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A review by colin_cox
Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles
3.0
There is something, suffice it to say, a little off about Oedipus at Colonus. To suggest it lacks the dramatic gravitas of its predecessor, Oedipus the King, is accurate but unfair. However, at times Oedipus at Colonus reads like a necessary but tedious prelude to the far more effective and affecting Antigone.
With that said, there are moments when the play grapples with the utility of Oedipus as a character in profoundly compelling ways. Of course he seems more McGuffin than man, yet despite his diminished role, he effectively reiterates one of the cycle's central themes regarding fate and choice. In this respect, there is something satisfying about Oedipus' arc, but regrettably, it takes the play far too long to arrive at these moments.
With that said, there are moments when the play grapples with the utility of Oedipus as a character in profoundly compelling ways. Of course he seems more McGuffin than man, yet despite his diminished role, he effectively reiterates one of the cycle's central themes regarding fate and choice. In this respect, there is something satisfying about Oedipus' arc, but regrettably, it takes the play far too long to arrive at these moments.