What if Shakespeare decided to turn the Oedipus story into a play, using the greater freedoms of Renaissance Theatre? Sophocles was forced to limit himself to just the last unbroken hour or so of the story… but you know that the events leading up to that end begin much earlier.
This isn’t an essay; there are just five questions I would like you to try answering:
1) Shakespeare’s version would not have to fit into less than an hour of unbroken time: given the possibility of time shifts, at what point do you think his version of the story might begin?
2) Shakespeare could use as many settings as he wanted; Sophocles’ version of the story takes place entirely in front of Oedipus’ palace… what is another setting that Shakespeare might include?
3) Renaissance Theatre could show violence. What violent scene from the story do you think Shakespeare might choose to depict onstage?
4) Renaissance Theatre allowed subplots. What character or part of the Oedipus story do you think Shakespeare might develop further into a subplot in order the enhance the story?
5) How would telling the Oedipus story according to Renaissance rules change its effect on an audience?
