The Diversity of Characters, Attitudes, and Messages through Different

The different translations of The Oedipus Cycle emphasize and suggest different aspects of the presented scene. There are multiple examples of this in the parity of The Fitts and Fitzgeralds Translation and the Luci Berkowitz and Theodore F. Brunners Translation. Such as the deflections in format, sentence structure, and diction imply different characteristics. Also, similarities in the two translations reinforce the importance of the concepts. The near noticeable difference in the two translations is the format of writing. The Fitts and Fitzgeralds Translation was in a formal poem format whereas the Luci Berkowitz and Theodore F. Brunners Translation was in a more informal paragraph. The diction of the two paragraphs reflects the formal versus informal aspect as well. For example, in comparing the root lines of both translations, it was noticed that the Fitts and Fitzgeralds Translation referred to the public as, generations of the life in the line of Kadmos, nursed at his pa st hearth (F & F,) while the translators of Luci Berkowitz and Theodore F. Brunners Translation referred to the public as simply, the sons of the ancient house of Cadmus (LB & TB.) The first translation offered much more information and description of the population of Thebes. Also, the phrase nursed at his hearth requires the reader to be of a higher education because hearth is not in the everyday vocabulary of just anyone. On of the most dominant similarities between the two translations is the Oedipuss arrogance. The first part of the sentence, if it were viewed separately, sounded like Oedipus genuinely cared for the throng when he said, I choose not to hear it from my messengers, but came myself (LB & TB.) This quote showed how Oedipus was putting let on the effort of access out to the general public to see how bad things were. He did not wish to just sit back and find out the news with hearsay. He wished to see it for himself. All of his sensitivity was then void with the rest of the sentence when he said, I have come myself to hear you I, Oedipus, who bear the celebrated name (F & F.) The rest of the sentence gave off the impression that Oedipus was telling his own people that they were lucky that he even came out to see them. A firearm as important and famous as he should not n... ...tz and Theodore F. Brunners Translation, Oedipus addressed the citizens as, children, sons of the ancient house of Cadmus (LB & TB,) and in the Fitts and Fitzgeralds Translation, Oedipus addressed the populace as, my children, generations of the living in the line of Kadmos (F & F.) Although they may not seem to be very different at all, they are in fact extremely different. By addressing the people as children versus my children, Oedipus switched the relationship from a ruler and the ruled to a father and his children. To an unaided eye, it may appear as if there is no significant difference between one translation and another, but in reality there are several dif ferences. The same core message is there, but in this case, Oedipus came out to be a much better leader in the Fitts and Fitzgeralds Translation due to his ability to stay calm in calamitous situations and his firm connection with the people. It must be kept in mind, though, that the similarities are just as important as the differences. With the presence of similarities, the message is amplified greatly, as in the instances of Oedipuss arrogance and his goal to help.