Oedipus Rex: Significant Writing from the Ancient World

Oedipus Rex: Significant Writing from the Ancient World

One source of momentous stories of Western culture comes from Ancient Greece. Numerous generations of students study these imperative works of genius. Sophocles, who created many of these significant tragic plays, thrives in the four hundreds B.C.E. Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is one of the notable tragedies written by Sophocles. The overall message of the play is to be not full of pride and arrogance. The reason for choosing Oedipus Rex is that I read this play before, and I have study this tragedy in school previously. The purpose of Sophocles to create Oedipus Rex is to tell the audience not to be arrogant and prideful by showing that Oedipus and his father believe to be self-important, make sure that one has check all possibilities before coming a conclusion and bashing others who may know more than other people do, do not be overconfident in one actions because there may be other factors that affect the result, Sophocles use his own beliefs that are demonstrative through the characters that are conceited, and finally to teach that pride is destructive to noble people that only want to do the right action. Oedipus and his parents tries to defy prophecy given from the divine that Oedipus murders his father and marries his mother. People believe that people cannot defy the celestial beings. “Above all else, this tragedy is about the unbridgeable gulf between gods and humans” (Matthews). Oedipus’s and his parents’ prides lead them to believe that they can fill the space that separates men and gods. That they alone by human will alone can change what the divine will that told them what will happen. The consequences will lead to both Oedipus’s parents’...

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...es by blinding himself. Some students may miss Sophocles warning about pride. These students may focus on incest, or the divine fate that Oedipus must face. Do not live life in fear of possibilities of that is horrid. Live life one day at a time and face all consequences head on.

1. Source: Sophocles, and David D. Mulroy. Oedipus Rex. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, 2011. Print.

1. Source: Moharil, Avinash. "Oedipus Rex: Role Of Destiny." Indian Streams Research Journal 2.1 (2012): 31-32. Print.

1. Source: Matthews, Roy T. "Sophocles Oedipus the King." Readings to Accompany Experience Humanities. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014. 46. Print.

Destiny of Oedipus." Beck1. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2014. .

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