In a way, the adaptation is autobiographical and it draws its strength from the design and picturesque landscape of the setting. He relates the episodes in Oedipus Rex in a dramatic twist that fits beautifully in the story of his birth. One of these adaptations was the 1967 film by Pier Paolo Pasolini which has its second part reflecting the Greek myth.ДЄlthough PasoliniвЂ™s play begins with scenes from the Italian fascist era the playwright goes ahead to use the characters in SophoclesвЂ™ Oedipus Rex to create a relationship with his own life story. The adaptations are in keeping with an emerging trend where modern playwrights are turning to ancient plays and merging them with the reality of the present circumstances. Oedipus Rex has undergone a number of adaptations. Men were the main actors in these plays and they performed against a temporary backdrop.

Three of the plays would be tragedies and one would either be a comedy or a satirical piece. A total of twelve plays would be presented for adjudication with three playwrights presenting four plays each. The presentation of the plays followed a particular pattern. A panel of judges would decide winning plays from an array of playwrights who presented their works before the audience. The plays were marked by their beautiful language, punctuated by songs and dances that awed the audiences with their impressive and dazzling displays (Knox 88).ДЄnother convention t this time was the competitive nature of the performances. Theaters would be filled to maximum capacity and the plays were performed during the spring period. The theater festivals were punctuated by much celebration and other excesses. This particular deity was said to live in the bush. Dionysius was the Greek deity who took centre stage during these theatre festivals. To attend the theatre was a way of worshipping and revering the Greek gods who were highly revered in the Greek society. It was a religious occasion, a dramatic departure from todayвЂ™s performances which are pastimes and occasions for entertainment. Greek theater at the time of Sophocles was markedly different from today. Years after his death, the Greek city states were embroiled in conflicts that ultimately led to their fall and the decline of the arts (Leefmans 12). However Sophocles did not live long enough to see the decline of Greek literature to which he had greatly contributed. Most of SophoclesвЂ™ plays emphasize the tragedies of life and the pain inherent in the dynamics of human existence (MacCollom 231). Apart from Oedipus, other famous plays attributed to Sophocles artistic genius are Antigone and Elektra. Sophocles wrote over 200 plays, but of these only about five are still existent. Sophocles lived in the same period with other playwrights such as Euripides and Aristophanes. The advancement of art in the Greek cities cannot be compared to any in the other civilizations that existed at the time. Art was a main attraction in the Greek society as was politics.

Sophocles lived during a time when the Greek society excelled in theatre and drama.

Oedipus smart notes