Oedipus Rex Research Essay
Sophocles’ three Theban plays recounts the myths leading up to Oedipus’ tragic downfall as a result of his great, great grandfather’s curse along with his pride and ignorance. From these myths, the reader is able to obtain knowledge on the many themes presented that are still relevant today. They are also able to see the importance of these myths and the role they play in society.
In Edith Hamilton’s book, Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, she explores the curse that affected generations of Cadmus’ family. She begins with the daughter of Agenor, the Phoenician king of Tyre’s abduction by Zeus. In discovering her disappearance, Agenor sent his three sons out to look for her. His eldest and wisest son,
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Before Oedipus was even born, he was prophesied to kill his father, Laius and marry his mother, Jocasta. Therefore when his parents bore him by accident, they had a shepherd leave him in the mountains to die. However, out of guilt, the shepherd gave Oedipus to King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth. They raised him as their own, not knowing anything of what he would soon be fated to do. One of the themes presented throughout these plays is fate versus free will. Oedipus didn’t realize that he was killing his father or marrying his mother until he finally learned the truth. Therefore, it can be argued that it was his fate to fulfill the prophecy. However, it can also be argued that Oedipus’ actions caused the prophecy to come true. In Bernard Knox’s, Introduction of Oedipus the King, he analyzes this theme in which he states that “Oedipus is the free agent who, by his own self-willing action, discovers that his own predicted destiny has already been fulfilled.” In this quote, he is referring to Oedipus’ decisions that lead to the fulfillment of the prophecy. When he first heard of the prophecy, Oedipus tried to control his fate by leaving Corinth thinking King Polybus and Queen Merope were his real parents. He then murdered King Laius which would eventually lead to his downfall. From this, it can be claimed that the prophecy could have been prevented …show more content…
Pride and ignorance play an important role in Oedipus’ downfall. They increased the dramatic irony created by Sophocles’ and changed the overall image of Oedipus. The source of Oedipus’ pride came from outsmarting the Sphinx. In Sophocles: The Three Theban Plays, Oedipus is reminded by a priest of his victory over the Sphinx. He then says, “so now again, / Oedipus, King, we bend to you, your power, we implore you, all of us on our knees: / find us strength, rescue!” (49-52). From this line, the reader is able to acknowledge the pressure put on Oedipus to find the murderer of Laius and free his people from the plague. However, he gets so caught up in finding who the culprit is, he doesn’t realize that it is in fact, himself. This is also due to his ignorance. In the book, Oedipus is told by the prophet, Tiresias that he is the murderer of Laius. Oedipus doesn’t even consider the possibility that this could be true and instead accuses Tiresias of consorting with Creon. Out of pride, he claims that Creon wants to replace him as king and that he and Tiresias were plotting to frame him for Laius’ murder. These factors played an important part in the play because Oedipus would have discovered the truth earlier if he didn’t let his pride get in the way of obtaining that
A new plague comes over the land of Thebes and Oedipus wants to help his people. He begins searching for the solution. At the same time he worries that he may also be killed by whoever killed King Laios. At one point he is talking to his uncle/ Brother-in-law Creon in which he states, “And not as though it were for some distant friend, But for my own sake, to be rid of evil. Whoever killed King Laios might – who knows? – decide at any moment to kill me as well. By avenging the murdered king I protect myself.” (Prologue. 139-...
Oedipus is pondering whether or not he could have killed King Laius, they encourage Oedipus. “But wait until you’ve heard the witness speak. Have hope,';
In “Oedipus the King,” an infant’s fate is determined that he will kill his father and marry his mother. To prevent this heartache his parents order a servant to kill the infant. The servant takes pity on the infant and gives him to a fellow shepherd, and the shepherd gives him to a king and queen to raise as their own. The young prince learns of the prophecy and flees from his interim parents because he is afraid that he is going to succeed. The young prince eventually accomplishes his prophecy without even knowing he is doing it. He murders his father and marries his mother unknowingly. While it may seem to some that Oedipus was destined to carry out his fate, it is also true that Oedipus’ personality led him to his fate.
A son who kills his own father, marries his own mother, and is both the father and brother of his mother’s children. Oedipus, meaning “swollen foot”, grows up with adopted parents and a brooding prophecy on his heels. The frightful tale of Oedipus and his indescribable fate play out in the Greek theatrical production of Oedipus Rex. The horrible destiny for Oedipus is inevitable due to the unfavorable traits given to him by the author, Sophocles. Throughout Oedipus Rex, Sophocles masterfully weaves Oedipus’ fatal traits of naiveté, arrogance, and curiosity into the intriguing plot.
The prophecy drove the Oedipus away from home; the terror of the predictions was too much to live with. Oedipus tried everything not to meet the prophecy, and still when he came to Thebes and became a king Oedipus married an older lady. It was his choice, even when he knew there was a danger of him to know mothers bad, he made it.
Oedipus’ personality clearly reflects pride and determination throughout the play. When Oedipus heard the oracles’ prediction that he was to kill his father and marry his mother, he was determined to prevent the prophecy. Therefore he left his homeland of Corinth never to return. Then when he solved the Sphinx’s riddle, Oedipus’ pride rose to a new level. He was praised by the people of Thebes, resulting in his marriage to Jocasta, Queen of Thebes. Oedipus also shows his determination when in search of Laius’ murderer. He stated that he would avenge the King’s death as if Laius were his own father. He cursed the murderer, announcing “May he drag out an evil death-in-life in misery.” These characteristics of pride and determination, which Oedipus emanates throughout the play, may appear to be positive attributes to one’s personality. However, Oedipus’ actions, based on these characteristics, are what led him to his eventual downfall and suffrage.
Sophocles intentionally gave certain flaws in character type to Oedipus—he intended a downfall. That was the purpose of all ancient Greek drama: it was meant as “a dramatic reminder of [their] own mortality”. Sophocles used his plays in order to force people to learn at other’s mistake. Oedipus is a perfect example. His tragic flaws, persistence and ignorance caused his inevitable doom
Since Oedipus grew up in the kingdom of Corinth to some extend he was safe from his prophecy. Oedipus’ downfall can be attributed to many different things, but Oedipus own tragic flaws lead him to the path where he fulfilled his prophecy. Oedipus arrogance and pride made sure that he couldn’t have the help that he need it to understand the truth. Oedipus curiosity and willingness to don’t find the whole truth led him to the path of ignorance that was responsible for his departure from Corinth. The pride that Oedipus felt for solving the sphinx riddle and been the King of Thebes was the last nail in the coffin that led to his downfall, if Oedipus had listened to what the people that were trying to help him had to said, Oedipus could have been able to prevent his
From the very beginning, Oedipus was destined to fulfill Apollo's prophecy of killing his father. Even though King Lauis tries to kill Oedipus to stop the fulfillment of this shameful prophecy, fate drives the Corinthian messenger to save Oedipus. What the gods fortell will come true and no human can stop it from happening, not even the kings. Oedipus is once again controlled by this power when he leaves the place of his child hood after he hears that he is to kill his father and marry his mother. "I shall shrink from nothing...to find the the murderer of Laius...You are the murderer..." Oedipus tried to stop the prophecy from coming true by leaving Corinth and only fate can make Oedipus turn to the road where he kills his true father. Leaving Corinth makes Oedipus lose his childhood by making him worry of such issues young people should not have to worry about and becoming a king of a strange land. Last of all, Oedipus carries the last part of the prophecy out, marrying his mother. " I would... never have been known as my mother's husband. Oedipus has no control over the outcome of his life. Fate causes Oedipus to have known the answer to the Sphinx's riddle and win his marriage to his mother, Jocasta. Had fate not intervened, the chances of marrying Jocasta would have been small since there is an enourmous number of people and places to go. Oedipus loses his sense of dignity after he discovers he is not only a murderer, but also that he had committed incest.
The downfall of Oedipus transpired due to the tragic flaw of his character. Oedipus was very temperamental and became easily angered. He was a prideful individual who desired to be a hero and avenge the death of Laius. His devout need to know the truth, and have the proof that it indeed was the truth also led to his ruin.
At the beginning of the play, Oedipus and the priest are having a conversation. Oedipus is the king of the land Thebes. In this conversation, the priest tells Oedipus that the people are dying due to a plague going around the town. The priest begs Oedipus to save all the people, so then Oedipus orders his brother-in-law, Creon to see how to stop the plague. Creon comes to the scene and tells Oedipus that he has to tell him important news. Creon asks Oedipus if he wants to tell him the news in front of all of the people. Oedipus answers with a yes, so then Creon tells him that the murderer of Laius (the king of Thebes before Oedipus) is from the city. Creon tells Oedipus that king Laius and his travellers were on their way to consult an oracle
Greek politician and playwright, Sophocles, in his play, Oedipus the King, depicts a series of chronological events of the consequences of Oedipus’ downfall caused by his excessive pride. Sophocles’ purpose is to instruct readers that too much pride can dismally lead to unfortunate events. Sophocles illustrates an effective tone in order to inform the readers of the negative outcomes of stubbornness and denial.
Oedipus was born with a terrible Prophecy. From the start it was foreseen that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother. His parents, Laius
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.
To destroy Oedipus, the gods granted the power of prophecy to oracles that delivered these prophecies to Laius and Jocasta. As a result, they kill their child to get rid of him and his terrible prophecies. Unfortunately, these prophecies came true because Oedipus didn’t know his real parents. If he had known his real parents, he wouldn’t have killed his father and married his mother.