The Road from Colonus
The Road from Colonus is a play written by E.M. Forster that was first published in 1947. It is based on the Greek myth of Theseus and his journey to find his father, King Aegeus, who had been turned into a rock by Poseidon. The play follows Theseus as he travels through Athens and meets various characters along the way, including the blind poet Simonides and the prophet Tiresias. Ultimately, Theseus discovers that his father is not on the road to Colonus but in Athens itself, where he has been living for many years. The play explores themes of identity, family, and the search for meaning in life.
By E.M. Forster · Genre: Literary Fiction, Short Stories, Classic · 2 chapters · 5,252 words
First lines
For no very intelligible reason, Mr. Lucas had hurried ahead of his party. He was perhaps reaching the age at which independence becomes valuable, because it is so soon to be lost. Tired of attention and consideration, he liked breaking away from the younger members, to ride by himself, and to dismount unassisted. Perhaps he also relished that more subtle pleasure of being kept waiting for lunch, and of telling the others on their arrival that it was of no consequence.
What this Textopian page supports
The Road from Colonus is listed on Textopian as a short story by E.M. Forster, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: E.M. Forster
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Short Stories, Classic
- Length: 5,252 words
- Structure: 2 chapters, 109 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Road from Colonus by E.M. Forster
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Road from Colonus?
- How does this short story by E.M. Forster fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Bei Hennef by D. H. Lawrence
- The Sojourners by Gilbert Parker
- The Gate Of A Hundred Sorrows by Rudyard Kipling
- Song Was Gone From Me by Gilbert Parker
- The Man Who Died by D. H. Lawrence
- Home Again by George Macdonald
Genres
- Literary Fiction — E.M. Forster is known for his high-quality, introspective prose and exploration of characters. 'The Road from Colonus' is a short story displaying his literary style and deep character study.
- Short Stories — This work is part of a collection of short stories written by E.M.Forster which enhances its categorization under short stories genre.
- Classic — As 'The Road from Colonus' is written by E.M. Forster, a noteworthy author of the early 20th century, it can be categorized as a classic literature piece.
Tags
journey · self-discovery · identity · family · loss · redemption · conflict · memory · place · belonging · change · society