Putting the play in context is essential to deeply explore the play. Theater at the time was very different from today, and it is important to understand that and look at the play from a different perspective. This play was preformed at a festival of religious meaning, so all the references to gods do not surprise me. However, I was caught off guard when Oedipus insulted the blind god. I would predict a downfall of Oedipus because of this. Gods were extremely important in Greek culture and insulting one of them I would think would be one of the worst things a man could do, weather a prominent leader or average citizen.
The style of theater was also very different at the time this play was written and preformed. It was revolutionary in the way it utlized more than one actor and put less emphasis on the chorus. Watching the play when it was first preformed must have been an incredible experience, as the multiple actors and painted sets must have brought Sophocles plays to life in a way they never had before.
Another aspect of greek culture important to understand is their deep respect for their leaders. When Creon stands up to Oedipus, that must have been a more shocking moment for the Greeks watching the play. Weather what he said was correct or not, the way he went out of line to talk to Oedipus must have drawn a lot of attention.
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