Comparing the Strategy of a Runner with that of King Oedipus of Oedipus Rex and Creon of Antigone

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Comparing the Strategy of a Runner with that of King Oedipus of Oedipus Rex and Creon of Antigone

A runner must use a strategy that is specific to that style of racing. If a distance runner attempts to apply pacing to a short sprint he has lost the race before approaching the start. Although racing strategies differ between every individual race it is possible to associate some basic strategies used in particular types of races. These techniques are common amongst the runners of a particular event but vary compared to runners of different types of races.

Oedipus and Creon are two new rulers that seek to establish their legitimacy to the authority of the Thebes’ throne. Oedipus sought to find approval and identification with the people of Thebes by ending a plague. Creon emphasized national unity and obedience to laws that benefit the state. Similar to the runners of separate types of races Oedipus and Creon approach the problem of establishing authority in different ways. Oedipus has the mindset of a sprinter and approached each arising problem with the same tactics. Creon is likened to a distance runner that is trying to have his team win a track meet. Viewing the characters as different types of runners allows for insight as to justification why each character fails to gain the legitimate authority they desire.

The 110m hurdles is a race that requires exactness. The runner must have solid technique in each aspect of the race including the start, stride length and rhythm developed in the race. The start of the race is explosive because every moment in a short race is tremendously important. The hurdler’s steps throughout the race are calculated; an exact number of stri...

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...during a race. Team strategy limits potential star performances of individuals. Antigone did have a star performance and attracts the other members of society away from the idea of acting as a team. The tragic results of Oedipus and Creon are attributed to the weaknesses present in the style of racing the adapted to attain authority of Thebes.

Works Cited

Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 1984.

“Run With the Pack.” Runner’s World. October 30, 2003

http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,4-95-103-284,00.html.

Works Consulted

Sparrey, Kathleen Raske. “Development of Elite Hurdlers: Assesment of the Individual Athlete From: Identifying and Training Elite Hurdlers in the United States.” October 29, 2003 http://www.coachr.org/shrthrd.htm.

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