Humanity In Sophocles 'Oedipus The King'

Maryam Makhdoum

308 words

Oedipus the King

“Oedipus the King” by Sophocles, is a dramatic play with a tragic ending. Tragedy is certainly the oldest form of drama in the ancient Greek literature. Moreover, it was a symbol of religious and political event which called upon all the Greeks to be aware of their relationships with gods. In fact, the Greek tragedy aims to illustrate the misery and glory of life and at the same time, aims to explore the nature of humanity. In their tragedies the main character always suffers from serious misfortune which is basically the consequences of their own action.

In “Oedipus the King”, for instance, when the priest send him a massage regarding ending the plaque by punishing the murderer of the previous king, Oedipus accepted to find the murderer. He did not know that he is the one who killed the former king who was indeed his own father. Oedipus instantly swears to find the murderer and save the city. It is very interesting to note that ancient Greeks identify the king with the land; hence, any sort of corruption in that specific domain causes famine and starvation. Oedipus, take that responsibility to

It is difficult to make a case for someone as a hero when she kills her own children. Indeed, she is not an ordinary woman. She is extreme in her strength, power, and independence. The social rules of woman do not give her security or a position, so she rejects the conventional role in order to achieve revenge. In an entirely patriarchal society, Medea is a symbol of feminine rebellion. Women’s lack of freedom in ancient Greece and not having the opportunity to voice their displeasure and concerns produced an imbalance in society. Medea, as a woman, has no rights, yet, she criticizes the male-centered culture of its time. At the same time, Medea is not exactly a feminist role model. This is not a story of female freedom, but a war between Cunning and