Oedipus Rex Ethics

Oedipus Rex Ethics
Oedipus situation may be considered one of the most abused and misuse of the justice system.
Although his acts may have been really unethical, we have to soundly consider reasons and
circumstances. If his ignorance or lack of knowledge had really put him in this crazy situation, we
have to contemplate the fact that he genuinely didn't really want to commit these heinous crimes
everything that took place in Oedipus Rex was an unfortunate tragedy fueled by destiny, lies, and
ignorance. There should be an exception in this case in the guilty criminal activities because of a
very valid reason. He is innocent because of his lack of knowledge, self–defense, and pre–ordained
destiny.
First, this troubled man doesn't even know that he's already doing the act itself. Even though he had
unknowingly committed murder and incest, he never meant to do so. It was stated in the dramatic
play that he wanted to overcome the prophecy. He didn't want to commit the crimes he was accused
of. For that genuine fact that he didn't want to let the prophecy see itself through, he can be
exempted from the mistakes he had done. He didn't want all the outcomes that played out to even
happen. Another belief I stand firm by, is that punishments must be carried out to those who
intended to directly offer crimes to others because of their bad virtues. He may have played his ...
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Although Oedipus did admit to killing Laius, this was his fate that the Gods decided before he even
came to this world. It is hard to escape a pre destined fate. He was destined to marry his mother and
murder his father. He had no idea that the women he married was his mother. A thought of incest
with his mother never even occurred to him because no one had told him before. When he murdered
his father on the crossroad he was defending himself and only living his fate. Like father like son
they were both stubborn and he played the hand he was dealt to continue his
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On Misunderstanding The Oedipus Rex
Vanessa Figueroa Weston
10/16/17
English Gaughen P2
A DCQ Essay: Defending Dodds
In his essay, "On Misunderstanding the 'Oedipus Rex'" E.R. Dodds justifies his interpretation of the
meaning of the play, "Oedipus Rex," after establishing his concern for and correcting those who
misunderstood the focus of the play which they believe to be either a play regarding fate and destiny
or a play of punishment. He then states the true message of the play: that human greatness is the
willingness to pursue the truth and accept the responsibilities that come with the truth.
Dodds asked a question to his Oxford students regarding the message of the play, "Oedipus Rex"
and the results fell into two main categories of answers which only skim the surface of the plot. The
first group of students wrote about how the play's message was of punishment: an example being
that Oedipus was being punished for the way he acted towards Creon after he returned from the
Oracle at Delphi. However, Dodds explains that the actual punishment Oedipus received occurred
twenty years before his unkind treatment towards Creon, and "then the punishment preceded the
crime–which is surely an odd kind of justice" (Dodds 39). This explains that the play's message
couldn't be viewed as punishment because Oedipus hadn't even existed before the prophecy was
given. Another argument that could be presented by the students is that Oedipus was simply a man
of bad value, but yet again the prophecy was written before he was even born. Of course, the tragic
events that occurred to Oedipus could be a punishment for Laius, Oedipus' father, but there is no
suggestion that Laius had sinned and "the critic must not assume that what the poet has abstained
from suggestion" (Dodds 41) which roughly translates to "don't assume something has happened if
it wasn't written." There are many contradictions to this theory which therefore disproves their
validity and further promotes Dodd's assertion.
The second major category that students wrote of was of destiny. These students claimed that
Oedipus is simply a puppet, a victim, that cannot control his own actions. However, review what the
Oracle told Oedipus during his visit, " Related as a brother, through their sire,

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

Analysis Of ' Oedipus ' Rex '
Ari Victor
Honors English
28 July, 2015
Summer Reading
Oedipus Rex
1. The people of Thebes are suffering from a god attacking their city.
2. The Priest asks Oedipus to save Thebes and the people living there.
3. The Thebans plead Oedipus for his help because 1) they think that Oedipus has help from the
gods, and 2) they know that he already saved their town before, so he can save it again.
4. Oedipus has already taken the step of sending Creon to Apollo's temple to ask how to save the
city.
5. The significance of Delphi is that that is where Creon went to ask Apollo for help.
6. An oracle is someone who is like a medium that delivers advice from a god.
7. The message Creon was given was that the king, Laius, was murdered by a group of men while
he was on an important mission away from home. The oracle tells them that they need to find these
murderers and punish them forcibly.
8. King Laius was murdered long ago.
9. Creon reveals a clue about the murder that says that there was one traveler left alive who told
them that the murder was not done with a single pair of hands, but many.
10. The Sphinx told the Thebans that the murder was not their biggest problem, preventing them
from finding the murderer of Laius.
11. Oedipus promises to find the murderers of the deceased king not only to help the town, but to
help himself from getting murdered by the same criminals.
12. My first impression of Oedipus is that he is a smart and fair ruler. While looking out for himself,
he is

Oedipus Rex And Fate
Far too often, people find that despite their best efforts, life counteracts their intentions. It seems as
though every person has had their moments of true powerlessness and helplessness, as their fate
appeared to be in the hands of someone else. Thousands of years ago, in Ancient Greece, a potent
belief in fate existed, and is even depicted in one of history's most infamous plays, Oedipus Rex. In
this play, Sophocles depicts the cruelty and strength of destiny through the terrible tale that is
Oedipus' life. Oedipus deems himself a "child of fortune" after the most grueling truths of his fate
are revealed, as Oedipus realizes he truly had no command over his destiny. In Oedipus Rex,
Sophocles poses an eternal question about destiny: What ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
While some days life just happens to be the greatest adversary to your aspirations, it is important to
remember that other days life blesses you with some of its finest treasures. Some days you get
dumped, but other days you might not be able to wipe a smile off your face because fortune has
brought you a man that exceeds all expectations. One day you might get rejected from college, but a
year later you may find yourself feeling lucky as ever that you ended up at another university. Many
blame fate during a nadir, but few give fate a well–deserved thanks during life's peaks. At high
points, one learns to appreciate the blessings of fate, and at low points, fate forces one to find their

MWD Oedipus Rex
Title: Oedipus Rex
Author: Sophocles
Date of Publication: around 430 B.C.
Genre: Dramatic Tragedy
Biographical information about the author: Born at Colonus, son of Sophilus. Sophocles was a
playwright and served as a priest. He had a son with Nicartrata, who was also a playwright. And he
also had a son with Theoris. Wrote 123plays but only 7 survived: Ajar, Antigone, Trachinian
women, Oedipus Tyrannoss, Electras, Philocetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. Also increased the
number of chorus from 12 to 15. Powerful imaged occur in Ajar's sword, Philocetes bow, and
Electras urn. Actions in his play unfold in a more natural way and avoid the expository prologues of
his contemporary. The modern concept of tragic drama begins with Sophocles. ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The messenger reveals that Polybus and his wife are not Oedipus's real parents. Oedipus was
brought to palace to be raised after being found by a Sheppard. Oedipus asks that this shepherd
reveal the truth to him, but Jocasta begins to beg him not to stop to try and find out the truth. The
Sheppard finally reveals that Oedipus is son of Laius. Oedipus screams when he realizes the truth
about his parents. A messenger says Jocasta has hanged herself, and Oedipus has chosen to stab out
his eyes. Oedipus now declares he must be punished and exiled. He asks Creon to look after his
daughters, Antigone and Ismene. Creon accepts the ascendency to the throne.
Describe the author's style:
Sophocles has a harsh and tragic style. He is a master at dramatic tragedies and irony. Oedipus Rex
is scattered with ironic and very tragic moments. He also uses the chorus as a way to comment on a
subject in the play. Foreshadows using various methods. He also uses imagery, rhetoric questions
and metaphors.
An example that demonstrates the style:
The entire play comes to a tragic end. And with dramatic irony is clearly seen in the entire play.
Oedipus killed his father and murdered his mother, but Oedipus and Jocasta did not find out until
the end, Tieresias ' warnings and prophecy clearly portray the use of irony. Rhetorical questions are
seen questioning himself or fate. What, born as mine were born?"
Memorable Quotations
Quote

Oedipus Rex By Oedipus The King
Oedipus' evolution throughout the Theban plays is one with fascinating twists and turns. Oedipus'
characterisation evolves and changes as he experiences the fall from being the great ruler of Thebes
into a blind beggar who is tortured by what he did. As the stories progress, so does their protagonist
to the point where the Oedipus of the second play is a completely different man. In Oedipus Rex,
the main character is portrayed as a strong and clever yet arrogant king whose ignorance leads him
to his downfall while in Oedipus at Colonus, he is a changed man who has accepted that his fate is
out of his control and who respects the gods' influence on human life.
In Oedipus Rex, the title character displays many great heroic qualities. He is portrayed as a good
ruler who cares for his people and aims to protect the city he has been trusted with. From the
moment he solves the Sphinx's riddle, Oedipus' relationship with Thebes begins and with it the
implicit trust its citizen place on him. It's obvious from the very beginning of the play that he is
written as a strong capable ruler who takes his people's needs into consideration. As the play opens,
he says to the begging citizen: "You can trust me. I am ready to help, I'll do anything" (Sophocles,
line 13–14, p. 159). It shows the strong relationship he has with his people. Furthermore, when the
Theban people beg Oedipus to act against the plague that has been troubling their land, it is revealed
that he has already sent Creon

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 on Helpwriting.net ...
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

Oedipus Rex Outline
Title: Oedipus Rex Author: _Sophocles Date of Publication: 429 BCE__ Genre: Tragedy
Oedipus Rex Motifs and Symbols:
~Sight and Blindness: Prophecies see the past, present, and future and are portrayed as an influential
and common source of information for the king. Oedipus blinds himself in the end signifying that
throughout the whole play he was blind to his own fate.
~Oedipus' swollen foot: Since birth, when he was bound at the ankles, he has had a constricting and
confined movement in his life.
Character List and Significance:
~Oedipus: King of Thebes, protagonist of the play he provides problem solving intelligence to the
twisted plot.
~Creon: brother of Jocasta, the foil to Oedipus and is tough minded. He secretly is ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
~As well as that is it perfectly alright to have slept with your mother, many men think of that, still
put it behind you.
~Go and live your life as if there is no tomorrow. ~ This quote matters because it shows the
blindness (motif) of the mom/wife.
~She knew the prophecy and yet when signs pointed to it, she ignored it and when Oedipus'
adoptive father died it reassured her even more that it was not possible.
~When she does figure out the truth she is mortified that she did not see it, and blames herself;
therefore ending her life (suicide–symbol).
" Oh no, I'm right at the edge, the horrible truth–I've got to say it!"
~(Sophocles pg. 1419) ~ The peasant is so overwhelmed with a decision; he does not know whether
to tell Oedipus or not tell him the truth.
~He chooses to say the truth even though it pains him to do so, inflicting agony on Oedipus. ~ This
quote matters because it shows how gut wrenching this decision and fall out of the truth is going to
be for Oedipus.
~The truth (theme) is very hard to tell, especially if it is a stinging agonizing truth that causes his
whole life to come undone and see things with a whole new eye

Ignorance In Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex tells the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes the king of Thebes, while in the
process unknowingly fulfilling a prophecy that said he would kill his father Laius, King of Thebes
and marry his mother Jocasta, Queen of Thebes. The play is an example of classic tragedy,
containing an emphasis on ignorance and it's role in the downfall of several characters through the
tragedy. Oedipus' fatal flaw was his constant lack of understanding in his fate. He never truly
understood his fate, even after the Oracle's prophecy was fulfilled. Oedipus' duty as king compels
him to search for Laius' killer. Because of his total confidence in both his role as king (269–270) and
in his own intelligence (249–251). Oedipus' resulting self–confidence

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 on
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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

The Role Of Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex is a play written by Sophocles in 429 BC. Oedipus Rex was a king who happened to
kill his own biological father Laius and married his biological mother Jocasta and had kids with her.
The most prominent role was played by fate in the life of Oedipus Rex which coiled the characters
in such a way that could not try and avoid the prophecy of a great Tiresias.
Aware of a terrible curse that has befallen Thebes, Oedipus sends his brother–in–law, Creon, to seek
the advice of Apollo. Creon informs Oedipus that the curse can only be prevented if the murderer of
Laius, who was the former king; is found and prosecuted. Laius was murdered several years ago at a
crossroads.
Oedipus devotes himself to the discovery and prosecution of Laius's perpetrator. Oedipus subjects a
series of evasive citizens to questioning, along with a blind prophet. Tiresias, the blind prophet, ...
The "Oedipal complex" denotes to the sexual relations and desire shared between a son and his
mother. And it also points out the emotions and ideas that the mind stores in the unconscious,
through dynamic repression, that focuses upon a child's desire to form sexual relations with the
parent of the opposite sex. This concept was derived from the legend of Oedipus Rex. His story
served to be central in psychoanalysis. He also made its use to name the most important of all the
psychoanalytic complexes: the infamous "Oedipus Complex." In the ancient distorted version of the
"Oedipus Complex" it is believed that every man has a desire to marry his mother and murder his

Oedipus Rex Analysis
Oedipus Rex is one of the many plays that exemplifies Aristotle's principle of tragedy, where the
plot revolves around the hero's progression towards his own demise. In this story, the titular
character was subject to a horrendous fate where he murders his own biological father–King Laius–
and marries his own mother, which he eventually unearths this truth when it became his duty as the
new king to find the murderer of the previous Ruler. Throughout the play, we begin to see that
Oedipus intends to solve this case with the expectation of a success like he did with the sphinx's
riddle , but instead resulted in the extreme opposite. Through Oedipus progression as a character, the
author implements a message that regardless of anyone's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
While some may argue he could have avoided this, Sophocles justifies his intentions for doing so by
associating dramatic irony with his past–King Laius sent Oedipus away to only encounter him at the
crossroads– where only the audience acknowledges he was bounded by the prophecy while Oedipus
doesn't, which his encounter with fate again implements a sense of doubt towards him that
contradicts his self–assurance that he had avoided fate in the beginning–he left his stepparents in
effort of not fulfilling it. As the play progresses towards the end, Sophocles's proceeds to use the
audience's knowledge of the play to reveal how Oedipus's vulnerability negatively affects his
actions which injures the relationship of those around him. The titular character's engagement with
his wife Jocasta demonstrates how his enslavement to the prophecy diminishes not only her and
himself, but ultimately displays the drastic transition from the highest point of life towards his
downfall. When Jocasta heard of Oedipus's situation, she attempts to converse him out of it by
stating the value of life along with the potential consequences that may occur; but despite this
Oedipus still insists on striving towards the truth, stating, " I will not listen; the truth must be made
known ( Scene 3, page 57)." The manner Oedipus speaks to his wife

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 on
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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

Rex And Antigone And Oedipus
The characters of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and Antigone's actions can be explained in terms of
cultural or religious implications, gender expectations, and the impact of authority on a personal
scale. Austrian Psychologist, Sigmund Freud interpreted, or in some cases misconstrued, the
behavior of the characters as disturbances in the part of the brain humans have no control over– a
perspective known as the psychoanalytic approach. Freud claimed that all of man's actions are a
manifestation of the workings of the unconscious mind, and most troublesome behaviors are linked
to suppressing its desires. The Oedipal Complex exemplifies this in young men who Freud stated
have an unconscious and primal urge to compete with their fathers for their mother's love and sexual
attention. Although Freud theorized this concept with Oedipus as the inspiration, suppression of
these subconscious desires evoke irrational behaviors driven by paranoia and aggravation, much like
the actions taken by Creon, and Oedipus. Readers often identify the hamartia of these characters as
hubris, but a psychoanalytical approach reveals that Oedipus, and Creon's actions are deeply rooted
into their subconscious fear of losing love, happiness, and pleasure, and doing so will trigger a
lifetime of aggressive, volatile, and sometimes sexually driven behaviors.
Freud conceptualized the human mind's functions into three parts– the id which is the locus of all
primal pleasures, the ego which balances the id

Oedipus The King, Or Oedipus Rex
Ancient Greece was renowned for its classical tragedies, the most famous probably being
Sophocles' Oedipus the King, or Oedipus Rex. For a play to be considered a tragedy, it must have a
tragic hero. According to Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero, they must be a decent moral person,
of high social standing who eventually meets with a tragic downfall, of their own doing, suffering
more than deserved, and realizing their error too late. In the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the
epitome of a tragic hero. Oedipus Rex was generally a "good" person; he was a caring, fair ruler to
the people of Thebes, and tried to relieve his people, whom he lovingly referred to as his "children",
of all hardships that came. By calling his people his "children", Oedipus is looked at as a father–
figure and is respected by his people. He earned the title as king after solving the Sphinx's riddle and
lifting the plague from Thebes. He then married Jocasta, the recently widowed Queen of Corinth
and his mother, which he did not know at the time. When Oedipus was born, an oracle had told his
parents, the rulers of Corinth, that he would kill his father and marry his mother. In horror to this
news, his parents had left the baby to die on a mountain side, where someone found him and raised
him as their own. Oedipus learns the truth of his fate years later, he vows to leave the city of Corinth
and lead a noble life, which would prevent this horrendous fate from occurring. Fulfilling the
second

Analysis Of Oedipus Rex
The play Oedipus Rex is a tale that leaves readers shocked and has led to a lot of controversy. In the
play the readers watch as Oedipus declares to find the killer of former king Laius but instead he
finds out his true identity. After accusing and blaming others for actions that were not true and
pushing a further investigation into the death of the king but he finds that he was the person he was
looking for. In the end Oedipus Rex could not bear the thought of what he found out about himself
that he decided to gouge his eyes out for being so blind to what he truly was.
Controversial Plot
The most controversial argument concerning Oedipus Rex is the one of Oedipus' freedom. The
readers debate whether his choices are deterministic or free willed. The primary sought after issues
are that of parricide, incest, ignorance, and the exposure of a child.
Oedipus' first controversy was recalled by Oedipus which originally took place before the play
started. Oedipus spoke about how, "[he] lost his balance and fell from the carriage and lay there
helpless – on his back – [Oedipus] killed him" (Sophocles 19). Although he did not know it at the
time this was when Oedipus was committing parricide by killing his father at the place where the
three roads meet.
Oedipus sin of incest was bedding and having children with his mother. The sin was not ever said
clearly by either Jocasta or Oedipus. Instead when Jocasta realizes what she had done she begged
Oedipus that, "in the name of God,

Oedipus Rex
The philosopher Aristotle wrote his work Poetics as a deconstruction of aesthetics approximately 50
years after the death of Sophocles, the author of Oedipus Rex. Aristotle was a great admirer of the
works of Sophocles and is said to have considered Oedipus Rex to be the perfect tragedy and the
basis for his thoughts in Poetics. He defines tragedy as, "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 fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such
emotions...Every tragedy, therefore, must have six parts, which ... Show more content on
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In Oedipus Rex some of the key incidents are the receipt of the information from the oracle that
Laius' murderer be found, the argument between Oedipus and Creon, and the story Jocasta tells
Oedipus about the murder of Laius. This all leads to the metabasis and perpetia, or the shift in the
action and recognition, when Oedipus learns that Polybus was not his real father. The climax of
Oedipus Rex comes with the stories of the messenger and the herdsman revealing the entire story of
how Oedipus ended up in Thebes and how he fulfilled his fate.
Aristotle's next principle is the character, and he tells us the main character should be good,
appropriate, consistent, and yet consistently inconsistent. So, very much like a real person that the
audience can relate to. There will be a protagonist, the character undergoing the struggle, who is the
lead character represented by Oedipus in this play. There is also the antagonist, or the other side of
the struggle. This is the bad guy normally, but in Oedipus Rex the thing which Oedipus struggles
against is his own fate, making it the antagonist. Oedipus fits Aristotle's definition of a good
protagonist and lead character because he is good but makes mistakes. Throughout the play Oedipus
seems to be a good and righteous man who tries to avoid his fate of killing his father and laying with
his mother, and is also motivated to save the city where he is King. According to Aristotle there
should be some

The Downfall Of Oedipus Rex
Throughout Oedipus Rex you are taken through Oedipus' downfall. Oedipus' biological parents
were told by a prophet that their son would kill his father and marry his mother. With this in mind
they sent their son with his feet tied together to die on a mountain side. The man taking the poor boy
could not leave him so he gave him to a messenger from the city of Corinth. The king and queen
took the orphan in as their own child and raised him as if he was their own blood. Little did they
know he would be told his true prophecy, and in an attempt to save his thought to be parents, he
flees his city. This is where the story begins and the readers begin to learn Oedipus' true side, from
his flaws to his downfall. He shows that he is tempered, self–centered, and prideful in everything he
does. These flaws lead to his downfall as king and his prophecy comes true which shows that he is a
static character. Oedipus was a man who had a short temper. He became enraged when King Laius
ran him off the road, so he killed him and all of his men except one. This was the beginning of the
downfall of Oedipus. From here Oedipus comes into Thebes and saves them from the sphinx and
married Jocasta who was King Laius' wife. This was the downward spiral of his prophecy coming
true, killing his father and marrying his mom. The one man that got away from the murder of the
king and his men later identified Oedipus as the murderer and the baby of Jocasta and Laius.
Oedipus' anger continued throughout the story, he got enraged at the prophet for revieikling him as
the murderer so he teamed up with Creon to overthrow him. Oedipus' anger gets out of hand on
multiple accounts and never changes, making him a static character throughout the story. As a self–
centered individual he chooses himself over others on many occasions. From the beginning you
learn how selfish Oedipus truly is. He begins with attempting to get sympathy from the people of
Thebes even though he is the one that is suppose to save them. Later in the story, when he is
questioning the Prophet Teiresias he should have stopped questioning him when he was told not to
ask any more questions. With continuous questions he upset the prophet which in return upsets the
god. As

Oedipus Rex
Essay on Oedipus Rex
4–3–97
In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, the theme of irony plays an important part through the play. What
Oedipus does, what he says, and even who he is can sometimes be ironic. This irony can help us to
see the character of Oedipus as truly a 'blind' man, or a wholly 'public' man.
A great irony is found in Oedipus's decree condemning the murderer. Oedipus says, "To avenge the
city and the city's god, / And not as though it were for some distant friend, / But for my own sake, to
be rid of evil. / Whoever killed King Laios might – who knows? – / Decide at any moment to kill
me as well." Later he says, "As for the criminal, I pray to God – / Whether it be a lurking thief, or
one of a number – / I pray that that man's life be ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In her ignorant quest to defy the inevitable, to achieve the impossible, she raises the fears and anger
of the chorus, who know that the prophesies must come true.
There are two prophesies in the play. One, that the child of Laios would murder him, and two, that
Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. Both Laios and Oedipus went to great lengths to
avoid these fates and defy the gods. Laios sent his son to die on a mountain, and Oedipus left his
'homeland' forever. In their actions to defy the prophesy, they set in motion the events which would
fulfill them. The Prophesy is truth; it cannot be avoided. However, this does not mean that the fate
controls the actions of the man. The Prophesy must be looked at as being out of time, seeing the
past, the present and the future all at once. Although the individual controls completely his or her
actions, the Prophesy sees these actions in the past, the present and in the future, and reports only
the truth. Maybe if Laios did not question the Oracle, the prophesy would have been different
because he would not have sent his child away. However one could never know this, because the
prophesy would be an untold tale.
Commentary
It would be hard to find a play that has been more universally praised than Oedipus Rex ("King
Oedipus"). Aristotle considered it the model tragedy, and that opinion has been widely held to the
present day. No drama

The Consequences Of Oedipus Rex
Sometimes a man is in a middle of the worst of his life, not knowing what happen to lead to this or
what he can do to salvage what little shrapnel of life that he can. Oedipus from Socrates' great work
Oedipus Rex knows this kind of feeling far too well, having the city of Thebes in which citizens
worship him as king have their be under some sort of curse of unknown origin. The curse, sadly, had
its origin in Oedipus himself and the parents which abandoned him, causing a string of events which
include father murder, incest, self–doubt, suspicion, and a plethora of other events which sends
Oedipus' mind farther and farther down into the abyss and eventually lead to the stabbing of eyes
and the exilement of the once sane king. The truly ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Instead Oedipus had to deal with trauma all throughout his life and had to live a life life of tragedy.
In the sense of a tragic hero, Oedipus hits all the marks. Mask with arrogance throughout the story
until the end, making a critical discovery and having that change hm as a person for the better, dying
at the end or shortly after the end, the whole nine yards. Compared to most other famous tragic
heroes, however, Oedipus had less information about his "tragic" flaws. The only other flaw he had
besides his arrogance was that he slept with his mother. At that point in the story he thought that his
true mother was his mother back in Corinth and that the person he was sleeping with was just some
random lady that the previous king who was killed by someone married a while back. He had no
idea that that was his mother and that sleeping with her was even remotely wrong. Heck, even
Jocasta didn't even know that that was her son. Both parties gave consent and didn't feel anything
was wrong even though something was clearly wrong throughout all of the sexual activities between
them.
Oedipus himself is a very... interesting character to say the least. The lack of information that was
presented to him was his main downfall. All that was wrong with him he couldn't do anything about.
The only thing he could do was find it all out eventually and grow gradually insane due to the flow

The Tragedy Of Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is a tragedy revolving around the titular character Oedipus. Oedipus is a
tragic hero and his story starts en media res, or, in the middle of things. I will first examine what
happens before the story starts. Oedipus was the son of the king and queen of Thebes, King Laius,
and Queen Jocasta. It was prophesied that Oedipus would kill Laius and marry Jocasta. To prevent
this from happening, Laius and Jocasta leave Oedipus to die, but a shepherd gives him to a
messenger and the messenger gives the child to the king and queen of Corinth. Through lack of
communication, Oedipus does not know that Laius and Jocasta are his real parents, and they don't
know that Oedipus is alive. This is where we get into Oedipus' flaws as a tragic hero. His main flaw
his Hubris, or, excessive pride. Two other important flaws are his selfishness and short temper. It is
Oedipus' short temper that causes him to kill King Laius, his father when Oedipus got some road
rage. Another example of one of Oedipus' flaws, his ignorance, and selfishness, is what causes his
blindness and him being a static character. Oedipus is too ignorant to realize all the signs that point
to his prophecy becoming correct, he defiles the gods and their oracles just out of spite, excessive
pride, ignorance, and selfishness. His pure ignorance causes him to be blind.
To further prove the point that Oedipus is a static character when he does finally realize that he
killed his own father and married his

Essay On Oedipus Rex
Plagues are beyond man's control; therefore, they believed that someone with higher power created
tragedies, human suffering, trials, and tribulations due to man's sinful acts or to test the nature of
man. Oedipus Rex downfall according to the play is by the god called Apollo. According to Opina
states, In Roman Mythology, Apollo, was the arch–god of medicine and healing light, truth, archery
and the bringer of death dealing plague" (Opina, n.d., slide 19). The plague fell on Thebes after the
actions of Jocasta and Laius. Also after the actions of Oedipus killing a person on a road to Thebes.
The presence of an oracle which is the communicator between man and the gods make the audience
believe that all the terrible things happen to Oedipus was from his own actions not the gods.
Oedipus, who cursed from the time he was born; therefore, the gods may have cursed him, but it
was his chose to commit murder and all the other decisions that made the oracle prophetic words
happened. The curse started with his father, King Laius of Thebes who learned from an oracle that
the hand of his own son killed him, and so ordered his wife Jocasta to kill the Oedipus. There
actions set off a chain of events that cause the tragedy. Othello downfall coerced by someone the
thought he knows so well, and self–inflicted because he did not trust his true love. Iago dislikes
Othello because of the promotion of Cassio and other factors. He used Othello's love for his wife
drove him in sane to

Oedipus The World Of Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex: A Phrase to Describe Oedipus' World To describe the world of Oedipus Rex I have
selected the phrasing; "false sense of security". Although it was not the concluding word on my tree,
I realized that it was important to describe the play and its world as such. Having a "false sense of
security" could be a feeling that the characters have but it could also be an underlying contribution
to the play itself. Think of it as that feeling when the characters on stage assume they are overly
secure but we, as audience members, start to realize that they are actually not. This describes the
world in which the character, Oedipus, lives in. One filled with fate, denial, spirituality, dependence,
fear, smugness, and blindness. All of these words which create a false atmosphere.
My word tree starts off with the word "fate". I thought it was more suiting to start off with "fate"
rather than "spiritual" because it could seem that regardless if you believe in the spiritual world or
not, fate always has a way of happening. Oedipus and Jocasta ignored the prophets or tried to
prevent the future from happening and yet their fate happened regardless. Fate encompasses not
only those two characters, however. A majority of the side characters in Oedipus also had a hand in
making Oedipus' fate come true. For example, the Shepherd who saved Oedipus' life when he was a
baby as opposed to letting him die. Thus "fate" is a strong word to start off with because it does not
just deal with

Guilt In Oedipus Rex
The speech of Oedipus ("Tell me not....... can under bear"–48–50) in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
depicts guilt and shame and action versus reaction when he realizes his own misdeeds. Although
Oedipus committed the sin of murdering and incest unknowingly, he could not forgive himself for
violating two basic rules of human civilized world–taboo against murder and incest of own parents.
Oedipus promised to bring justice by punishing the killer of King Laius and save Thebes from
plague. The helplessness of Oedipus for the unbearable shame is vivid when he says, "I know not
how with seeing eyes I could have looked upon my father–coming to the underworld, or my mother,
when against them both I have sinned sins, worse than a halter's meed" (48). The agony

Oedipus Rex Translations
"A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged, it is the skin of a living thought and may vary
greatly in the color and content according to the circumstances and the time which it is used"(Justice
Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1918). In the two different versions of Oedipus Rex, the first version
translated by Fitts and Fitzgerald, and the second translated by Luci Berowitz and Theodore
Brunner, the emotional appeal is quite different due to the different diction of each of the translation
versions. The different diction in the two versions seems to give Oedipus two different characters.
The diction that the four authors use in their translations of Oedipus Rex is very effective in
conveying different emotional feelings about Oedipus and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
In the Berkowitz/Brunner version, Oedipus directly questions his citizens about what they need. He
questions quickly, wanting to get to the point, "has something frightened you? What brings you
here? Some need? Some want?" Oedipus wants to reach out in every possible subject of help they
may desire. The diction makes Oedipus seem more passionate about helping his people. In the other
version, Oedipus does not seem passionate and seems to want to help the Theban citizens because of
obligation. However, in both versions, they want to help. As far as what Oedipus thinks about the
situation in Thebes and improving it, he wants to help in both translations. Wanting to help the
Thebans is one of the major similarity in the two passages. In the Fitts/Fitzgerald translation,
Oedipus seems to be telling his people that he will have no problems in helping them, and that they
should not worry. He says, "never doubt that I will help you/ in every way that I can"
(Fitts/Fitzgerald). This shows his over–confidence because he personally thinks that there will never
be a time in which he will not be able to help them. The other version portrays Oedipus a more
humbler and simpler of a man, as he just states, "I 'll help you all I can"(Berowitz/Brunner). This
shows how he does not guarantee the Thebans that he definitely will resolve the plague of Thebes,
but he comforts them by saying that he will try his hardest to help them.

Oedipus Rex And Antigone
The Final Class Critique Oedipus Rex and Antigone written by Sophocles were two difficult but
enjoyable plays. I think the pacing of the class reading these two plays were a little off. It seemed to
me that we either took to long on a part of the play or we rushed through a part. I personally think
that the class should read these two plays first because, there a bit longer than the short stories that
we read. Reading these first would be beneficial because everyone just came back from spring break
and would be refreshed. Which would make going through the reading easier. The Taming of the
Shrew written by Shakespeare was one of my favorite readings. The activities and assignments that
went with the reading were very helpful when trying to

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 on Helpwriting.net
...
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, the tragic 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

Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles
"My parents are really well intended, and I think their way of dealing with things is denial and guilt.
Nobody wanted to talk about it. But all I did was blame myself." This quote, from actress Teri
Hatcher about her own childhood also relates to Oedipus's situation from Oedipus Rex by
Sophocles. Sophocles' Oedipus Rex tells the story of a monarch named Oedipus whowho becomes
the unfortunate victim of circumstances beyond his control. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus' downfall is
not a result of excessive hubris or his actions, but rather his parents' disgraceful actions and
uncontrollable aspects of fate. Oedipus' parents actions and decisions are a major element in
Oedipus' tragic downfall. Before Oedipus is born, Laius and Jocasta, the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The driver struck Oedipus to get him to move out of the way, but this enraged the young man, who
continued to fight and kill the driver and the man he was transporting – King Laius." (Oedipus 1) At
this revelation, Oedipus discovers that he fulfilled the prophecy of the Oracle, and blinds himself in
his grief. Laius and Jocasta should never have abandoned Oedipus on Mount Cithaeron. If Jocasta
and Laius had raised Oedipus instead of Polybus and Merope, then Oedipus wouldn't have
inadvertently killed his father or unknowingly married his mother and the prophecy foretold by the
Oracle at Delphi would never have come true. Oedipus could not control the fact that his parents
abandoned him on Mount Cithaeron nor did he intentionally marry his mother. Jocasta and Laius
and Oedipus' tragic downfall by trying to prevent the prophecy from coming true and allowing their
own selfishness get in the way of doing what was best for their child. They were so concerned about
their own lives that they did not care about Oedipus and cruelly cast him aside. Laius and Jocasta's
ineptness as parents are primary causes of Oedipus' defeat; Oedipus was in no way responsible for
his parents actions and decisions. Random acts of fate also play an important role in Oedipus'
tragedy. Fate is also an important

Oedipus Rex By Sophocles
Free Response Questions
There is many novels and plays out there that discuss what the father tells the son in the novel by
William Styron, "life is a search for justice". For example, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. After
Oedipus saved the city of Thebes from the evil Sphinx, he does not know the problems that will
come. He later on encounters these problems and tries to find justice for him and for the city.
To begin with, when Oedipus saved the City of Thebes, he then became king, and married the
Queen because the old King had been killed. Later on, Tiresias a blind prophet told Oedipus that he
had killed his father. This goes back when the King Laius and the Queen Jocasta wanted to have a
baby, but the prophet warned them that their son would ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She had done this because she had not found out that she had slept with her son. In addition,
Oedipus later on understood that he needed to leave the city because that would be the only way that
the plague would go and that the city would be fine. In order for him to get justice with the city he
would need to leave. So that was what he did. Oedipus took his eyes out and left the city. He asked
Creon to take care of his children and Oedipus was off. He eventually died later in the mountains.
His search for justice was eventually successful for the city but not for him. Oedipus died but the
city was now cured by the plague. After all Oedipus had done for the city, it shows that he is a good
man that cares for others. He left the city in order to keep it alive, which means a lot to the people
who lived there.
All in all, throughout the story Oedipus showed the audience that he was a good man, besides him
killing his father, but who wouldn't get mad after someone bothering you for a while. Even Though
Oedipus did not know that Laius was his dad and Jocasta was his mother, he understood what he
had done was wrong and blamed himself for everything. Oedipus was brave enough to leave the city
in order for it to be back to a healthy

Fall Of Oedipus Rex
Carved into the entrance of the Oracle at Delphi are two phrases, words of advice and caution for
"Know yourself" and "Nothing too much". Delphi plays an important part in the story of Oedipus,
the oracle is where the all–important prophecy is twice delivered and where the kings of Thebes
seek solutions for the people's torments. Oedipus's fatal flaw is that by seeking to fulfill his duty as
king and his own natural curiosity he has learned too much about himself.
These closing lines follow the same general path as the play itself. First it regresses to Oedipus's
cleverness and strong leadership of Thebes, reminding the audience of the great king he had been
before his fall.
"Dwellers in native Thebes, behold this Oedipus
Who solved the famous riddle, was your mightiest man.
What citizen on his lot did not with envy gaze?"
In class, we've talked about how Aristotle viewed the tragedy as the way in which the average
Athenian could feel horrific and extreme emotions they could not in their daily lives, so they could
leave feeling cleansed. Oedipus Rex would infect its spectators with a sense of dread of the
inevitable reveal to Oedipus of his true parentage. People like to feel dread in their entertainment.
As they say everyone loves a good trainwreck, they love them even more when they can see them
coming. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They knew that what they were walking into. They knew that Oedipus was the killer he sought.
They knew that he had married his mother. They knew that the blind prophet Tiresias was telling the
truth. For the audience, this play is waiting game a slow horrific reveal. When they see Oedipus
presented in the first act of the play as a wise and noble king, they know they're going to watch his
family, his kingdom, and very sanity be torn asunder. They're watching an ancient Titanic. They
know the iceberg is coming, they're just waiting for those on the ship to see it too, so the ship starts

Oedipus Rex, Or Oedipus The King
Oedipus Rex, or Oedipus the King, has been translated thousands of times from the original ancient
Greek version to English of varying recency. Consequently, each work varies incredibly in its
meaning and its presentation of Oedipus and the tragedy surrounding him. Two translations of
Sophocles' ancient play, one translated by Robert Fagles and the other by J.T. Shepherd, are perfect
illustrations of this concept. Although these two works share several similarities, they vary greatly in
their presentation, language, and, ultimately, their effect on the reader.
To begin, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, comes across an unsolved murder– the murder of the former
king Laius during his travels. This case had not been solved by the people of Thebes because of the
Sphinx, a terrible monster who unleashed a red plague at the same time as Laius's death and refused
to leave until someone solved her riddle. At this time, Oedipus the young traveller arrived at Thebes,
and saved her people by answering the Sphinx's riddle. Years later, Oedipus promises to save
Thebes once more by resolving Laius's murder. However, he stumbles across a complication– a
prophecy, from his youth. He fled from his home, Corinth, years before when Apollo gave him a
frightening message– he would inevitably kill his father, and marry his mother. As Oedipus comes
closer to unveiling the truth of Laius's death, his wife, Jocasta, warns him to desist. Oedipus
disregards her advice, and continues to uncover clues, only

Who Is Oedipus Rex?
In the film, Oedipus Rex begins when Oedipus comes out the palace and asks the people of Thebes
why they are suffering. The people want Oedipus to stop the plague so Oedipus lets them know that
he sent Creon to the oracles to see how he can stop the plague. Creon tells Oedipus that he has to
find the murder of the previous king of Thebes who is also his father. Oedipus starts to investigate
by questioning Creon so Creon tells Oedipus that Tiresias, who is a blind prophet, can help him
solve the murder. However, Tiresias tell Oedipus that he is the person he is trying to find, but
Oedipus becomes angry and doesn't believe Tiresias, so instead he starts to think that Creon and
Tiresias are against him and are trying to destroy him. Jocasta

Rex, Rex As A Tragic Hero In Oedipus Rex
The play "Oedipus Rex" recounts about the King of Thebes who was destined by prophecy to
murder his father and wed his mother. Regardless of his attempts to evade his fate, he inadvertently
fulfills it, which unavoidably led to his demise. Prior to the start of the play, the reader learns
Oedipus ascended to the throne of Thebes after unraveling the enigma of the Sphinx. While under
the jurisdiction of Oedipus, the Theban city was struck with a plague, respectively due to the death
of the former king. Oedipus is considered a tragic hero because he meets all five criteria designed by
Aristotle: the hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, hubris, and acquiring a fate that is greater than
deserved. As defined by Aristotle, hamartia is a flaw or error in judgment of a hero. The hamartia is
most clearly illustrated in Oedipus' struggle to surpass his destiny. Upon learning his fate, Oedipus
flees his family in Corinth and obtains the throne of Thebes. The citizens of Thebes became his
loyal followers and proclaim him as "Oedipus, king of the land our greatest power (Sophocles 1)."
Oedipus believed that he successfully dodged his destiny in Corinth, but Creon brought news that
there was a corruption of power in the royal household of Thebes, "Drive the corruption from the
land, don't harbor it any longer, past all cure, don't nurse it in the soil– root it out (Sophocles 2)!"
Unbeknownst to Oedipus, it was he who was corrupt. Oedipus also showcases the characteristics of
hamartia when he accuses Creon of conspiring against him by stating that he had murdered the
former King Laius. An outraged Oedipus declared, "My loyal friend steals against me (Sophocles
5)", believing Creon was falsifying the information that he had received from the oracles of Delphi.
Oedipus' wife, spares Creon's life by convincing Oedipus that Creon was always a faithful and
reliable source of information.
Oedipus experiences the second trait of a tragic hero, peripeteia, when he successfully became King
of Thebes, but ends up fulfilling the oracle's prophecy. Aristotle's definition of peripeteia is a
reversal of fortune, meaning a change for the worst. One example is the scene in which the
messenger informs Oedipus that Polybus was not his true

Sophocles Oedipus Rex
Sophocles uses a variety of dramatic conventions like his formal structure, prologue, parados,
scenes/episodes, choral odes, and the exodos and the role of the chorus to support the theme of fate
in the play, Oedipus Rex.
The structure that is used by Sophocles has an effect on the dramatic plot due to the prologue and
parts of the play as a whole. The prologue is significant because it explains how and why Oedipus
got to where he was. Oedipus is a traditional Greek hero. Greek Tragedies have a technique called a
flawed hero. He is unaware that he is the problem, that his actions have caused the misery. On the
other hand we, the audience know it is his fault and his 'blindness' to the truth is the main conflict
within the play. For example, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They help the actors prepare by letting some time pass which also allows the audience to prepare
themselves for the next scene. But most importantly, the chorus dramatizes their own development.
They sometimes think and doubt, wish and expect the wrong. They are much like us, as they are
undergoing the process of being educated and enlightened by the experience of the reality of life. In
the beginning they only express some faith in the gods, but they disbelieve and even disregard the
prophecy of Teiresias by saying that "these evil words are lies". Then they begin to fear the law of
the gods and express that fear, warning us also that the disobedience of the divine laws brings about
doom. In the third ode, they express a false wish that Oedipus were the son of the gods, but they do
emphasize that we can never see the future. At last, they fully change and purify themselves
directing our process of change also. In the fourth ode, they finally realize the ultimate reality that
fate rules us absolutely. They pity and fear the plight of Oedipus, and they help us have the
catharsis. Their comment is thematic and it dramatizes the full development of their growth. That
embodies the dramatic effect intended for the audience

Oedipus Rex And The Downfall Of Oedipus
A man has many defining characteristics. Some characteristics are positive, and others negative.
There are times a potentially positive characteristic may cause his eventual downfall. This concept
could be directly related to the story Oedipus Rex. Aristotle once said something to the effect that
the tragic hero falls into bad fortune because of some flaw in his character. Essentially, he is telling
us those characters, like Oedipus, have flaws that, under normal circumstances, would be a
beneficial characteristic. However in this case, his character caused his demise. The defining
characteristics of pride and determination can be attributed to the downfall of Oedipus. Oedipus'
personality reflects pride and determination throughout the play. When Oedipus heard the oracles'
prediction, that he was to kill his father and marry his mother, he was determined to prevent the
prophecy. Therefore he left his homeland of Corinth with plans to never return. Then when he
solved the Sphinx's riddle at the gate of Thebes, Oedipus' pride rose to a new level. The people of
Thebes praised him, which resulted in his marriage to Jocasta, Queen of Thebes. Oedipus also
shows his determination when searching for Laius' murderer. In scene one, line 47, he stated that he
would avenge the King's death as if Laius were his own father saying, "I say I take the son's part,
just as though I were his son, to press the fight for him and see it won" (Gardner, 715)! He also
curses the

Oedipus Rex By Sophocles?
In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is
Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles,
Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by
Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In
Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is
Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. ...
In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is Sophocles. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Sophocles is
Sophocles, Sophocles is

Sophocles Oedipus Rex
In Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is extremely persistent because he wants to figure out who
killed the former king, Laius. With the information that he discovers about the killer, the plot
completely turns a completely different direction. Investigations aren't always as important as
uncovering the information beneath it. The way a character uses the information shapes them into a
different person and brings the reader more insight on the way that character thinks.
Oedipus' determination to resolve the mystery over who killed the king sets him apart from most
other heroes trying to find justice. Oedipus' search leaves him metaphorically blind (as well as
physically.) When he learns about the murder of Laius from Creon, he creates a plan to ease ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He was also told of the king's murder and became relentless on figuring out who killed him. After
Oedipus correctly answers the riddle, Jocasta takes him as her new husband. This only makes
Oedipus want to resolve the mystery of the murder of Jocasta's former husband even more than ever
before.
After much investigation on the killing of Laius, Oedipus discovers three truths; two of which he
swore would never be true. The least bothersome of the three was the discovery about his biological
parents. Oedipus lived his whole life believing that Polybus was his father and Merope was his
mother; but in fact Laius was his father an Jocasta was his mother. This lie was nothing compared to
his sins.
An even worse discovery than that of being adopted was figuring out that he married his mother,
Jocasta. This made Oedipus cringe with disgust and be ashamed of himself for his sins against
society and the gods. Jocasta and Oedipus had four children together as well as a faithful marriage
which added to his overall shock. As if the inscest wasn't enough, he finally realized who the
murderer of Laius

The Story Of Oedipus Rex
The story of Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles and generously translated by Robert Fitzgerald and
Dudley Fitts, is a greek tragedy that evokes strong emotions from even the most apathetic readers.
The main character, Oedipus, may seem to have a picturesque life with 4 children, a loving wife,
and respect from most, but be wary because all is not as it seems. In attempt to rid Thebes of a
plague of infertility, he uncovers many truths that turn out to be a poison chalice for Oedipus. As
described by Aristotle, a tragic hero is, "A virtuous man whose misfortune is brought about not by
depravity, but by some error or frailty." Oedipus is the perfect example of a classic tragic hero
because he is a waning king who lets his hubris get the best of him, which eventually leads to his
reversal of fate and inevitable downfall. The most obvious archetypal characteristic that Oedipus
shares is the fact that (although unaware at first) he is of royal blood. After the previous king, Laius,
was arbitrarily murdered, the citizens of Thebes looked to Oedipus to claim the throne after
heroically defeating the Sphinx. The Sphinx is a riddling creature that not even Apollo's prophets
can decipher, so when Oedipus decoded the Sphinx's riddles and ultimately kills the monster, the
citizens of Thebes look to him. Because of such a triumph, Oedipus is treated with respect and
reverence by all the Theban people; including the Priest, who when consulting Oedipus, begins
with, "Great Oedipus, O powerful King of Thebes!" (Oedipus Rex 16). The priest and other
characters within the play (including Oedipus himself) refer to Oedipus with the utmost respect, by
using terms such as great and powerful. In return, he treats them with kindness and empathy as if the
city and its people are his own children. In response to the Priest's dreadful news he cries out, "Poor
children! You may be sure I know/All that you longed for in coming here./ I know that you are
deathly sick; and yet,/Sick as you are, not one is as sick as I [...] my spirit/Groans for the city, for
myself, for you." (Oedipus Rex 60–66). Although he is perfectly healthy, he states that no one is as
sick as he is to express his concern for his people. Oedipus, as a

Oedipus Rex Ethics

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