Oedipus Character Analysis

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One great ruler and respected leader has finally come face to face with fate. Oedipus has realized that he has killed his father, married his mother and has children with the women who gave birth to him. His search for Laius` killer and who’s also the cause of the plague has brought him to discover that the terrifying truth that altered his life drastically. His search for the culprit has caused him to find out the truth, the truth about his identity, the truth that caused him to blind himself. Oedipus` journey of self-discovery provides the reader with the plays final message.
The broad mystery in the play was about the killer of Laius. But throughout the play the mystery shifts to Oedipus and Oedipus’ identity. The play starts off with Oedipus …show more content…

He passed on his life without paying for his crime, escaping punishment, and not facing any consequences for his actions. Oedipus had one character trait that directly affected his personality and downfall, arrogance. Arrogance brought Oedipus’ downfall, destroyed his life. Even after Tiresias( blind prophet) told Oedipus the truth about the prophecy he still didn’t believe him and questioned his liability “I say you slew the man whose slayer you seek”(line 381), Oedipus made Tiresias repeat this statement three times because he was arrogant enough to not believe the blind prophet. After all the evidence provided to Oedipus he still didn’t believe the truth (until the sole survivor clears everything up), …show more content…

To truly understand his fate Oedipus had to let go of arrogance and his identity as a king. If Oedipus was really the killer, he would lose all the respect and honor and turn into a petty criminal which was worst that death for him. His unknown fate (murder of Laius) was the reason that caused him to blind himself rather than to see the suffering he brought upon everyone, but in the end his ability to realize the truth and punish himself made him a tragic hero. Asking to be sent away, asking for punishment made him an honorable hero “send me from this land” (line

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