Oedipus Essay

Oedipus Essay
Hans
Rockwell
8/26/17
Question
1 Question
1.)
One of the responses people usually have about
Oedipus
is if he really deserved the fate that he ended up with.
It's
not his fault that
Jocasta
and Laius tried to outsmart fate and dispose of him. In trying to run from this prophecy, did he really do anything any other person, given the culture,
wouldn't have done? Is Oedipus a victim of fate or is he responsible for the choices he makes?
What
does
Sophocles
suggest?
What
do you think?
Use
specific references from the text in your response. It is sort of an iffy question when we are trying to figure out whether or not Oedipus...show more
content...
There are definitely two arguments on whether or not
Oedipus
had fallen to fate or made his own decisions, but if you think about it, the prophecy stated literally everything that was going to happen, and maybe it

would not had happened if Oedipus did not seek out everything because the prophecy only unfolded when he began to venture out and look for the
problem trying to solve his own problems. Him doing this unraveled something much worse and is what led him to his banishment, so if you think
about it, maybe fate did bring him to this terrible ending, but how can we be for sure because he did make these decisions himself.
Jocasta
and
Laius
were the two to blame for believing in such a thing and leaving their child to die a terrible death, only to come back and have the prophecy happen
anyways. King
Laius
sought out the prophecy and found out that their son
(if
they had one), would eventually kill him.
He
did not want this so he gave up his son for adoption. Oedipus got into an altercation and ended up killing his birth father even after he sought out the
prophecy as well only to find out that he would still end up killing his father.
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Essay on Oedipus the King: The Hubris of Oedipus
"Oedipus the King" written by Sophocles, is a powerful Greek tragedy story. The protagonist, Oedipus is a heroic mythical king who had it all.
Oedipus pursues to find the true answers to his identity and destiny, while at the same time trying to avoid fulfilling his destiny.
"Oedipus the King" was introduced around 429 B.C.E. in Athens. This was Sophocles' most celebrated play. It is recognized by many titles, such as its
Latin title "Oedipus Rex" and "Oedipus Tyrannus." Sophocles' performed this play at the annual festival of Dionysus––a religious festival, which
celebrated Dionysus, the god of intoxication, death, and fertility. Sophocles was one of the dramatists that reigned supreme at these festivals. Most of the
...show more content...
A dramatic conflict occurs when Oedipus gets into a fight with a group of men where three roads meet; one of those men is his father King Laius.
He kills all the men except for one who flees from the scene and then notifies the Thebians of the tragic news. Oblivious to Oedipus, the first half of
his fate (that he was trying so hard to avoid) is fulfilled. Usually crossroads signify a decision point. If Oedipus made the choice of being civil toward
the strangers and not letting his temper get the best of him, he could have avoided his fate. Oedipus ends up in Thebes were he is granted the honor of
being the King––he solves the Sphinx's riddle which results in the city being free from captivity. In addition, Oedipus marries his predecessor's wife,
Queen Jocasta––the women who gave birth to him. Once again Oedipus has crossed paths with his fate and is still blind to it.
Hubris is Oedipus's tragic flaw. He is now overly full of himself because: he rescued the city of Thebes from the Sphinx, people admire him, the
citizens worship him as if he were an idol, the citizens think of him as their hero, and the Thebans have such a high esteem for him, that they made
him King. One instance that proves he is filled with overbearing pride is when he proclaims, "I, Oedipus, a name that all men know." (8) This
statement also brings about irony. It is ironic because his name will be remembered and well–known everywhere––as a polluter, the

Oedipus Essay
Oedipus, from the play Oedipus the King, is a very unique character whose different aspects are revealed throughout the play. As he talks with
characters such as Creon, Jocasta, and Tiresias, we get a well painted portrait of the aspects of Oedipus' character.
The ambitious aspect of Oedipus' character is revealed through his conversations with the Leader and the Chorus. When the Leader steps up at the
beginning of the play to offer suggestions, Oedipus gladly accepts; he asks no one to "hold back" (323) and for everyone to just say whatever
information they had on the killing of Laius. Oedipus is very open–minded to the Leaders suggestions. He promises the citizens of his town, the
Chorus, that he will find the murderer of King Laius....show more content...
When Creon asks Oedipus to listen to him, Oedipus refuses Creon and insults him in public. Even the arrogant King Oedipus can be kind and
compassionate Oedipus is very kind and compassionate to Jocasta. He shows deep love and compassion towards her. When Jocasta asks something
from Oedipus, "she receives from [Oedipus] whatever she desires". (648). An example of this is when Jocasta requested him to stop arguing with
Creon, Oedipus complied. While Jocasta is around, Oedipus seems to be another person; he is affectionate, instead of "haunting" as he normally
is; even to Creon, he seemed to have calmed down and accepted some of Creon's attempts at proving his innocence. Oedipus is not as kind as he is
to Jocasta to everyone, especially towards Tiresias. Oedipus may be a foul mouthed character, but Tiresias is just as absurd. Oedipus' short temper
and stubbornness is exploited when he talks to Tiresias. Another trait that is revealed is impatience. When Oedipus insulted Tiresias in public,
questioned his power to foresee, and accused him of lying to his fellow citizens, he replied back promptly and accused Oedipus of "scourging his
own flesh and blood"(474), and said he will be "rooted from the earth brutally." (489). Oedipus does not take this in well and kicks Tiresias out of his
castle. Even though Tiresias wasn't trying to accuse Oedipus of murder, Oedipus insulted

Oedipus Essay
Robert Anthony once said, "The problem with worry is that we attract the very thing we are trying to avoid." This quote directly relates to the Greek
tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. In this play, Sophocles gives Oedipus the tragic flaw, hubris (excessive pride in oneself), which eventually
causes him to run into his fate that he wanted to escape. Excessive pride in oneself has been the downfall of multiple characters like Oedipus. Oedipus
won't accept the fact that he cannot escape his fate because of his uncontrollable arrogance. Pride has played a role in his life when he was first told
about his fate. Oedipus once went to an oracle to find out about his real father. According to the oracle, "[Oedipus], You are fated to couple
...show more
content...
If Oedipus set his ego aside and let the carriage pass, he could have prevented the prophecy from fulfilling itself.
Even though characters believe that they can avoid their fate, they truly cannot. Jocasta gave birth to a child when she was married to King Laius,
and one day an oracle came to Laius and predicted his future. Jocasta was speaking to Oedipus about the prophecy that an oracle had told King
Laius, "An oracle came to Laius one fine day... and it declared that doom would strike him down at the hands of a son, our son, to be born of our
flesh and blood. But Laius...was killed by strangers, thieves, at a place where three roads meet...my son–he wasn't three days old and the boy's father
fastened his ankles, had a henchman fling him away on a barren, trackless mountain... My baby no more murdered his father..."(Sophocles 201). Jocasta
and King Laius had a free will which was to pin their child's ankles and hand him over to a shepherd to finish him. However the shepherd was
unable to fulfill the task, he explains, "I pitied the little baby, master, hoped he'd [God] take him off to his own country, far away, but he saved him
for this, this fate. If you are the man he says you are, believe me, you were born for pain."(Sophocles 232). The attempt made by Jocasta and King
Laius failed and eventually the prophecy self– fulfilled itself. The free will of the characters has made them contribute to the result of the prophecy.
Jocasta and

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

Critical Analysis Of Oedipus The King
Critical Analysis: Oedipus the King "Oedipus the King" is a tragic play showing a shift from the belief of fate to freedom of choice. Therefore,
Oedipus the king is a great example of those who run from fate ends up fulfilling their fate After reading this type of tragic play "Oedipus the King"
written by Sophocles you can see that the author did a very outstanding form of presenting a tragedy that has the characteristics of mimesis and a
tragic hero. Specifically, the writer written the play that would leave many readers to be able to relate to and have a character whom characteristics
are noble and basically good. A purpose of tragedy is "catharsis". In other words, the main reason for a tragedy in a play is to purge an individual of
In the end, however, Oedipus' hubris ways led to his tragic reality. He lost his wife. He lost his eyesight. He lost his children. He lost his kingship.
With all his confidence and his persistence, he uncovered the riddles of his life and found out that he was the boy born of Laius and Jocasta who
was the subject of the prophecy. His intelligence, pride and confidence led to this discovery, which resulted in him losing everything that he had
which in the end he fulfilled his fate. The most crucial point in the play "Oedipus the king" was the fact that Oedipus was completely unaware that
he killed his own father. He had a mission to find out who was his father's killer. Effectively the more Oedipus was motivated and with his
excessive confidence in knowing the truth of who killed his father, the play began to unravel and starts to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle
that Oedipus was known for figuring out. The more he pushed in finding who his father killer was the more he was towards his reality of terror.
The place where three roads meet was the place where Laius was killed and the place where Oedipus, himself had killed a man. He thought his father
was a man named Polypus, the king of Corinth yet a man had shouted out at a banquet that he was not his father's son. He was given a apprehension
of "a future great with pain, terror, disaster...You are fated to couple with your mother, you will bring a breed of children

"Oh my children, the new blood of ancient Thebes, why are you here?" said Oedipus when addressing his people during his first appearance (1–2).
Flamboyant, yes, well in Oedipus the King, the main character Oedipus is a boastful and pompous character faced with troublesome pasts and future
predicaments. In actuality, he is king of Thebes and the rightful ruler, but when a plague strikes he is quickly led into a misfortune of events that
ultimately leads him to dig his eyes out in attempt to relieve him from the truth he discovers. It then becomes a revelation to distinguish the
characteristic fault which leads Oedipus through such tragedy. Only to become apparent, Oedipus's excessive pride is the main culprit behind his tragic
ending. In...show more content...
When Oedipus hears that he is the killer, his pride is wounded for he cannot accept the truth. His judgment is so blurred that he also begins to view
Creon as a traitor for using Tiresias. Creon's words sum up Oedipus's rage when he said, "Oedipus, your husband, he's bent on a choice of punishments
for me, banishment from the fatherland or death" (715–717). Jocasta is even surprised with Oedipus's unusual character, as she said, "For the love of
God, Oedipus, tell me too, what is it? Why this rage? You're so unbending" (767–769). The reason why Oedipus pride is so wounded can be because
his negative experiences with the Gods. As a baby, he was condemned to death, yet he survived and learned the horrible truth of his prophecy. In
attempt to escape that life, he lost belief in the word of the gods because he refused that the prophecies should come true. This struggle between God
and Oedipus only tears his moral beliefs as he has to be stone cold to survive his tribulations. This meant giving no consideration against people who
presently posed a great threat to him. Ironically, due to Oedipus unflinching pride and stubbornness, he rolls the ball which unfolds a horrific chain of
sequences. Had Oedipus been less stubborn and prideful, he might have never prompted Jocasta to reassure him, while in reality she was giving him
the world's worst news. As Jocasta reveals the truth behind Laius's death, an oddly connection appears in

Mythology in Oedipus Rex Essays
Mythology in Oedipus Rex
E. T. Owen in "Drama in Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus" comments on the mythological beginnings of Oedipus Rex:
Professor Goodell says: "Given an old myth to be dramatized, Sophocles' primary question was, 'Just what sort of people were they, must they have
been, who naturally did and suffered what the tales say they did and suffered?" That was his method of analysis (38).
The Greek Sophoclean tragedy Oedipus Rex is based on a myth from the Homeric epic Odysseus. With his tragic flaw the protagonist, Oedipus, lives
out the main episodes of the Homeric myth.
In his essay "Sophoclean Tragedy" Friedrich Nietzsche searches out the mythology in this drama, and finds that the...show more content...
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 audience. The audience can see the error that beset Oedipus, and see his living state of mind as reflected
in themselves; they empathize with him in his moral decline.
Aristotle's analysis admits that the tragic flaw in Oedipus could be either a moral misjudgment or an intellectual error on the part of the king. In his
essay "On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex," E. R. Dodds takes the reader back to Aristotle in his consideration of this question of the flaw:
I shall take Aristotle as my starting point. . . .

Mankind's Place in the World: Oedipus Essays
Mankind's Place In the World:
Oedipus
Aristotle's Poetics: Comedy and Epic and Tragedy comments on the reflection of reality by it's very imitation. As with comedy being an imitation
of the inferior and ugly, the role of the epic and tragedy follow the roles of characters of great importance. The idea being that only those of
importance are even noticeable in the eyes of the gods, since mankind is relatively insignificant and are nothing more than an amusement to the gods.
As the children address Oedipus with remarks such as "You are not one of the immortal gods, we know; Yet we have come to you to make our
prayer as to the man surest in mortal ways and wisest in the ways of God." (1. Prologue. 35. 43.), the audience can...show more content...
A man should live only for the present day." (Soph. 1. 3. 65. 56.), the irony of his words is that had Oedipus or even his father Laios followed such
ideals, then would they have shared such a fate, given the ideas that fate is inescapable. As Oedipus comes to a close and all revelations have been
foretold, the audience is left with Choragos's words, "Let every man in mankind's frailty consider his last day and let none presume on his good
fortune until he find life at his death a memory without pain" (Soph. 1. 4. 300. 64.), which in short tells that no one is guaranteed an easy pass through
life. As Aristotle describes thetragic hero, often the tragic flaw is hubris, an excessive pride that causes the hero to ignore a divine warning or to break
a moral law. Aristotle also adds that the tragic hero may achieve some revelation or recognition about human fate, destiny, and the will of the gods. "
Tragedy, then, is a process of imitating an action which has serious implications, is complete, and possesses magnitude; by means of language which
has been made sensuously attractive, with each of its varieties found separately in the parts; enacted by the persons themselves and not presented
through narrative; through a course of pity and fear completing the purification of tragic acts which have those emotional characteristics." (Aristotle.
66) As the ancient world was ruled with the ideas that mankind was nothing, but mere playthings to the

Oedipus Fate Essay
Oedipus the King is a story about a prominent king torn by fate and the effect his own actions have upon his destiny. Much can be learned from the
catastrophic story of Oedipus, who was prophesied to kill his father, to marry and have children with his own mother. As soon as Oedipus learns of
this prophecy, he tries desperately to escape it, by running from his hometown, and even avoiding his supposed parents. Despite the fact that fate may
have played some role in Oedipus' demise, it ultimately was brought about by his own free will and his reckless actions. Although he may not realize
it, Oedipus' own actions contribute to his downfall; it is his arrogant short temper and his excessive pride that causes him to make the decisions that set
Both Oedipus and Jocasta act as though the servant's story, once spoken, is irrefutable history. Neither can face the possibility of what it would mean
if the servant were wrong. This is perhaps why Jocasta feels she can tell Oedipus of the prophecy that her son would kill his father, and Oedipus can
tell her about the similar prophecy given him by an oracle (867–875), and neither feels compelled to remark on the coincidence; or why Oedipus can
hear the story of Jocasta binding her child's ankles (780–781) and not think of his own swollen feet. While the information in these speeches is largely
intended to make the audience painfully aware of the tragic irony, it also emphasizes just how desperately Oedipus and Jocasta do not want to
speak the obvious truth: they look at the circumstances and details of everyday life and pretend not to see them. However, Sophocles imbues these
opening scenes with even more dramatic irony. Oedipus takes the problem quite personally, as he vows, "Who'er it was that slew/Laius, the same
wild hand may seek me ... too:/And caring thus for Laius, is but care/For mine own blooda" (12). The irony here is obvious: Oedipus has pledged to
seek out whoever it was that killed Laius, with the same vigor that he would if it were a member of his family that he was avenging. Firstly, Oedipus
has ultimately promised to destroy himself, since it was he

Oedipus Complex Essay
Ever heard of the Oedipus Complex? Thank Greek playwright Sophocles and Sigmund Freud. In short, the Oedipus Complex, is when a male is
born, a "fondness" or "lust" is created for his mother and a hatred for his father. In due time, the idea became prevalent after the works of Sophocles
and was adapted for psychology. Nevertheless, Oedipus Rex was written around the 5th century B.C.E. Later, to continue the story Sophocles wrote
Antigone. Oedipus Rex follows the character of Oedipus, the King of Thebes, and his journey to end the plague that inhabits the city. Following most
Greek myths, Oedipus Rex has a Roman equivalent. Written by Seneca in the 1st century C.E, follows what seems to be the same character. To
preserve Sophocles Oedipus,...show more content...
As opposed to Seneca's version, Oedipus is a very proud King. He is convinced that the plague infects the land for some other notion rather than his
own sins. He sends his Jocasta's brother, Creon, to Delphi to speak with the Oracle. He is told that the only way the plague will stop is if, "The god
bids us to expiate the king's murder with exile–to avenge the killing of Laius." (Seneca 35). Later finding out from the prophet, Tiresias, that he
himself is the murderer of his father. Creon is then accused by the proud Oedipus, of treason and orders he be executed. Seneca's' version has
Creon imprisoned. This shows how he refuses to hear the truth and rather have another killed, than accept that the plague is there by his doing.
Secondly, Seneca's version has a violent and gory tone. Many scenes that are detailed with intense gore. There is a sacrifice held for the summoning
of the previous King Laius. The blinding scene in both depicts the writing style of both writers. In Seneca's version, Oedipus blinds himself by
gouging out his own eyes as punishment for his sins. When describing the act, "Let them be dug out straightway, these eyes of a married man!"
(Seneca 103). Seneca goes into detail describing his emotions his emotions, his overall physical appearance as such, "With hooked hands he greedily
probed his eyes, and from their base, from their very roots he wrenched the eyeballs and let them roll out together. His hands stayed embedded in the
cavities, their

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

There are many facets of personality of a minor character that authors may utilize to supply contrast to the main character of their work. Some of these
contrasts are extremely noticeable and some are not. One such facet is with the use of a neutral character; to not only showcase the main character's
flaws, but so not to detract from the moral of the story. Creon, from the play "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles is used for both of these reasons.
Sophocles wished to show that one cannot escape fate, yet did not want to cloud this issue with a possible coupe against his main character Oedipus.
He also showed how, at times one character can act completely irrational, while one remains calm in the face of serious accusations.
Creon is the...show more content...
Creon in an astonishing display of "sound common sense and executive ability" (Peterkin 265), offered marriage to Iocasta, as well as the position of
king, to anyone who could solve this riddle and free the country of the suffering inflicted by the Sphinx. Oedipus bested the Sphinx, and claimed the
kingdom and his spouse. Although Creon could have remained in power, he proved to be a man of his word. He relinquished the dominant authority in
Thebes to Oedipus and seemed to "have ac–cepted the situation with good grace" (Peterkin 265). After a long established rule as king, a plague
afflicted the land. Over the years, Oedipus had "delegated much of his authority, in complete reliance on his efficiency and dependa–bility" (Peterkin
265) to Creon. In trying to relieve his subjects suffering, Oedipus sends his valued right hand man, Creon, to consult the oracle. Oedipus was hoping to
receive some revelation as to why his kingdom was suffering so. Upon his return, Creon prudently wanted to speak privately with Oedipus. During this
exchange, Creon is presented as a cautious, yet matter–of–fact kind of person. The King would not hear of a private conversation as he wanted
everything to be in the public's eye, so as not to hide the truth. Creon reveals, as tactfully as possible, that the Gods were angry that King Laios murder
went unpunished. This is what was causing the plague to besiege

Oedipus Rex Essay
In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles explores the conflict between a man's intellectual reasoning and the universe beyond his grasp. This may seem like a
generalization, but the play's minor conflicts are arguably derivatives of the main struggle. As we would see, the fate or destiny that opposes Oedipus
does not act directly on him, but creates a domino effect that through other conflicts drive him to face his destiny by unearthing his true identity. Similar
to the Sphinx's riddle that gave power to Oedipus, he must travel the different stages of life in order to "know thy–self" (Rudnytsky 264). The play
opens with what may seem like a trivial conflict between Oedipus and the forces of nature, but the plague and other misfortunes that afflicted...show
more content...
Creon tells that "Apollo commands to take revenge upon whoever killed him [King Laius]", and Oedipus without any further reasoning proclaims that
the murderer must be exile, bringing to himself doom (DiYanni 1310). Nevertheless, is the oracle Teiresias by accusing Oedipus of committing the
murder who really sparks the conflict between Oedipus and Creon, the conflict of man versus man. Believing Creon is behind a plot to overthrow him
and lacking any concrete evidence, Oedipus fails to his proclaimed intellect and fearing the prophecy could be true, mocks Teiresias for his blindness
and charges Creon with treason. When the tension between both characters begins to build up Jocasta enters to give a solution by giving hopes to
Oedipus stating that the prophecies were wrong because a herdsman, witness to the murder, had different information. This only prolongs the inevitably
truth until the servant to which Jocasta gave up Oedipus dissipates any doubt of the "patricide and incest" Oedipus innocently committed (Letters).
Both Oedipus and Jocasta thought the truth was more powerful than the prophecies or the will of the gods. Even though, their biggest mistake was
based on the initial prophecy in which he would kill his father and marry his mother, which made Jocasta to give up Oedipus and Oedipus to wrongly
flee from Corinth. They both, unknowingly, trying to disprove the supernatural with

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

Summary of Oedipus The Kings by Sophocles
Oedipus is in a series of tragic events throughout this play. A couple of days after Oedipus was born, he was left on a mountainside to die. The
reason for this is because an oracle predicted that he will grow up to be the murderer of his father the King. Oedipus did not die as he should have,
instead Oedipus was found and taken to the nearby city of Corinth. This is where Oedipus was adopted as the son of the King and Queen. Many
years later, Oedipus seeks counsel from the same oracle that predicted his fate. The oracle does not tell him the identity of his true parents, instead tells
him that he would kill his father and marry his mother. To ovoid this prophecy, he ran away from Corinth back
A plague of infertility strikes Thebes; women no longer bear children and crops are not growing. Oedipus, in his pride, says that he will end this
deadly disease. Oedipus sends Creon to the oracle in Delphi for guidance. When Creon returns, Oedipus learns that the murderer of King Laius
must be found and either be killed or exiled. In search for the Killers identity, Oedipus listens to the advice of Creon and sends for the blind
prophet. The prophet warns him not to go searching for the killer of the king. The prophet is then provoked in exposing Oedipus as the killer. A
messenger arrives from Corinth with the news the King Polybus has died and the people of Corinth want Oedipus as their king. Oedipus does not
want to go because of the fact that his "mother" is still alive and does not want the prophecy to come true. The messenger then reveals that Oedipus
was in fact adopted and is not the son of King and Queen of Corinth. Jocasta finally realizes the true identity of Oedipus and tells him to stop the
search for the killer of the King. She then goes into the palace and hangs herself. Oedipus goes and seeks verification of the messenger's story from
the herdsman who was supposed to leave Oedipus for dead. Oedipus learns that the adopted son of Polybus and Merope was actually the son of Laius
and Jocasta. This is where he remembers that place where the roads met, is where he killed his own father King Laius, with the consequence of
marring his own

Oedipus the King: The Innocence of Oedipus Essay
Sophocles' Oedipus Rex Is Innocent
Because Oedipus knows nothing about the past of Thebes, he is not an assassin. Oedipus committed murder but unknowingly of who King Laius was.
Oedipus' honor was his claim against the murder. Had it been the other way around and Oedipus had lost the battle, King Laius' alibi would have also
been for reasons of honor: for reasons of royalty. Oedipus was royalty and knew it as well did King Laius. The main idea behind Oedipus' innocence is
this "royalty." Regardless of either of their class standings a fight occurred and the one to start had been King Laius? men, or group, the fact that they
lost is not the fault of Oedipus. In other words, King Laius and his men wanted to discipline Oedipus for not...show more content...
murder. He tells Creon "you will find me a firm ally, and together we shall exact vengeance for our land and for the god?And with the help of God,
we shall find success ? or ruin" (5) He knew what his duty was and that was what he wanted to follow. He needed to save thousands of people and
Oedipus would go to any means to save them. This is an innocent person and a trustworthy King. "My words are uttered as a stranger to the act, a
stranger to its tale"(7). He tells us that he cannot solve the "riddle the very skill that proved him great" (11). He cannot do it alone. Why is this? If
he is so guilty of this crime and he is the "murderer that he seeks" then why does he go on with the search? (10). The reason is that he does not
know that he has caused the grief for his people. He does not know that he is the murderer. "Ask what you wish. I am not the murderer.", is what he
uttered to Creon because he believed that he was not the murderer (14). The fault behind Oedipus? fate lies partly on Apollo and on the prophecy
that he was told. Had he been blind to that prophecy he would have remained in Corinth and ruled as a true ruler. He would not have wed his mother
nor murdered his father. But why do these things happen to Oedipus? Why when he tries to be the best does he get the worst? His fate led him there.
He was doomed to follow the prophecy at

Sigmund Freud's Oedipus Complex Essay
Oedipus Complex "It is the fate of all of us, perhaps, to direct our first sexual impulse towards our mother and our first hatred and our first murderous
wish against our father." – Sigmund Freud(Clark, 122) The Oedipus conflict or complex is a concept developed by Sigmund Freud to explain the
origin of certain psychological disorders in childhood. It is defined as a child's unconscious desire for the exclusive love of the parent of the opposite
sex. This desire includes jealousy toward the parent of the same sex and the unconscious wish for that parent's death. Horney states that it is not a
"biologically given phenomenon" but rather a response to the "provocation's" of the outside world.(Horney) The "Oedipus Complex" was started...show
more content...
Oedipus, outraged at the accusation, denounces it as a plot of Creon to gain the throne. Jocasta appears just in time to avoid a battle between the
two men. Seers, she assures Oedipus, are not infallible. To prove her point she cites the old prophecy that her son should kill his father and have
children by his mother. She prevented its fulfillment, she confesses, by abandoning their infant son in the mountains. As for Laius, he had been
killed by robber's years later at the junction of three roads on the route to Delphi. This information makes Oedipus uneasy. He recalls having killed a
man answering Laius' description at this very spot when he was fleeing from his home in Corinth to avoid fulfillment of a similar prophecy. An aged
messenger arrives from Corinth, at this point, to announce the death of King Polybus, supposed father of Oedipus, and the election of Oedipus as
king in his stead. On account of the old prophecy Oedipus refuses to return to Corinth until his mother, too, is dead. To calm his fears the messenger
assures him that he is not the blood son of Polybus and Merope, but a foundling from the house of Laius deserted in the mountains. This statement is
confirmed by the old shepherd whom Jocasta had charged with the task of exposing her babe. Thus the ancient prophecy has been fulfilled in each
dreadful detail. Jocasta in her horror hangs herself and Oedipus stabs out his eyes. Then he imposes on himself the

Oedipus Essay
This analysis of Oedipus's character shows how Oedipus, the protagonist and the antagonist against himself, dealt with unfortunate situations which
sealed his fate. Oedipus was a strange round character that was really interesting and mysterious. Oedipus's life was a good example of a true Greek
tragedy; he worked himself up to be a great king and ultimately in the end he died with only his perception on life. Oedipus was once a man of power
who falls impoverished. He goes from having much respect in his great position to being impure, blind, and expelled from the land that he once ruled.
At the beginning of Oedipus the King, Oedipus's wisdom and actions as a king are very effective. To his subjects he is respected and very well...show
more content...
His pride in himself is even greater than what the people propose it to be. However, Oedipus pride can be backed up by the fact that he did save the
city from disaster while virtually becoming king almost immediately after his knowledge was known. Oedipus seems to use his pride to embellish his
power. "Here I am myself– / you all know me, the world knows my fame: / I am Oedipus" (Oedipus the King, 7–9). Unfortunately Oedipus's initial
attribute of pride and confidence soon dwindled throughout the play. From the time that Oedipus's fate comes into action, when he hears the
perception of Tiresias, Oedipus is in due course in losing his fulsome nature. We see the round nature of Oedipus go a full circle throughout the play;
first he is flattering of himself and self–governing, yet later we see him as impoverished and dependent on others. Oedipus's fate seems to always win
even though he tries tirelessly to beat it. His doesn't allow him to lose due to his cockiness, but in the closing stages the story seems to show that
Oedipus is starting to accept the fact that he will never win. Towards the conclusion of the play when Oedipus gives his trust to Theseus over his
fortune giving burial he seems to find a peace again even though his life is still not impressive. Oedipus's reflection towards the end of the play can be
summed up by Jocasta's statement, "Fear? What should a man fear? It's all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth

Oedipus Essay

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Oedipus Essay