The Theatre of Apollo: Divine Justice and Sophocles' Oedipus the King

Literary critics have consistently marginalized the role of Apollo in Sophocles' "Oedipus the King": some declare him to be inscrutable, others ignore him, and still others deny his existence altogether. In defiance of this long-standing critical consensus, this study offers a new interpretation of the play by arguing that Apollo brings about Oedipus' downfall as just punishment for his hubris. By recreating the play's original staging and debunking the interpretations of various critics, including Aristotle, Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, E.R. Dodds, Frederick Ahl, and John Peradotto, the author shows that Apollo is a constant, powerful presence throughout the play. He contends that although we can sympathize with Oedipus because of his sufferings, he is still morally responsible for murdering his father and sleeping with his mother. Apollo is therefore not indifferent and his actions are not unjust. The book focuses on Apollo's commandment "know thyself", a commandment Oedipus belatedly and tragically fulfils, to stress both the need for self-understanding in the study of ancient literature and the usefulness of ancient literature in achieving self-understanding.