Analysis Of Oedipus The King

583 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis oedipus the king

It seems as if the classical works are replete with dysfunctional families. Oedipus the King is no exception. If the core of a society is found in the nuclear family, then it may be sensible to assume that the Greeks were maligned at the center. On the other hand, they may have been the pinnacle of familial honor if they rooted out their most devious and dangerous escapades in the theater rather than the commons. Whatever the interpretation, there may be value in seeking greater understanding of these people and the meanings of their theatrical themes. One way to gain insight on these matters is to consult one of the greatest critics of ancient times. Aristotle made an interesting commentary about Oedipus the King. He branded the main character of the play a tragic hero. Perhaps, there is more to Oedipus and his tragic story than meets the eye.
As with many plays from the same time period as Oedipus the King, there seems to be more to the story than the tragic story of a simple man. One way that Oedipus the King can be interpreted is as a political commentary about the str...

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Oedipus Rex

    1011 Words  | 3 Pages

    The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle outlined the requirements for a good tragedy, and he based his ideals on the classic Greek play Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles. As Aristotle stated, the perfect tragedy must be an imitation of one’s life, realistic and narrow in its aspects. Such is the case with the play Oedipus Rex, a Greek play revolving around the tragedies of the life of King Oedipus. Oedipus Rex, the protagonist of the first of the three Oedipus plays, has a life of luxury and promise. However, because of the life fate has dictated him and the obstacles he has faced, Oedipus has been proven to have three hamartias, or tragic flaws. His attributes of determination, impatience/disrespect, and hubris greatly contribute to his downfall.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Jason Wishnow´s Oedipus the King

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    The name “Oedipus” is commonly associated with concepts of power, incest, and fate due to Sophocles’ enduring play Oedipus the King, but it is not a word that many Greek historians or literary students would associate with vegetables. In 2005, however, Jason Wishnow created exactly this strange association by directing an eight-minute, stop-motion rendition of Oedipus the King where all of the characters were portrayed as different vegetables, speaking to each other in human voices and acting out the story of the King of Thebes and his tragic fate. Videos such as this that portray ancient stories in a comic light have a few positive attributes including a wider audience base through the use of the Internet and a light-hearted, aesthetically pleasing distraction from the potentially disturbing themes, yet many essential qualities of classic Greek literature are lost in the conversion. Though portraying the story of Oedipus through the medium of a vegetable movie may be more enjoyable than the original text for some audience members, this entertainment value comes at a high cost: emotional attachment to characters is lost, the dramatic ancient Greek setting is upset by multiple anachronisms, and many profound themes are cheapened or omitted in order to make way for the ultimate goal of comic relief.

    Read More

  • Oedipus Character Analysis

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    The concept of life can be a very complex journey that not many are able to comprehend. For some it could be an adventure full of unexpected surprises and misfortunes, while for others it can be a walk in the park on a calm sunny afternoon. Some of us think of life as an ever changing day to day pattern, but what happens when you’re told exactly what your destiny is and that there is no possible way of changing it? In the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles the destiny of a man whose life is full of misery and despair is forsaken by the fact that he’s bound to kill his father and destined to marry his mother. Oedipus is his own worst enemy due to his choices throughout the play, as well as his tragic flaws which are stubborness, naiveness and ignorance.

    Read More

  • The Tragedy of Oedipus the King

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    and that Jocasta is indeed his mother as well as his wife. This occurs rather

    Read More

  • Analysis of Oedipus the King

    559 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Sophocles' “Oedipus Rex”, the theme of irony plays an important part throughout the play. In the play, Oedipus Rex believes that if he leaves Corinth he will be able to avoid his fate. The oracle says the Oedipus will kill his father and bear children with his mother. Eventually, he unknowingly kills his father in a chance meeting and married his mother. Oedipus remains clueless that the oracle’s prediction has come to pass. The play is a tragedy, and Oedipus is a tragic hero because he has an act of injustice, because his downfall is the result of his own fault, because he gains and as well as loses.

    Read More

  • Horror and Self-punishment in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    The opening of the play presents us with a gathering, the old and the young, no women, no fully adult males, so that Oedipus is, at once, magnified and isolated. His calm authority is overwhelming and majestic. But on what does Oedipus' authority rest? There is a crucial uncertainty here. The opening scenes present us with an image of Oedipus as a political figure, a human king whose power derives from the community he rules, whose perceptions and whose feelings are indissoluble bound up with the experience of the men of Thebes, whose language he speaks and where he belongs.

    Read More

  • The Greek Tragedy of Oedipus the King

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ultimately, this Greek tragedy demonstrates that a hero’s respectable traits can be factors in producing his or her dramatic downfall. Oedipus did have negative qualities that anticipated his death, but his compassion, diligence, and justness, all being desirable qualities, led him to his fatality even more so. But then again, would Oedipus have been a noble king if he was lacking those three qualities? Would he have even been given the position of king in the first place? Therefore, just as a leopard cannot change its spots, Oedipus could not change his destiny that was to come.

    Read More

  • Oedipus the King: The Greek Period

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    Oedipus the King    The Greek period, in the fourth and fifth centuries of B.C., evolved from a small city called Athens, Europe.  In this era, a sweep of talent and creativity placed a historical advance on theater, that will dominate for years to come.  This spirit most likely emerged from the defeat of the Persian Empire, along with the sense of freedom and expression from the Athenian democracy.  Four great writers derived from this ancient astonishment.  Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were three writers of tragedy, whereas Aristophanes was a famous comic dramatist.  From these original works came the play festivals using masks and boots to accommodate for the size of the Greek theater.  These tragedies the Athenians went to see consisted of five episodes, and one in particular, Oedipus the King, is made up of five choral odes, featuring the mystery behind the riddle of the sphinx.  The dithyrambs were a beginning stage or rough draft of what the plays would soon come to be.  Dionysis is the name of a theater where people like Thespis and other Greek actors performed, using the three unities to keep the audiences attention alarmed and suspense building.

    Read More

  • Feminism In Oedipus The King

    599 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Oedipus the King" which is an Athenian tragedy written around 420 BC, has long been regarded the most powerful expression of Greek tragic drama by Sophocles who was the great ancient Greek writer. Oedipus is the protagonist of the play, the King of Thebes, married Iocaste. In the beginning o...

    Read More

  • Oedipus the King: Characterization

    2442 Words  | 5 Pages

    This essay will illustrate the types of characters depicted in Sophocles’ tragic drama, Oedipus Rex, whether static or dynamic, flat or round, and whether protrayed through the showing or telling technique.

    Read More

  • An Analysis of Oedipus the King

    465 Words  | 1 Pages

    Here is a story where Oedipus the King, who has accomplished great things in his life, discovers that the gods were only playing with him. He has everything a man of that time could want; he is king of Thebes, he has a wonderful wife and children, and great fame through out the lands. He has lived a good life, but in the end everything is taken from him.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Oedipus The King

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex is believed to be one of the best classical examples of the Greek classical order and what tragedy represents. Many Greek tragedies include a central character that is known to be the “tragic hero”. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus the main character plays this role. This paper will give a brief summary of some of the characteristics of a tragic hero, while also analyzing all the major events that lead to Oedipus rise and downfall.

    Read More

  • Oedipus The King Tragedy Analysis

    1733 Words  | 4 Pages

    Greek Drama had three main categories The Comedy, Satyr Plays, and The Tragedy. The most popular of the three is The Tragedy, its themes are often such as loss of love, complex relationships between men and the gods, and corruption of power. These dramas taught the people of the city the difference between good and bad behavior and the ramifications of going against the gods. According to Aristotle, the perfect tragedy consisted of the downfall of the hero through a great misunderstanding, causing suffering and awareness for the protagonist meanwhile making the audience feel pity and fear. The prominent writer who Aristotle based his perfect tragedy theory was Sophocles, his drama Oedipus the King had all the elements of a perfect tragedy.

    Read More

  • The Tragedy of “Oedipus the King”

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles is a tragedy of a man who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. Aristotles’ ideas of tragedy are tragic hero, hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, and catharsis these ideas well demonstrated throughout Sophocles tragic drama of “Oedipus the King”.

    Read More

  • Oedipus the King: A Classical Tragedy

    755 Words  | 2 Pages

    Aristotle, in his work 'The Poetics', tried to define the tragedy. Aristotle said that the hero, or at least the main character in a tragedy must be essentially good, but must bring upon himself his fall, due to a fatal flaw. Were the character not noble, many reason, an audience would not care about the person, and would not really notice his fall - from the street to the gutter is not a long way. In today's society this, of course, has been shown not to be true.  Modern playwrights have proven that an audience certainly can care about less prolific heroes, but in classical literature this rule stands, and all heroes of tragedy were noble, and tried to do good, but failed. Oedipus follows these rules in that he was a good, understanding and just person while anger and pride were his tragic flaws.

    Read More

More about Analysis Of Oedipus The King

Open Document