Comparison b/w ALL MY SONS & OEDIPUS REX

1. American Literature
Similarities between Play
All My Sons (Modern Tragedy) & Oedipus Rex (Classical Greek Tragedy)

2. PRESENTATION on Critical Evaluation of Similarities
between “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller and
“Oedipus Rex” ,a tragic play by Sophocles.
Group 7
Aiza Mohsin 03 ; Hafsa Ayub 09 ; Arshia 21 ; Safia
Sahab 25; Maheen Fatima 33 ;Hafsa Waseem 39; Adeela
35; Marwa 49; Mehwish 55

3. Introduction
⮚“All My Sons” is to greater extent related to a classical Greek tragedy, and there
are elements of modern tragedy in it.
⮚plot (sequence of events) of “All My Sons” , a modern tragedy has similarities
with Oedipus Rex , a Aristotelian tragedy play.
Aristotelian Tragedy Definition: Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious , complete , and
of a certain magnitude , in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several
kinds being found in separate parts of the play: in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents
arousing pity and fears ,wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions.“

4. Plot of “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller
• Arthur Miller chooses to start the plot late into the actual story.
• Like in Aristotelian or Greek drama, many actions have already taken place.
The “disappearance” of Larry, the trial of Joe Keller, the imprisonment of Steve Deever,
and the courting between Chris and Ann have already taken place.
UNITY OF PLACE
The plot takes place in one locale: the backyard and porch of the Keller residence.
UNITY OF ACTION
The unity of action has events revealed in chronological order and misses very little
action between acts.
UNITY OF TIME
The past is only referenced to and no flashbacks disrupt the flow of the drama.

5. . Likewise, “Oedipus Rex “ play has unity of place ( entire action takes place at royal
palace in city of Thebes), unity of action(incidents bound together by internal
necessity, each action leading to the next), unity of time(tells the story of what
happened in one day).

6. • In terms of recognition of truth, the cause of murder their oown ones, both
cases, through different means, both sons “kill” their fathers. But here situation is
different: Oedipus is the cause of the death of his father; Joe is the cause of the
death of his son. Situation is alternative.
• In both plays, the pursuit of the facts/truth does not lead to the benefits we
normally associate with that pursuit.
• “All My Sons” also deals with family issues, much as Oedipus and other Classical
Greek plays.

7. WHOLE PLOT (Beginning : Rising Action)
In both plays, in rising action i. e, beginning, situation or problem is started
and the way is developed to cope up the situation or problem

8. Whole plot (Middle: Climax)
In both plays,
Tragic heroes downfall starts after the climax caused by earlier incidents.

9. Whole Plot( End: Falling Action) or Resolution
ALL MY SONS
FALLING ACTION
OEDIPUS REX
FALLING ACTION
In falling action of All my sons Joe Keller says he is
going inside to grab a jacket then he will go turn
himself in.He walks inside and shoots himself.
In falling action of oedipius Jocaste commits suicide
and Oedipus blinds himself, there was a suffering
scene with hos children.

10. the main tragedies in All My Sons’ play include the horrible crime that
Joe Keller committed, killing many pilots which included the
unfortunate murder of his son. As in Oedipus Rex, Oedipus
unknowingly killed his father on the road and many other soldiers.
This is a perception that soon occurs to Keller which unavoidably leads
to his Suicide. In regardless of Joe Keller being such a family man, he
had caused such deceit not only to his family and to himself, but people
all around him. He had caused too much deceit and hurt that he could
no longer deal with blood left on his hands.

11. COCLUSION
‘All My Sons’ & ‘Oedipus Rex’ has similarities like
⮚THREE ACT PLAY –beginning, middle, end
⮚Unities of Time ,Place, Action
⮚Hamartia (fault)
⮚Complex Plot –peripeteia (reversal) , anagnorisis(change from
ignorance to knowledge)

12. THANK YOU
QUESTIONS?