Oedipus Journal 3

       The setting of the play "Oedipus the King" has quite a significant impact on the story and how it is set up.  When this play would have been performed a couple thousand years ago, the audience would have known the story, the ending, and the characters.  Thus, the setting is really important so that the audience in this particular setting has the right amount of background information on Oedipus and his story.  He would have been a legend almost, or a well-known hero.  For this purpose, the cultural, historical, and geographical settings are all crucial.
        The same idea goes for the characters.  The setting of this play is in Thebes, Greece.  Greece is also where the play would have been performed the most often.  The people of Greece would be able to relate to the characters.  In "Oedipus the King", women are seen as inferior, and family is one of the most important things in life.  Also, the gods are an essential part of the story.  If the play was not performed in Greece, it would not have the same influence on its audience.  The characters and their values are most consistent with the setting of both the play and the actual performances.  The setting in which the play was performed is crucial to how the audience reacts to and relates to the separate characters.
       Finally, the theme is important to the setting also.  This play has many overarching themes.  Some of them seem to be about family, power, and fate.  The gods in Greece were considered the most influential factors on one's life.  They had all the power, even over the king, like Oedipus was.  They also could control humans and their fates.  This relates directly to the theme that mere mortals cannot compete with fate and destiny.  Also, this play says something about family and what it means that is important to the setting.  Perhaps Greeks have different family values.  They keep their families closer and trace their heritage.  In this way, the overarching themes relate to the setting and the audience.