Oedipus Rex Chapter 3 Outline

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Episode 3
Summary
A messenger arrives looking for Oedipus. However, Jocasta is there to talk to the messenger. The messenger informs Jocasta that Polybus, King of Corinth, has passed away due to natural causes. Instead of reacting to the news of his father’s death by grieving, Jocasta and Oedipus are quite happy with the news. They believe that with Polybus’ death, Oedipus’ fate is liberated. Although Jocasta believes Oedipus is free of the prophecy, Oedipus is still worried about the part of the prophecy that talks about Oedipus sleeping with his mother. Upon hearing Oedipus’ concerns, the messenger informs Oedipus that the Queen of Corinth is not actually his real mother. The messenger reveals that Oedipus was actually found on a mountainside. …show more content…

Hubris becomes extremely evident when Oedipus remarks, “Well, he’s dead, and may he rest in peace in Hades realm with all those prophecies - worth nothing now” (Sophocles, Ep. 3. p.52) These lines show excessive pride because it reveals how Oedipus believes himself to be greater than what he truly is. With the death of his “father,” Oedipus thinks that he is great enough to overcome his own destiny and go against the will of the Gods. This particular characteristic is significant for a tragic hero because in many cases, the hero’s hubris leads to the hero’s downfall. In Oedipus’ case, he finds out that the King and Queen of Corinth are not blood related to him. In result, Oedipus also finds out that he did actually kill his father and did sleep with his mother. Another characteristic that is present in the episode is Oedipus’ unwavering commitment to this investigation. This is evident when Oedipus ignores Jocasta’s warnings and says, “Persuaded from the truth? Pursuing it? I must” (Sophocles, Ep. 3. p.59). Jocasta, who begins to learn the truth about Oedipus’ situation, pleads to Oedipus to halt the investigation. However, Oedipus, who has the right stop the investigation, is driven by his own sense of justice and allows the investigation to continue. In result, Oedipus’ commitment also contributes to his fall because it proves to Oedipus that the prophecy is

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