
- By cosmitron on 08-02-18
By: Euripides
-
Hamlet: Fully Dramatized Audio Edition
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hamlet, Shakespeare's most popular, and perhaps most puzzling play, follows the form of a "revenge tragedy", in which the hero, Hamlet, seeks vengeance against his father’s murderer, his uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. Much of its fascination, however, lies in its uncertainties. This new full-cast recording - based on the most respected edition of Shakespeare's classic - expertly produced by the Folger Theatre, is perfect for students, teachers, and the everyday listener.
-
-
Loved the voice actors
- By Kenni on 11-25-15
-
The Oresteia
- Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Furies
- By: Aeschylus
- Narrated by: Lesley Sharp, Hugo Speer, Will Howard, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The classic trilogy about murder, revenge and justice, as heard on BBC Radio 3 – plus a bonus documentary exploring Aeschylus's seminal Greek tragedy. A chilling tale of homecoming, violent death and bloody vengeance, The Oresteia dates back to the fifth century BC, but its themes still resonate today. At once a family saga, morality tale and courtroom drama, it recounts how two generations of the cursed House of Atreus become locked into a deadly cycle of atrocities....
-
-
Three adaptations, three writers
- By purplecrayon88 on 03-12-21
By: Aeschylus
-
The Oresteia
- By: Aeschylus, Yuri Rasovsky - adaptation from translation, Ian Johnston - translator
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Oresteia, Aeschylus dramatizes the myth of the curse on the royal house of Argos. The action begins when King Agamemnon returns victorious from the Trojan War, only to be treacherously slain by his own wife. It ends with the trial of their son, Orestes, who slew his mother to avenge her treachery - a trial with the goddess Athena as judge, the god Apollo as defense attorney, and, as prosecutors, relentless avenging demons called The Furies.
-
-
Great production, Ian Johnston translation
- By Tad Davis on 12-09-08
By: Aeschylus, and others
-
The Handmaid's Tale
- By: Margaret Atwood
- Narrated by: Claire Danes
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a staged terrorist attack kills the President and most of Congress, the government is deposed and taken over by the oppressive and all-controlling Republic of Gilead. Offred is a Handmaid serving in the household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife. She can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost even her own name.
-
-
My Top Pick for 2012
- By Em on 11-30-12
By: Margaret Atwood
-
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
- By: Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 23 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Frank Herbert's Dune is one of the grandest epics in the annals of imaginative literature. Now Herbert's son, Brian, working with Kevin J. Anderson and using Frank Herbert's own notes, reveals a pivotal epoch in the history of the Dune universe: the Butlerian Jihad, the war that was fought ten thousand years before the events of Dune - the war in which humans wrested their freedom from "thinking machines."
-
-
Full of Sound and Fury....signifying nothing
- By William on 02-01-03
By: Brian Herbert, and others
-
As I Lay Dying
- By: William Faulkner
- Narrated by: Marc Cashman, Robertson Dean, Lina Patel, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of William Faulkner’s finest novels, As I Lay Dying, originally published in 1930, remains a captivating and stylistically innovative work. The story revolves around a grim yet darkly humorous pilgrimage, as Addie Bundren’s family sets out to fulfill her last wish: to be buried in her native Jefferson, Mississippi, far from the miserable backwater surroundings of her married life.
-
-
Faulkner's As I Lay Dying review
- By Kristina on 11-12-08
By: William Faulkner
-
The Pearl
- By: John Steinbeck
- Narrated by: Hector Elizondo
- Length: 2 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this short book illuminated by a deep understanding and love of humanity, John Steinbeck retells an old Mexican folk tale: the story of the great pearl, how it was found, and how it was lost. For the diver Kino, finding a magnificent pearl means the promise of a better life for his impoverished family. His dream blinds him to the greed and suspicions the pearl arouses in him and his neighbors, and even his loving wife cannot temper his obsession or stem the events leading to the tragedy. For Steinbeck, Kino and his wife illustrate the fall from innocence of people who believe that wealth erases all problems.
-
-
Stay poor
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 10-31-11
By: John Steinbeck
-
Homer Box Set: Iliad & Odyssey
- By: Homer, W. H. D. Rouse - translator
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
- Length: 25 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are unquestionably two of the greatest epic masterpieces in Western literature. Though more than 2,700 years old, their stories of brave heroics, capricious gods, and towering human emotions are vividly timeless. The Iliad can justly be called the world’s greatest war epic. The terrible and long-drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns. The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars to his beloved wife.
-
-
Oddball Translation
- By Joel Jenkins on 05-11-17
By: Homer, and others
-
The Aeneid
- By: Virgil
- Narrated by: Simon Callow
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The publication of a new translation by Fagles is a literary event. His translations of both the Iliad and Odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have become the standard translations of our era. Now, with this stunning modern verse translation, Fagles has reintroduced Virgil's Aeneid to a whole new generation, and completed the classical triptych at the heart of Western civilization.
-
-
Good but the chapters aren't IN ORDER
- By Maggie on 10-18-17
By: Virgil
-
Gilgamesh
- A New English Version
- By: Stephen Mitchell - translator
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This brilliant new treatment of the world's oldest epic is a literary event on par with Seamus Heaney's wildly popular Beowulf translation. Esteemed translator and best-selling author Stephen Mitchell energizes a heroic tale so old it predates Homer's Iliad by more than a millennium.
-
-
A defense of this "translation"
- By George on 07-16-08
-
A Doll House
- By: Henrik Ibsen
- Narrated by: Calista Flockhart, Tony Abatemarco, Tim Dekay, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nora Helmer has everything a young housewife could want: Beautiful children, an adoring husband, and a bright future. But when a carelessly buried secret rises from the past, Nora’s well-calibrated domestic ideal starts to crumble. Ibsen’s play is as fresh today as it was when it first stormed the stages of 19th-century Europe.
-
-
A classic, but new to me
- By Calliope on 05-02-15
By: Henrik Ibsen
-
The Fall of Gondolin
- By: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
-
-
Feels like a research paper
- By D. Limback on 03-18-20
By: Christopher Tolkien, and others
-
Macbeth: A Novel
- By: A. J. Hartley, David Hewson
- Narrated by: Alan Cumming
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Macbeth: A Novel brings the intricacy and grit of the historical thriller to Shakespeare’s tale of political intrigue, treachery, and murder. In this full-length novel written exclusively for audio, authors A. J. Hartley and David Hewson rethink literature’s most infamous married couple, grounding them in a medieval Scotland whose military and political upheavals are as stark and dramatic as the landscape in which they are played.
-
-
Narrator choice inspired
- By Beverly on 07-10-11
By: A. J. Hartley, and others
-
Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained
- By: John Milton
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Paradise Lost, along with its companion piece, Paradise Regained, remain the most successful attempts at Greco-Roman style epic poetry in the English language. Remarkably enough, they were written near the end of John Milton's amazing life, a bold testimonial to his mental powers in old age. And, since he had gone completely blind in 1652, 15 years prior to Paradise Lost, he dictated it and all his other works to his daughter.
-
-
SELL YOUR SHIRT FOR THIS AUDIO BOOK!
- By thomas on 04-23-11
By: John Milton
Related to this topic
-
The Plays of Sophocles
- Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophocles was born at Colonus, near Athens in about 496 BC and is considered to be one of the premier playwrights of Greek tragedy. His stories may have been filled with strife, but Sophocles himself was prosperous and came from a good family. It is said that he was handsome, wealthy, and a highly respected citizen of Athens. During his life, he wrote over 120 plays and was instrumental in how plays would eventually be performed, including the addition of stage props.
-
-
Bad Dialogue
- By Zoe Olvera on 08-12-18
By: Sophocles
-
Medea
- By: Euripides
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 1 hr and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the "barbarian" kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering Jason's new wife as well as her own children, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
-
-
Great Narrator makes this story work
- By cosmitron on 08-02-18
By: Euripides
-
Samson Agonistes
- By: John Milton
- Narrated by: David de Keyser, Philip Madoc, Matthew Morgan, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Samson Agonistes, the 'dramatic poem' by John Milton, was published in 1671, three years before the poet's death. Written in the form of a Greek tragedy, with the Chorus commenting on the action, it follows the biblical story of the blind Samson as he wreaks his revenge on the Philistines who have imprisoned him. A powerful subject, with a personal resonance for the blind Milton, it is a perfect work for the medium of audiobook where poetry and drama can be balanced equally.
-
-
Unbelievable
- By Anonymous User on 11-06-20
By: John Milton
-
Lear
- The Great Image of Authority
- By: Harold Bloom
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
King Lear is perhaps the most poignant character in literature. The aged, abused monarch is at once the consummate figure of authority and the classic example of the fall from majesty. He is widely agreed to be William Shakespeare's most moving, tragic hero. Award-winning writer and beloved professor Harold Bloom writes about Lear with wisdom, joy, exuberance, and compassion. He also explores his own personal relationship to the character.
-
-
Bloom being Bloom
- By C. Yuen on 10-05-23
By: Harold Bloom
-
Faust
- By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a poem, translated by Bayard Taylor, which tells the beautiful and emotional story of a man who has seen and done it all. However, despite all of his learning and education, his life still feels empty and unaccomplished. He believes wholeheartedly that there is something else out there. Faust, having exhausted all other fields of study, turns to magic for fulfillment. He summons the devil and makes a pact - that if the devil can show him something rewarding and fulfilling, he will give the devil his soul.
-
-
Misleading
- By Grant Pajak on 03-29-17
-
Cymbeline: The Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Sophie Thompson, Ben Porter, Jack Shepherd, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Imogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline, is persecuted by her wicked stepmother, the Queen, and by Cloten, the Queen's doltish son. Disguised as a boy, she sets out to find her husband, the banished Posthumus. On her journey, she unwittingly meets her two brothers, stolen from the court as infants. Posthumus, meanwhile, has been convinced by the villainous Iachimo that Imogen is unchaste and agrees to a test of her faithfulness.
-
-
Has its moments but it has a lot less than I hoped
- By Darwin8u on 12-21-17
-
The Plays of Sophocles
- Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophocles was born at Colonus, near Athens in about 496 BC and is considered to be one of the premier playwrights of Greek tragedy. His stories may have been filled with strife, but Sophocles himself was prosperous and came from a good family. It is said that he was handsome, wealthy, and a highly respected citizen of Athens. During his life, he wrote over 120 plays and was instrumental in how plays would eventually be performed, including the addition of stage props.
-
-
Bad Dialogue
- By Zoe Olvera on 08-12-18
By: Sophocles
-
Medea
- By: Euripides
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 1 hr and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the "barbarian" kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering Jason's new wife as well as her own children, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
-
-
Great Narrator makes this story work
- By cosmitron on 08-02-18
By: Euripides
-
Samson Agonistes
- By: John Milton
- Narrated by: David de Keyser, Philip Madoc, Matthew Morgan, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Samson Agonistes, the 'dramatic poem' by John Milton, was published in 1671, three years before the poet's death. Written in the form of a Greek tragedy, with the Chorus commenting on the action, it follows the biblical story of the blind Samson as he wreaks his revenge on the Philistines who have imprisoned him. A powerful subject, with a personal resonance for the blind Milton, it is a perfect work for the medium of audiobook where poetry and drama can be balanced equally.
-
-
Unbelievable
- By Anonymous User on 11-06-20
By: John Milton
-
Lear
- The Great Image of Authority
- By: Harold Bloom
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
King Lear is perhaps the most poignant character in literature. The aged, abused monarch is at once the consummate figure of authority and the classic example of the fall from majesty. He is widely agreed to be William Shakespeare's most moving, tragic hero. Award-winning writer and beloved professor Harold Bloom writes about Lear with wisdom, joy, exuberance, and compassion. He also explores his own personal relationship to the character.
-
-
Bloom being Bloom
- By C. Yuen on 10-05-23
By: Harold Bloom
-
Faust
- By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a poem, translated by Bayard Taylor, which tells the beautiful and emotional story of a man who has seen and done it all. However, despite all of his learning and education, his life still feels empty and unaccomplished. He believes wholeheartedly that there is something else out there. Faust, having exhausted all other fields of study, turns to magic for fulfillment. He summons the devil and makes a pact - that if the devil can show him something rewarding and fulfilling, he will give the devil his soul.
-
-
Misleading
- By Grant Pajak on 03-29-17
-
Cymbeline: The Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Sophie Thompson, Ben Porter, Jack Shepherd, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Imogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline, is persecuted by her wicked stepmother, the Queen, and by Cloten, the Queen's doltish son. Disguised as a boy, she sets out to find her husband, the banished Posthumus. On her journey, she unwittingly meets her two brothers, stolen from the court as infants. Posthumus, meanwhile, has been convinced by the villainous Iachimo that Imogen is unchaste and agrees to a test of her faithfulness.
-
-
Has its moments but it has a lot less than I hoped
- By Darwin8u on 12-21-17
-
Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained
- By: John Milton
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Paradise Lost, along with its companion piece, Paradise Regained, remain the most successful attempts at Greco-Roman style epic poetry in the English language. Remarkably enough, they were written near the end of John Milton's amazing life, a bold testimonial to his mental powers in old age. And, since he had gone completely blind in 1652, 15 years prior to Paradise Lost, he dictated it and all his other works to his daughter.
-
-
SELL YOUR SHIRT FOR THIS AUDIO BOOK!
- By thomas on 04-23-11
By: John Milton
-
King John: The Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Michael Feast, Michael Maloney, Eileen Atkins
- Length: 2 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
King John of England is pitted against the united powers of France, Brittany, Austria, and the Papacy. Will England be destroyed by his fatal indecision? As alliances are made, broken, and remade, the paranoid and erratic John reveals his weakness and reliance on those around him - including his powerful mother, Queen Elinor, and Faulconbridge, the cynical and witty bastard son of the dead King Richard I.
-
-
Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale
- By Darwin8u on 05-08-17
-
The Scarlet Plague [Classic Tales Edition]
- By: Jack London
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twelve billionaires rule the United States, while those called freemen are forced to serve the rich. But that was 60 years ago, before the Scarlet Plague. In this post-apocalyptic novella, a ragged and tattered old man tells his progeny of what life was like before The Scarlet Plague appeared - and wiped out civilization as they knew it.
-
-
wonderful listen very relevant today!
- By Johnny on 12-02-17
By: Jack London
-
Idylls of the King
- By: Alfred Tennyson
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Arthurian legend of Camelot has been told many times, but never better than by Alfred Tennyson. Employing some of the most stirring and beautiful blank verse ever written, Tennyson crafted his version of the Knights of the Round Table over the course of nearly fifty years, completing it in 1885. Despite the length of time, Tennyson managed to maintain a high level of style and continuity throughout.
-
-
Beautiful poetry
- By Roger on 01-15-08
By: Alfred Tennyson
-
The Arabian Nights
- By: Andrew Lang - translator
- Narrated by: Suehyla El Attar
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Full of mischief, valor, ribaldry, and romance, The Arabian Nights has enthralled readers for centuries. These are the tales that saved the life of Scheherazade, whose husband, the king, executed each of his wives after a single night of marriage. Beginning an enchanting story each evening, Scheherazade always withheld the ending: A thousand and one nights later, her life was spared forever.
-
-
Not unabridged Burton--this is Lang
- By Richard and Diana Chicago on 06-25-12
-
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Terry Jones
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A collection of three medieval English poems, translated by Tolkien for the modern-day reader and containing romance, tragedy, love, sex and honour.
-
-
An absolute delight!
- By Shannon Slee on 07-15-18
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
-
The Song of Roland
- By: Unknown
- Narrated by: A Full Cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since his youth, living in poverty in a cave in Italy, Roland's mother has taught him that someday he will be a brave hero like his father, Milon, and serve with the great army of Charlemagne. He learns from her that he is descended from great heroes of old and that his mother is Charlemagne's sister, the Princess Bertha.
-
-
Surprisingly Excellent!
- By Paul on 06-14-11
By: Unknown
-
Jason and the Golden Fleece
- The Argonautica
- By: Apollonius of Rhodes, R. C. Seaton - translator, Nicolas Soames - translator
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jason and the Golden Fleece is one of the finest tales of Ancient Greece, an epic journey of adventure and trial standing beside similar stories of Perseus, Theseus and the Labours of Heracles. The finest classic account comes from Apollonius of Rhodes, the Greek poet of the 3rd century BCE and librarian at Alexandria. Though less well-known than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and much shorter, it is an epic poem which is both exciting and moving, with remarkably vivid portraits of the main characters, Jason and Medea.
-
-
Varied but unemotional
- By Tad Davis on 04-25-19
By: Apollonius of Rhodes, and others
-
The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights
- By: James Knowles
- Narrated by: Eric Brooks
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
King Arthur was a legendary British leader of the late fifth and early sixth century who, according to the medieval histories and romances, led the defense of the Romano-Celtic British against the Saxon invaders in the early sixth century. This book gives an account of the life of this great legend of all times.
-
-
This was painful!
- By T. Rod on 09-05-14
By: James Knowles
-
The Divine Comedy
- By: Dante Alighieri, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - translator
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dante's Divine Comedy is considered to be not only the most important epic poem in Italian literature, but also one of the greatest poems ever written. It consists of 100 cantos, and (after an introductory canto) they are divided into three sections. Each section is 33 cantos in length, and they describe how Dante and a guide travel through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.
-
-
Not for listening.
- By Larry on 03-13-11
By: Dante Alighieri, and others
-
The Decameron
- By: Giovanni Boccaccio
- Narrated by: Simon Russell Beale, Gunnar Cauthery, Alison Pettitt, and others
- Length: 28 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Decameron is one of the greatest literary works of the Middle Ages. Ten young people have fled the terrible effects of the Black Death in Florence and, in an idyllic setting, tell a series of brilliant stories, by turns humorous, bawdy, tragic and provocative. This celebration of physical and sexual vitality is Boccaccio's answer to the sublime other-worldliness of Dante's Divine Comedy.
-
-
Not Up to the Usual Naxos Standard
- By John on 11-15-17
-
Beowulf
- By: Robert K. Gordon, translator
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beowulf is considered the finest heroic poem in Old English. It celebrates the character and exploits of Beowulf, a young nobleman and warrior, as he proves his superhuman strength and endurance. He also represents the ideal lord and vassal, rewarding his men generously and accomplishing glorious deeds to honor his king.
-
-
Translator Preferred
- By JerryT on 05-10-05
By: Robert K. Gordon, and others
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Oedipus Rex
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: John H. Fehskens
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, is a tragedy that has been enjoyed for centuries. This drama is an absolute must for any scholar, student, drama lover, or classical literature fan. Here, you will find the unabridged and complete version of the work.
-
-
NOT THE SAME AS THE BOOK
- By Dominic on 10-10-21
By: Sophocles
-
Oedipus the King
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Michael Sheen, full cast
- Length: 1 hr and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the hands of Sophocles, the master dramatist, the anguished tale of a man fated to kill his father and marry his mother retains its power to shock and move beyond any Freudian reference.
-
-
Great Production...Questionable Translation
- By Vanessa B. Lund on 01-17-13
By: Sophocles
-
Oedipus the King
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Denis Daly, Marty Krzywonos, Alan Weyman, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oedipus the King is the story of a man whose life is destroyed by his own good intentions. When a terrible secret from his past is brought to the light of day, the consequences are chilling - and ineluctable.
By: Sophocles
-
Sophocles’ Greek Tragedies: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Oedipus, Antigone, Electra and More
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Fiona Shaw, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Kenneth Cranham, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the three great tragic playwrights of ancient Greece, Sophocles wrote over 120 plays during his 60-year career, though only seven survive today. The most famous of these are the Theban Plays, all three of which are included in this collection alongside adaptations of Electra and Philoctetes, brought to life by celebrated writers, poets, and playwrights.
By: Sophocles
-
The Plays of Sophocles
- Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophocles was born at Colonus, near Athens in about 496 BC and is considered to be one of the premier playwrights of Greek tragedy. His stories may have been filled with strife, but Sophocles himself was prosperous and came from a good family. It is said that he was handsome, wealthy, and a highly respected citizen of Athens. During his life, he wrote over 120 plays and was instrumental in how plays would eventually be performed, including the addition of stage props.
-
-
Bad Dialogue
- By Zoe Olvera on 08-12-18
By: Sophocles
-
Medea
- By: Euripides
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 1 hr and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the "barbarian" kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering Jason's new wife as well as her own children, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
-
-
Great Narrator makes this story work
- By cosmitron on 08-02-18
By: Euripides
-
Oedipus Rex
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: John H. Fehskens
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, is a tragedy that has been enjoyed for centuries. This drama is an absolute must for any scholar, student, drama lover, or classical literature fan. Here, you will find the unabridged and complete version of the work.
-
-
NOT THE SAME AS THE BOOK
- By Dominic on 10-10-21
By: Sophocles
-
Oedipus the King
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Michael Sheen, full cast
- Length: 1 hr and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the hands of Sophocles, the master dramatist, the anguished tale of a man fated to kill his father and marry his mother retains its power to shock and move beyond any Freudian reference.
-
-
Great Production...Questionable Translation
- By Vanessa B. Lund on 01-17-13
By: Sophocles
-
Oedipus the King
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Denis Daly, Marty Krzywonos, Alan Weyman, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oedipus the King is the story of a man whose life is destroyed by his own good intentions. When a terrible secret from his past is brought to the light of day, the consequences are chilling - and ineluctable.
By: Sophocles
-
Sophocles’ Greek Tragedies: A BBC Radio Drama Collection
- Oedipus, Antigone, Electra and More
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Fiona Shaw, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Kenneth Cranham, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the three great tragic playwrights of ancient Greece, Sophocles wrote over 120 plays during his 60-year career, though only seven survive today. The most famous of these are the Theban Plays, all three of which are included in this collection alongside adaptations of Electra and Philoctetes, brought to life by celebrated writers, poets, and playwrights.
By: Sophocles
-
The Plays of Sophocles
- Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sophocles was born at Colonus, near Athens in about 496 BC and is considered to be one of the premier playwrights of Greek tragedy. His stories may have been filled with strife, but Sophocles himself was prosperous and came from a good family. It is said that he was handsome, wealthy, and a highly respected citizen of Athens. During his life, he wrote over 120 plays and was instrumental in how plays would eventually be performed, including the addition of stage props.
-
-
Bad Dialogue
- By Zoe Olvera on 08-12-18
By: Sophocles
-
Medea
- By: Euripides
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 1 hr and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the "barbarian" kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering Jason's new wife as well as her own children, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
-
-
Great Narrator makes this story work
- By cosmitron on 08-02-18
By: Euripides
-
Oedipus Rex
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Douglas Campbell
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Full-cast dramatization of Oedipus the King, the Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BCE. Featuring Douglas Campbell, Eric House and Robert Goodier.
-
-
Haunting and beautiful
- By Tad Davis on 02-09-11
By: Sophocles
-
The Oedipus Plays (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Sophocles, Francis Storr - translator
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Inspired by the mythic house of Thebes, Sophocles’s defining Greek tragedies follow the fates that befall three doomed generations.
-
-
Classic Play, mediocre performance
- By Jared Z. on 12-15-22
By: Sophocles, and others
-
Oedipus Rex
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: John H. Fehskens
- Length: 1 hr and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rediscover an enduring classic in a transformative new light. "Oedipus Rex," the remarkable tragedy penned by Sophocles, has been masterfully revitalized in this riveting and immersive audiobook experience.
By: Sophocles
-
Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: John Fehskens
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Antigone, daughter of Jocasta and Oedipus, faces great challenges when she must arrange a formal burial for her brother, Polynices. This rendition of Antigone by Sophocles is of the highest-caliber audio. It's completely unabridged. Enjoy the classic story of Antigone narrated to perfection.
-
-
classic humor of suicide and murder
- By Paul Dion Brooks on 12-26-19
By: Sophocles
-
Sophocles Trilogy: Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Oedipus at Colonus
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Sophocles trilogy audiobook includes the following three Greek dramas: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone.
By: Sophocles
-
The Oresteia
- Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Furies
- By: Aeschylus
- Narrated by: Lesley Sharp, Hugo Speer, Will Howard, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The classic trilogy about murder, revenge and justice, as heard on BBC Radio 3 – plus a bonus documentary exploring Aeschylus's seminal Greek tragedy. A chilling tale of homecoming, violent death and bloody vengeance, The Oresteia dates back to the fifth century BC, but its themes still resonate today. At once a family saga, morality tale and courtroom drama, it recounts how two generations of the cursed House of Atreus become locked into a deadly cycle of atrocities....
-
-
Three adaptations, three writers
- By purplecrayon88 on 03-12-21
By: Aeschylus
-
Antigone
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: Andrea Giordani
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Antigone is a famous Greek tragedy attributed to the ancient playwright Sophocles at around 440 BCE. The play expands on the Theban legend of Oedipus that predates it, dealing with Antigone’s burial of her brother Polyneices in defiance of the law and the tragic results of her act. On another level, the play exposes the dangers of the absolute ruler or tyrant in the character of Creon. No one speaks freely to him, so he makes a series of mistakes, illustrating the folly of tyranny.
By: Sophocles
-
The Oresteia
- By: Aeschylus, Yuri Rasovsky - adaptation from translation, Ian Johnston - translator
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Oresteia, Aeschylus dramatizes the myth of the curse on the royal house of Argos. The action begins when King Agamemnon returns victorious from the Trojan War, only to be treacherously slain by his own wife. It ends with the trial of their son, Orestes, who slew his mother to avenge her treachery - a trial with the goddess Athena as judge, the god Apollo as defense attorney, and, as prosecutors, relentless avenging demons called The Furies.
-
-
Great production, Ian Johnston translation
- By Tad Davis on 12-09-08
By: Aeschylus, and others
-
Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles
- By: Sophocles
- Narrated by: full cast, Denis Daly, Libby Stephenson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Oedipus at Colonus, the banished king, after years of wandering, accompanied by his faithful daughter Antigone, finds himself in Athens. Receiving a warm if guarded welcome from Theseus, King of Athens, he prepares to settle himself to spend his last days in peace. However, unwelcome visitors from his tortured past continue to haunt him until the very end.
-
-
Awful translation, awful performance
- By KSa on 02-02-24
By: Sophocles
-
Oedipus Rex - King of Thebes
- By: Sophocles, Gilbert Murray - translator
- Narrated by: Matt Montanez
- Length: 1 hr and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oedipus Rex is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed about 429 BC (noted classicist Gilbert Murray, translator of this version of the play, rendered the title as Oedipus, King of Thebes). It tells the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes the king of Thebes, whilst in the process unwittingly fulfilling a prophecy that he would kill his father Laius and marry his mother Jocasta. The play is an example of classic tragedy, notably containing an emphasis upon how Oedipus's own faults contribute to his downfall.
By: Sophocles, and others
-
Oedipus the King
- A Translation by F.L. Light
- By: Sophocles, F. L. Light
- Narrated by: Alex Hyde-White
- Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aristotle's assertion that in Greek tragedy there is no loftier work than Oedipus the King cannot be lightly contradicted. This drama is endued fearfully with nature, as she works against the conscientiousness of measure found in man. Heretofore no translation of this play has been a poem of Sophoclean worthiness and work. The rhythmic stature of this translation runs with the Greek in heat and light.
-
-
Oedipus a twisted story of murder and incest
- By Cindy Rice on 05-26-15
By: Sophocles, and others
-
Antigone by Sophocles
- By: Sophocles, George Young - translator
- Narrated by: full cast, Libby Stephenson, Amanda Friday, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the death of their father, Oedipus, Antigone and Ismene return to Thebes. The ruler is their unyielding uncle by marriage, Creon, who assumed command after the death of the sons of Oedipus, Eteocles, and Polynices in a fratricidal struggle to take control of the city. Creon has the body of one brother buried with full civic honors but forbids the burial of the body of the other, whom he regards as a traitor. Antigone's challenge to Creon's decree, which she considers unjust, results in the extinction of the family line of Oedipus.
-
-
terrible purchase
- By Amazon Customer on 05-14-20
By: Sophocles, and others
What listeners say about Oedipus the King
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Angel chapparo
- 04-15-20
achapparo
still to this day... an extremely intriguing story of irony... and well performed. love the second chapter review and interview
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- nalabeast
- 01-26-22
Exquisite Performance
This is probably one of the greatest performances of Oedipus the King on record. Professional actors, spectacular mood music, and riveting performances. Harry Lennix as Oedipus leaves you shaken at the end with his marvelous rendition.
I only wish Audible had the rest of the Theban plays with this cast and caliber of direction.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- bet
- 10-23-10
perfect teaching tool
I needed to quickly re-read this to help out a college student who works for me (I often use this as an excuse to re-read great works! lol) and this version is wonderful. Great voices and performances, easy to understand - as the work is a play - listening really brings it to life in a way that reading just cannot. BUT - the absolute best part of this production is the incredibly in depth discussion at the end - the discussion covered every question my worker had asked me to clarify and so much more.
I, myself, love a good brit accent - in truth....makes my knees go weak, but I know many Americans can't decipher them - so this is done by American actors - very good ones, so if that is a concern for you - you will enjoy this production.
"Count no may happy 'til he's dead...." Sophocles.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dom
- 03-03-16
great story
could care less about the questions they ask at the end but other then that no complaints
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Willie
- 11-04-10
Excellence.
Excellent drama... perfect audio I would highly recommend this audio book to every one. I truly enjoyed this audio book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- KiraNyres
- 08-07-18
Fabulous cast & translation
Highly recommend. Talented voices acting out this timeless drama which is well interpreted. Money and time well spent.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Alexsandr Kallus
- 03-22-21
Oedipus the King
*Contains spoilers* This is the tragic story of Oedipus, the king of Thebes who spent his whole life trying to prevent a curse from happening but ultimately fulfilled it while trying to do so. When he is young, Oedipus is cursed by the gods by a prophecy to kill his father and marry his mother. By the time he is middle-aged Oedipus believes he has kept the prophecy from coming true and all threat is gone. However it all changes when he discovers his father isn't his real parent and that the man he had killed many years ago was actually his father. He also finds out that his wife is indeed his mother. Oedipus gouges his eyes out in dispair and his mother kills herself. The play ends with Oedipus' banishment from Thebes.
Though this play by Socrates is short and has a very simple storyline, it still contains a powerful message: some things are out of our control and in the hands of a higher power, and no matter how we fight against it, the will of God (or fate, depending what you believe in) cannot be overcome. Sometimes, though not all the time, we end up being like Oedipus and causing the very thing to happen while spending our lives doing everything we can to prevent it (Also think of Anakin/Darth Vader; in his quest and desire to save Padme and bring balance to the Force he ultimately brought about the death of his wife and the rise of the Sith and the Empire). Many times the results are not so huge, though they can still impact us negatively.
Oedipus also committed horrible acts by murdering his father and marrying and having children with his mother. Even though he never intentionally meant to do these things, they were detestible by the gods nonetheless and he was punished for them. Often times we think there should only be punishents for actions if they were intentional, but there are always consequences to actions, whether committed intentionally or not. Oedipus lived an honorable life and did many good things for Thebes but those two unintentional and accidental choices he made finally ruined him, despite all the good choices and good things he had done.
The importance of our actions and how they affect ourselves and other is an important aspect of this play, but I think the primary motif is that everything is in the hands of God, or in this case, the gods, who has control over everything and lets nothing happen by accident. What he wills to happen must happen, no matter what force it is met with.
Overall the performance of the play was excellent, with highly-trained actors who completely brought the story to life. Though there were very few sound effects and music, the quality of the actors made up for it. Many audio books I've used are somewhat of a drag to get though and have tolerable to moderate performances, but I was fully immersed in this particular audio. Highly recommend as a first choice for Oedipus the King.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- charles C barr
- 01-23-20
must read
A good performance of one of the great works of western culture. A "must read" for anyone who wants to be an educated person. Nice discussion at the end
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nasia Tsimp
- 06-30-24
Accessible, grand and profoundly commented
I loved the discussion with the translator and director at the end, it was very insighful
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- E. Voss
- 06-03-18
Mankind masterpiece presented by excellent cast
The play is an absolute masterpiece about the human experience. Perennial, short, compact and riveting. The cast is excellent and "invisible": the listener will focus on the story rather than idiosyncrasies of actors. The translation is great, as poetic as any work from that era but modern enough to sound natural.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful