Essay Topics For Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex Research Paper
Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex is one of the most well written plays. Oedipus Rex has a tragic flaw which leads to
his destruction. Oedipus' flaw leads him to suffer and arouses Pity and Fear from the crowd; Scared
that it could happen to them. The Unity of Plot has a beginning, middle and end, along with that
Oedipus grows in knowledge about his birthing, but is ignorant for not realizing he brought the
problems on Thebes. Oedipus is a confident, wise and strong–willed character, but these
characteristics will bring him to destruction. Oedipus's destruction was tough for him to cope with,
but his arrogance was too much for him. The choice he made for handling his situation was not
very wise which changed his life. Oedipus Rex is a Greek...show more content...
Aristotle Stated that Thought is the power of saying whatever can be said, or what is appropriate
to the occasion; Is shown in all they say when proving or disproving some particular point "Speak
out to everyone. The grief I feel for these citizens is even greater than any pain I feel for my own
life"(Sophocles 6). Oedipus is naive, stubborn and arrogant of the situation he believes it has
nothing to do with him. Aristotle stated that Diction is The expression of their thoughts in words. "
I can see you that you've become unbalanced" (Sophocles ). The way that Creon says this phrase
shows diction his tone is very condescending. Oedipus blinds himself because he feels he has
nothing good to look at. The symbolism in Oedipus being blind carries out throughout the play.
Aristotle stated that suffering is the main part of a tragedy. "The third part is suffering which we
may define as an action of destructive or painful nature" (Aristotle 96). Suffering cannot be mental,
it must be physical, like a wounding or a death. "She was hanging their, swaying, with twisted
cords around roped around her neck"(Sophocles 61). Jocasta hangs herself after finding out the
truth about her and Oedipus's relationship. Oedipus finds out about Jocasta being his mother, and
Jocasta was embarrassed. " Laius was killed. And now the God is clear: those murders, he tells us,
must be punished, whoever they may be"(Sophocles 7. Laius was killed by Oedipus which brought a
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Narrative Structure Of Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex is a 5th century BC greek tragedy written by the great Sophocles. The play is centered
around the Mythical Greek king of Thebes. When Thebes is nearly pillaged by famine and disease,
Oedipus Rex sets off on a journey to find the cause. However, he incidentally stumbles upon the
revelation that he himself caused the very suffering he intended on resolving; he unknowingly
murdered his own father, Laius, and married his own mother, Jocasta. This self–discovery forces
Oedipus to reevaluate his own identity. Oedipus' quest for identity is a central theme throughout the
story. The detective narrative structure of the play contributes greatly to the unwinding of Oedipus.
Following the structure of the play, the mystery of the play evolves:...show more content...
A preliminary analysis begs the question, "Is Oedipus innocent?" Tragedy's most conspicuous
element is a hamartia, defined as the protagonist's error or flaw that leads to a chain of plot actions
culminating in a reversal from their good fortune to bad. The key word in definition is "error" or
"flaw", implying that the cause of the protagonists' downward spiral is a fault in himself. Equally,
the most predominant purpose for tragedy is to provide catharsis. Oedipus Rex was written at a time
of intellectual revolution, when citizens of ancient Greece were just starting to form doubts about
Gods and their capabilities. Eventually, at the end of the play, Oedipus even takes responsibility
for his sins, stating "(...) Hands of a man who blindly, recklessly, Became your sire by her from
whom he sprang." The story of Oedipus Rex serves as a warning to it's audience, a warning not to
get too egotistical or other wising bearing the wrath of the Gods. This gives the audience relief in
believing they could prevent a similar fate by being humble, implying that Oedipus' fate was
preventable and in other words, that Oedipus was to blame for his

Reflection Paper On Oedipus
Oedipus Response Paper
The play Oedipus, written by Sophocles is about a man and the production of Oedipus directed by
Don Taylor, unfolds a story of a man, Oedipus, who is a king of Thebes. The city of Thebes has
been threatened with the plague and in order to defeat the plague, Oedipus has to find the killer of
his predecessor, Laius. Oedipus then realizes he was the one who killed Laius, not knowing it was
him. An oracle once told Oedipus that he would kill his father and marry his mother and Oedipus
realizes his fate from the oracle came true. He then realizes his wife, Jocasta is actually his mother.
Oedipus then stabs his own eyes after realizing the horrendous things he has caused and would rather
never see the misery he created.
After viewing the production of Oedipus, I first noticed the costumes and how many people were
wearing costumes that didn't coincide with the time period. The attire of Oedipus, played by
Michael Pennington is more modern than anyone else in the film. Oedipus wears an all– white suit
that looked likes 70s attire. This differed for the play because while reading, I never pictured
anyone to be dressed in a more modern costume. Also, I noticed the verbiage of the production
was very much different than the original play and they used words that would be more
understood than what Sophocles wrote. I found this this technique to be brilliant because Taylor
used everyday language to convey what Sophocles said but more understandable and enjoyable
for the modern age. During the film, Jocasta is played by a women, which I was surprised by
since men usually played all roles. When reading the play, I didn't imagine the amount of
background music that was played during a lot of the film. The music sometimes seemed to not
make sense with what was happening in the scene. The production did clarify both the meaning
and theme of the play because even though Taylor changed some aspects of the play, he still
understood the importance of sticking with the play's theme as it is an important part of the play.
While reading the play I never thought of Thebes to be so somber and gloomy as the production
perceived it. The production of Oedipus had minor characters in greys and black, somber music, and

Summary of Oedipus Rex Essay
Summary of Oedipus Rex Summary for "Oedipus Rex" The storytelling method that is employed
in most classical writing, i.e. the Iliad and the Odyssey as well as Greek tragedy, allows for the
development of two stories. One is the story of the "now." The "now" is told through the actions
and events of the play or story. The other story that is told is the "past." The "past" is composed of
stories that are told by characters and gives needed background information about the main
characters and events. In Oedipus Rex, the realization of Oedipus's tyrannous rise to power is the
"now" story. The story of Oedipus's birth and placement in the world is the "past" story. Both of
these stories are woven into the play and each holds a place in...show more content...
Creon is confused because he has always been a supporter of Oedipus and has never had
aspirations to overthrow Oedipus. Oedipus is blind to rational thinking and proceeds to make
unfounded accusations. Jocasta enters and breaks up the argument. She comforts Oedipus by
suggesting that Teiresias is wrong and that humans have no place in prophecy. As they are talking,
a messenger comes to tell Oedipus that his father is dead. This messenger also tells how Oedipus is
not a son of Polybus by blood. The herdsman that had been sent for to be questioned about the death
of Laius enters. Through the discussion of these men, it becomes apparent that Oedipus was most
likely the son of Jocasta and Laius and that he is indeed the poison that has been plaguing the land.
All leave except the Chorus. A messenger arrives to tell the Chorus about Jocasta and Oedipus's
reaction. Jocasta had returned to her home and cursed the bed upon which she had slept with both
Oedipus and Laius. She then hung herself. Oedipus returned. Finding Jocasta hung, he cut her
down and removed the broaches from her dress and thrust them into his eyes. The play ends with
Oedipus asking that Creon take care of his daughters and Thebes. Oedipus feels great shame. He
has blinded himself because he does not want to see his father and mother in the after world. With
this shame he leaves Thebes to wander the world. The "past" story is places into the "now"

Dramatic Research Paper (Grade 92)
"Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles
Introduction/Thesis "Oedipus Rex" was a Greek Tragedy written by Sophocles in the fifth century
BC. It was the first of a trilogy of plays surrounding the life of Oedipus. Sophocles wrote over 120
plays approximately 100 years before Aristotle even defined a tragedy and the tragic hero. Aristotle's
definition of a tragedy is "... an imitation of an action of high importance, complete and of some
amplitude; in language enhanced by distinct and varying beauties; acted not narrated; by means of
pity and fear effecting its purgation of these emotions" (Kennedy and Gioa 2010). According to
Aristotle there were six elements to a tragedy: the plot, the character, the...show more content...
Because of his commitment to his people and their suffering, he sent his brother–in–law, Creon, to
Delphi to see the gods to find out why his city is under such a great plague and what he can do to
stop it. Creon returns and says, "... It was murder that brought the plague–wind on the city" and that
it was King Laios that was murdered years ago (Prologue, 104–105). Vowing to bring the murderer
to justice and being a just King, Oedipus decrees that if the murderer reveals himself he will not be
killed, he will be exiled. This determination and tenaciousness was the beginning of the end of
King Oedipus. The first incidents of Oedipus' arrogance and pride were when he went to the
Oracle of Delphi about his lineage. Even though the Oracle did not answer the question about his
lineage, the Oracle did give him a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother.
Thinking that he was doing the right thing by putting as much distance between his parents and
himself, it was arrogance and pride that ruled him. He believed that he could out run the gods and
defy prophecy. Another example of Oedipus' arrogance was when he was forced off the road by
another chariot; he lost his temper when the old man angered him causing the death of the old man
and his aides. Because of his intelligence and his keen sense being able to solve riddles; again, his
arrogance was when he solved the riddle of the Sphinx. The Sphinx was so distraught that

oedipus rex
In Sophocles' play, Oedipus Rex, there are many themes that are woven through the life of King
Oedipus, and revealed through the key points of the plot. One of the most important themes is the
inevitability of ones' fate. Although fate is considered the usual genre of the Greeks in playwriting
there, are specifics that Oedipus conducts unusual to our own way of thinking of a king during the
Ancient Greek times. For example: Oedipus's ignorance of believing what is said from his wife,
Iocaste and others. Also there is the prophecy and tragedy portrayed in the story. The action and plot
/structure of the play is part of what makes it one of the most studied Greek, plays ever.
Even today one of the most famous themes is the idea that...show more content...
Yet, it is because of his character as a great discoverer of truth and a man determined to find out
what he has decided to discover, that Oedipus meets with tragic reversal. In the scene where he is
cross–examining the shepherds, Iocaste begs him not to carry the investigation further, but he pays
no heed to her words, in page 1336 the shepherd says, "In God's name do not torture a old man.
Unhappy king! What more do you wish for?" It is this determination of Oedipus to find out the
whole truth at any cost, which makes him tragic. According to Aristotle, thetragic hero must be a
person of noble birth and prosperity whose misfortune results, form depravity or vice but from
some hamartia. Hamartia is translated as an error of judgment by most critics, but interpreted as
tragic flaw by some. Oedipus is clearly the intermediate kind of person stipulated by Aristotle.
However, it is difficult to say that his misfortune befalls him because of some flaw in his
character, or some error of judgment committed by him. There is no doubt that his character has
several flaws, and that he commits some errors of judgment, but the question is whether these
errors are the cause of his tragedy. Oedipus is no doubt rash, impatient, irritable and passionate.
He is also very proud of his intelligence, and believes that he can find the answer to every problem.
Yet, if we take his tragedy to be the basic actions of incest and parricide, then these flaws and errors
of Oedipus are quite

Having already solved the riddle of the Sphinx, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, is struck with yet
another formidably difficult riddle. A plague has struck Thebes and is devastating the entire city.
Various oracles and bird entrails suggest that it is because the murderer of the previous king, Laius,
still lives unpunished. In attempt to save his kingdom, Oedipus decided to investigate the murder
only to discover that he is the one who killed Laius and married his queen, Jocasta. While solving the
mystery, he also figures out that Laius was actually his father and Jocasta, whom he had wedded and
raised four children with, is his mother, fulfilling an earlier prophecy. Aghast at the truth, Jocasta
hangs herself to death and Oedipus gouges his

Oedipus Rex Essay
"Crossroads, and hidden glade, oak and the narrow way at the crossroads, that drank my father's
blood offered you by my hands, do you remember still what I did as you looked on, and what I did
when I came here?" (Oedipus Rex, 1575–1580). Precisely placed at the crossroads of fate and
autonomy, Oedipus struggles to define what, exactly, is fate and what, exactly, is left to his own
discretion; Oedipus Rex challenges the common thought of Greek Society. Transcending more than
one thousand years, questions often posed within the context of this play come to light in high
school classrooms across America. What is seemingly an ineffective, antiquated piece of literature
from Ancient Greece, actually should serve as a piece of required reading...show more content...
Sophocles, through his writing, begins to engage in a contemporary debate of the time period:
fate versus free will. Philosophers of ancient Greece would often debate whether or not the gods
had control over one's life, and Sophocles entertains all aspects of this debate. Through the use of
a meticulously crafted plot, humanity appears to have solved the issue prophesied at the birth of
Oedipus. Ultimately, however, Sophocles demonstrates the revolving way in which preordination
of action ultimately comes to fruition. This is epitomized when Oedipus is met by King Laius,
his father, at the crossroads. When Oedipus is faced with the decision of whether or not to kill the
man in front of him, he fulfills the prophesy which had been placed upon him before his birth.
While this concept might seem like an ancient event that leads to an archaic discussion, it still
invades relevant, personal philosophy of the world. The high school years require each student to
arrive at a crossroads in their own life. Decisions permeate their existence. Behind everything, each
student has to arrive at a conclusion as to who is the driving force behind each decision; is it
themselves or is a higher power commanding everything to happen? This debate allows students to
expand their thought in order to engage a metaphysical debate relevant to discussions of society.
Sophocles uses the plot of the play to teach a lesson

Oedipus Rex : A Tragic Journey Of Self Discovery
Both wisdom and folly, truth and falsehood are different forms of the same thing: the relationship
between light and darkness. To the ancient Greeks, whether one is in darkness or light is
determined by their ability to see spiritually, which they believed the physically blind were capable
of. This contrast between spiritual sight and mere physical sight is a major theme in Oedipus Rex, a
Greek tragedy written by the legendary Sophocles, a Greek playwright so skilled that he won at the
Festival of Dionysus approximately twenty times with his masterfully crafted tragedies (Buller). Set
in the city–state of Thebes in Ancient Greece, Oedipus Rex is a tragic journey of self–discovery as
King Oedipus uncovers his origins and how he unwittingly...show more content...
Upon learning the damning revelation that he himself is responsible for Laius' death, Oedipus
adamantly refuses to accept the prophecy and boasts about his credentials in a vain attempt to
divert the accusation: There was a riddle too deep for common wits; A seer should have answered
it; but answer came there none From you; bird–lore and god–craft all were silent. Until I came – I,
ignorant Oedipus, came – (36–37)
Oedipus' speech about his accomplishments exposes his arrogant nature and reveals the fact that
Oedipus revels in the glory of his achievements; blinding himself to his vices as a consequence. In
addition, Oedipus' sudden flash of rage at Teiresias upon the seer's refusal to prophesy, despite the
seer's warnings of the pain and anguish the prophecy would bring demonstrates the very rash,
quick–tempered nature that led Oedipus to kill his own father Laius (48). Oedipus certainly is
very knowledgeable, but he lacks wisdom as he refuses to see his faults and heed the warnings of
others. For this reason, even Oedipus calling himself "ignorant" can be seen as mere false humility,
as his rash, arrogant nature reveals itself yet again when Oedipus accuses Creon of being the
"proved plotter" against his life and a "thief" trying to steal Oedipus' crown (40). Despite Creon
handling such an outrageous accusation with care and producing sound arguments as to why he
would not be interested in the throne, Oedipus clings to his argument

Oedipus Rex Justice
In Oedipus Rex, the protagonist's downfall begins with him seeking justice for himself as well as
his people. As the play opens, a plague has come upon the city of Thebes, killing many of the
citizens; therefore, they plead Oedipus for help. It was then that Oedipus viewed justice as
something crucial for building a path towards success. In addition, the whole play was built upon the
theme of justice that ended up revealing the protagonist's tragic flaws and uncovering some
devastating secrets that lead to Oedipus' ruination. As king of Thebes, Oedipus had made a promise
to be devoted to his people and make the city triumph. Therefore, Oedipus sends someone to seek
advice from the gods in order to be able to discard the plague. As a result, he uncovers that the
only way to succeed in his duty as king was to find the killer of the previous ruler of Thebes,
Lauis. Oedipus, being as prideful as he was, saw himself determined to seek justice for king Lauis.
In addition, nothing was going to impede Oedipus from acquiring the justice he was so daringly
desiring. His necessity for justice exposed Oedipus' anger and ambition that eventually caused his
own...show more content...
Therefore, he sets himself once again responsible for uncovering the truth about his past. Now
Oedipus was seeking justice for himself and for the citizens of Thebes. Oedipus wanted to know
who were his biological parents and obtain knowledge about his past and his connection to the
murder of King Lauis. After he obtains the identity of his true parents, he realizes that the prophecy
the old man told him, "you should kill your father and marry your mother," had come true. The news
of what Oedipus had unconsciously done, impacted those that surrounded him greatly. As a result,
Jocasta committed suicide as she realized that she had married her son, and Oedipus chooses to live
his life blind as he is exiled from

Oedipus Rex
Throughout the interactive oral, I was able to gain more knowledge about Greek culture and how it
functioned. The connections with Greek culture in Oedipus Rex helped me to understand more
about Greek culture and allowed me to understand their perspective of culture.
Greek Culture consists of multiple factors, including, religion, arts, men, women, children, education,
pets, and diet. All of the factors of their culture have evolved over time. Religion in Greek culture is
one of the most important factors since most people are extremely religious. Greeks worshiped
"Gods" who they believed appeared in human form and were endowed with superhuman powers such
as: super strength or ageless beauty. Many sanctuaries honored more than one single

One of the most common themes in plays is tragedies, as seen in many plays by Shakespeare and
Sophocles. This trend is not an exception to the play Oedipus Rex. Oedipus Rex is a play written
by Sophocles, a famous Greek playwright. In the play Oedipus, the main protagonist is born with a
curse that states he will kill his father and sleep with his mother. Throughout the entire play,Oedipus
tries to prevent this curse from something true, and actually going through life thinking that it has
not passed when in reality it had already come true. In his tragedy, Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses
foreshadowing, irony, and imagery to reveal the ultimate tragic hero who falls due to his ate and
hubris.
Near the middle section of the play, Oedipus Rex, the main protagonist is trying to figure out who
murdered to the prior king, Laius, as the people and ruler alike believe whoever did is the cause for
the poisoning plague that has spread throughout the kingdom. "Tiresias master of all the mysteries
of our life... you, you scum of the Earth you'd enrage a heart of stone" (Sophocles p.275–276). Here
Oedipus is showing his ate or being rash when he insults and turn on Tiresias not long after he
enters. When Tiresias did enter the palace Oedipus welcomed him in even praising him on his
greatness, but not long after Oedipus quickly turns on him and starts insulting him calling him
names like a "scum of the Earth". Oedipus ate ended up hurting no one but himself because after that
experience it

Challenges In Oedipus Rex
In the play Oedipus Rex, the city and characters are faced with tremendous challenges that they
are forced to deal with. The play takes place in the city of Thebes which is going through a hard
time because they are in the midst of a plague. The people of Thebes look up to their leader
Oedipus who had rescued them from a previous curse. When Oedipus was a baby his mother had
given him to a shepherd to be killed because she was told by a prophet that her som would kill her
husband and marry herself. As he grew to be a young adult, Oedipus was told that he was
destined to kill his father and then marry his mother. He was horrified by this news and runs away.
While on his journey running away, he runs into the king of Thebes who angers Oedipus and he
ends up killing him. He goes along on his way where he runs into the Sphinx who has a curse on
the city of Thebes. Oedipus ends up saving the city and he becomes their king. Oedipus completes
the prophecy by killing his father, the king of Thebes, and marrying his mother, the Queen of
Thebes. Oedipus and all of the royal family is in the spotlight throughout the play and when they get
information about their fate, they make harsh decisions which in turn affect other people. The royal
family finds out one by one that they had all been told their fate and many secrets come out which
effects all of their actions thereafter. This relates to humans because when people are told something
important that is going to happen to them

Mythology in Oedipus Rex Essay examples
Mythology in Oedipus Rex
In "The Oedipus Legend" Bernard M. W. Knox talks of the advantages accruing to Sophocles as a
user of myths in his dramas:
The myths he used gave to his plays, without any effort on his part, some of those larger dimensions
of authority which the modern dramatist must create out of nothing if his play is to be more than a
passing entertainment. The myths had the authority of history, for myth is in one of its aspects the
only history of an age that kept no records. . . . the myths served as typical patterns of the conduct
of man and the manifestation of the gods (85).
This essay seeks to explore the life of the flawed mythological person, Oedipus, as protagonist of
...show more content...
The epic was most probably put into writing early in the seventh century before the present era. . .
. "And I saw the mother of Oedipodes, fair Epicste, who wrought a monstrous deed in ignorance of
mind in that she wedded her own son, and he, when he had slain his own father, wedded her, and
straightway the gods made these things known among men. . . .She made fast a noose on high from
a lofty beam, overpowered by her sorrow." (Bowra 33).
From this we can deduce that the myth used by Sophocles in Oedipus Rex had to be older than the
seventh century BC because Homer employed it at that time. C. M. Bowra in "Sophocles' Use of
Mythology" gives the rationale behind the Attic dramatists' preference for myths in their plays:
Myth provided the framework of drama, which illustrated in a highly concrete and cogent way
some important crisis or problem, and that is why Greek tragedy can be called symbolical. The old
stories are indeed told again for their own sake, and there is no lack of dramatic tension and human
interest, but they also exemplify some far–reaching problem, which is admirably presented in this
individual shape(31).
The Homeric myth provides the story of the fall of a man from prosperity to adversity. Sophocles
takes the myth and dramatizes it in such a way that every word and action makes an impact on the

Fate And Fate In Oedipus The King
Destiny hook
From birth, Oedipus, the Tragic Hero of Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex has been destined to kill his
father and marry his mother. Although by the opening act of the play, Oedipus has already earned
the throne of Thebes for solving the riddle of the sphinx, the greek hero is unaware that he has
already fulfilled the prophy. Meanwhile, the people of Thebes are dying of a plague that will only
end when the murderer of Laius, the previous Theban King, is punished. Through retrospection,
Oedipus believes that he might be responsible for Laius death and is told that the King and Queen
of Corinth who raised him were not his biological parents. In this passage, Jocasta, having already
discovered the truth that she is both Oedipus' mother and wife, warns Oedipus to go no further in
his path for self knowledge. But Oedipus ignores her warning and calls for the Shepherd, to learn
more about his mysterious lineage. This passage suggests that Oedipus' downfall is not the product
of fate but of his own free will. Sophocles employs characterization, word choice, and irony to
reveal how free will has led to tragedy.
To start, Sophocles uses characterization to reveal the role that free will has played in Oedipus'
destiny. After the chorus leader ominously warns Oedipus about what he might uncover about his
birth, Sophocles' dialog for Oedipus states "Let it burst! Whatever will, whatever must!"(19).
Although words such as "will" and "must" are typically indicators of fate, the passive verbiage in
this clause are indicative of Oedipus' stance on his involvement with his own tragedy. Oedipus
sees himself as allowing events to play out in their nature order or as fated. However, Sophocles'
presentation of Oedipus as a character reveals that he is the driving force of his tragic discovery
after sending for the Shepherd and ignoring the warnings of both Jocasta and the chorus.
Furthermore, as Sophocles' dialog continues, Oedipus reveals, "I will never see myself
disgraced"(26). Oedipus' pride in himself regardless of the class he was born into has led to him
ignore Jocasta's warning believing that she will be dismissive of him if he was born into low social
standing. This pride has also fueled Oedipus' determination to

Is Oedipus Responsible For His Own Downfall
In both the current era and the time of the ancient Greeks Sophocles' play Oedipus Tyrannus is seen
as the quintessential model of Greek Tragedy. This is due to the intricate questions of morality that
are masterfully woven into the literature and the fact that "perhaps no classical Greek play that has
stimulated as much critical discussion" (Harris and Platzner Classical Mythology: Images and
Insights, p.648). One of the dominant arguments the tragedy generates is whether Oedipus is
responsible for the abhorrent crimes of patricide and incest. The answer to which is yes. To be
human is to have choice and it is evident throughout the play that Oedipus's reckless decisions are to
blame for the violations against his parents. Due to...show more content...
Oedipus is incapable of clear thought and unfortunately it was of the utmost importance to
criticize the oracle and act accordingly. Oedipus's character suggests that he "believes all questions
have answers and that humans can ascertain those answers by applying their wits and their
logic"(Harris and Platzner Classical Mythology: Images and Insights, p.656). This being the case,
Oedipus should have been able to avoid making a rash, senseless choice in his reaction to the
oracle. Because of his complete faith in Apollo's oracle, he immediately leaves Corinth in an
attempt to avoid the despicable atrocity of killing his father and engaging in incest with his mother.
Regrettably, it is this very action that charts his course towards a violent path of destruction. One
can see that as a result of Oedipus's recklessness he has allowed the prophecy to become
"self–fulfilling" and if had not heeded the oracle's forecast it would have never become a harsh
reality (Harris and Platzner Classical Mythology: Images and Insights, p.649). Near the end of
Sopholcles's distinguished tragedy, Oedipus finally recognizes the truth and he insists his actions
are the fault of Apollo. He shrieks blame upon the god for the monstrous events and he violently
cries, "Apollo it was, Apollo, friends who brought to pass these evil, evil woes of mine" (Oedipus
Tyrannus, 1274–1278). Oedipus is consumed by

Who has no eyes and lives alone wandering around on a mountain all day? Why, Oedipus Rex of
course! However, Oedipus cannot be held accountable for this tragic fate. Oedipus is a prime
example of a modern tragic hero, meaning that his downfall was out of his control and was the fault
of others around him. Oedipus's life has consisted of secrets, lies, and twisted tales, all of which
were not revealed to him until well into his adulthood. Almost every bad thing in Oedipus's life can
be accounted on other people's actions. Oedipus fate was out of his hands, nothing he could do could
avoid it, thus making him a modern tragic hero. Oedipus's fate has been decided for him since he
was a babe. When his mother was carrying him, his parents, Laius

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Essay
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
In Sophocles' "Oedipus the King" which is a tragic play, which discusses the tragic discovery that
Oedipus has killed his father and married his mother. Oedipus is the embodiment of the perfect
Athenian. He is self–confident, intelligent, and strong willed. Ironically these are the very traits
which bring about his tragic discovery. Oedipus gained the rule of Thebes by answering the riddle of
The Sphinx. Sophocles used the riddle of The Sphinx as a metaphor for the 3 phases of Oedipus'
life and to further characterized him as a tragic hero.
The Sphinx posed the following riddle to all who came to obtain the rule over Thebes: "What is it
that walks on 4 feet and 2 feet and 3 feet and has only one voice,...show more content...
By becoming king of Thebes he marries Jocasta the Queen of Thebes and his own mother. Many
years later after bearing children with Jocasta a plague kills many of the inhabitants of Thebes.
Oedipus is told by the gods to find the killer of Laius. He is very diligent in the inquiry and finally
comes to the horrible truth that he himself is the murderer. Jocasta kills herself at the horrible
realization that she has laid with her son. Oedipus puts out his eyes, at which time he finally sees
the truth. This fulfills the final part of the Sphinx's riddle for Oedipus will have to walk with a
cane for the rest of his life because of his blindness. This will give him the walk on 3, which man
walks with at the end of his years.
The Sphinx's riddle was used by Sophocles to characterize Oedipus as a tragic man and as a
parallel to his life. The riddle describes the 3 stages, which Oedipus went through in his life. Also in
answering the riddle Oedipus inevitable brought about his own tragic ending by a horrible discovery.
The statement that Joseph Campbell makes that defines a hero as "someone who has given his or
her life to something bigger than oneself," I believe very much that this applies to the story of
Oedipus the King. He alone had to realize a life lesson and by doing so hurt himself and the ones he
had loved. Oedipus in his journey showed others that you must not physically open your eyes up, but
as well open them in a fourth

Oedipus Rex
Hubris Goes Before a Fall
Greek literature is stocked full of characters that possess excessive pride. This is often referred to
as hubris. Having too much pride is rarely seen as a good thing, which is demonstrated in
Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. Oedipus' land of Thebes falls under a terrible curse, and naturally as a
king, he wants to solve it, which is usually the sign of a great ruler, however,Oedipus' journey to
alleviate the plague for his people brings about the realization of his fate. Oedipus is a character
deeply flawed because he believes that he is a great ruler for the city of Thebes and that he
cannot be the reason why the plague has befallen them, only the one who can solve the problem.
Oedipus' plight in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex illustrates hubris, specifically the realization that
having excessive pride is damaging, which is a moral presented to the reader over the course of
the play. At the start of the play Oedipus is blissfully unaware of his fate, however, the more he
digs for the truth, the more his hubris demonstrates that this is a tragic flaw. During the beginning
of the play, Oedipus is a man full of pride, denying that he could be a person affected by fate and
prophecies. He boasts about his accomplishments and how he is the one who had saved Thebes
before. For example, Oedipus says, "But then I came, Oedipus, who knew nothing. / yet I finished
her off, using my wits / rather than relying on birds. That's the man / you want to overthrow, hoping,
no

Literary Criticism Of Oedipus Rex
Literary Analysis Essay on Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex, a tragedy the playwright Sophocles, unfolds an appalling storyline with the use of
ironic instances. Oedipus comes into this tragedy born as a prince of Thebes, but he is brought
upon a horrible fate. Oedipus' parents, Queen Jocasta and King Laius, receive a prophecy that their
son would end Laius' life and marry Jocasta. Therefore, after Jocasta gives birth to Oedipus, Jocasta
and Laius pin Oedipus' ankles together and place him on a mountain to die alone. However, he is
saved and adopted by the king and queen of Corinth, allowing the prophecy to also survive. When
Oedipus discovers the prophecy himself, he tries all he can to avoid the curse, which actually leads
him to his own doom. This causes Oedipus to run from his adoptive parents, only to kill a man, not
knowing it was his own father. Subsequently, Oedipus winds up marrying Queen Jocasta–– his own
mother. Oedipus unfortunately does not even know the truth of who his spouse is, but when he
does, his whole world comes crashing down. Sophocles effectively employs situational irony in
Oedipus Rex, when Jocasta tries to assure Oedipus that the prophecy is not real, which actually leads
to Oedipus' horrific realization of the truth.
Over time, Oedipus finds himself in quite a predicament and soon needs the comfort of Jocasta. A
prophet by the name of Tiresias tells Oedipus the truth about how he has killed Laius, but Oedipus
refuses to believe it. Ignorant Oedipus does

Essay Topics For Oedipus Rex

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Essay Topics For Oedipus Rex