Oedipus Tragedy Analysis

There is overwhelming evidence corroborating the notion that the perplexity as well as bewilderment underlying man’s destiny along with his deeds is what may qualify Sophocles “Oedipus” as a real human tragedy in the sense that the whole story is about mysterious and enigmatic inquiries about truth as well as human tragedy.

As the story unfolds, a whole cast of puzzling characters is introduced in a gradual sequence stressing the degree of the complexity of the tangled events. In this respect, Oedipus discovers the death of the king of Thebes Laius; whose murderer he will know towards the end of the play. As a youngster Oedipus had been able to protect Thebes against the Sphinx. Additionally, the Oracle had predicted that Oedipus would marry

( ll 85-86) or, you drove destruction’s flame away out of our land. (ll 195-196)

Sophocles made use of a simile represented the word” like”:

There are no growing children in this famous land; there are no women bearing the pangs of childbirth. You may see them one with another, like birds swift on the wing, (ll 199-201)

Later on, Oedipus ‘role as a ruler over Thebes is compared to a ship’s captain as is stated in the following verses: Our sorrows defy number; all the ship’s timbers are rotten; (ll 195-196)

In another instance, Sophocles gave a gloomy image of the people’s hustling and bustling, screaming, bewailing and lamenting probably over their sins and seeking comfort as well as redemption from their evil deeds. those children that are born lie dead on the naked earth unpitied, spreading contagion of death; and gray-haired mothers and wives everywhere stand at the altar’s edge, suppliant, moaning; the hymn to the healing God15 rings out but with it the wailing voices are blended. ( ll 205-207) The eloquent poetic diction is clearly seen when Oedipus uttered the following verses as we get an image of a defiant creature revolting against its creator when he