Oedipus The King Analysis

In his essay, “Introduction to Oedipus the King”, Bernard Knox supports free will by stating that Oedipus’ downfall was not caused by fate. According to Knox there is not a doubt that, “Oedipus is the free agent who, by his own self-willed action, discovers that his own predicted destiny has already been fulfilled” (86). He clearly states that Oedipus is responsible for his free actions during the play. He insists that Oedipus’s made the decisions to discover the truth about himself.

The theme of sight and blindness is undoubtedly important to notice while reading Oedipus the King. The number of times the words “see” or “blind” are in the play make it make it undeniably obvious that they are significant. The theme is developed throughout the dialogue, through characters such as Tiresias and Oedipus, and also directly in the irony of the play. It is important in a play about the truth because almost every character was “blind” to the truth. All of the characters, except one, can physically see, but mentally cannot see the truth.

This play is different from a murder mystery because it does not end as soon as you find out who the killer is. Also, there is no twist for who the killer actually is. If the play had ended after the murderer was revealed, there would have been no explanation for what happened to the characters lives. Without doing this it would not have summed up the play and would have left the audience on a cliff hanger.

The Ancient Greeks had a precise definition of what they believe makes a perfect ruler. According to the Greeks, the ideal Athenian ruler has five main characteristics. The ruler should takes care of his/her people like a parent cares for a child. The ruler respects the elderly. The ruler suffers or fights along with his people in a time of crisis.

Do people believe in destiny? Nowadays, some people will laugh at the type of questions like it. However, destiny plays an significant role in the Greek mythology. Especially in Oedipus the king, this is a story about how human try to fight against the destiny and gods. Oedipus became the king of Thebes after answered the monster’s riddle correctly, he then married his mother Jocasta, which was the dead king’s widow. However, even though he escaped from the country where he grew up, but he could not avoid the terrible curse happened. Laius, the father of Oedipus, tired to avoid have any children, and later told his servant to abandon Oedipus in the mountains in order to stop the curse by the death of his child. What Laius did not think of was,

A Greek tragedy usually consist of a tragic hero, the main character, or protagonist that is of high rank who accepts his or her downfall with dignity. A flaw in judgment or weakness in a character such as pride, which intern helps to bring the downfall of the hero. A catastrophe, a scene that usually involves a lot of deaths, and if the protagonist does not die, then he or she usually suffers in some way. Also, there is usually a chorus involved through the tragedy that observe and comment on the actions through song. And finally, a belief, A.K.A “Fate”. Greeks believed in the idea of fate/ destiny. No matter what action a person takes it always leads back to his or her destiny. Written around 430 BCE, "Oedipus the King" has long thrilled

Oedipus’ disgustingly brutal fate makes us question whether or not he actually deserved it. Kennedy and Dana Gioia’s include this point in their criticism on Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King”. I completely agree with what they state. They bring up the interesting point how the tragedy makes us (the audience) feel somewhat sympathetic for Oedipus’ horrific inevitable fate. They mention how “we are not altogether sorry” for Oedipus downfall. We are led to believe this because he does show hubris and impiety a few times in the tragedy, but we also know that every person has flaws. This makes us feel like he possibly did not deserve the tragic fate that he received. They mention how “Oedipus does not curse God and die.” Instead of doing this he accepts

Many ancient Greek dramas have similarity. The story begins with the prophecy from the Gods. And the end of the story always comes out in tragedy. In addition, all Greek drama also contain the chorus in between the scenes in the story. The chorus has many purposes that affect the main character and audience’s appreciation and perception of the play. One of the famous drama, Oedipus the King which is written by Sophocles. In between the scenes of the story Oedipus, there are the choruses. The chorus provides short information before the scene starts to audiences in order to make them understand the events that are going on the story. And the chorus giving an impression of the next scene to the audiences.

"Know thyself" is a theme that resonates throughout the play "Oedipus the King" by Shakespeare. The main character, Oedipus, experiences and inevitable self-discovering journey that forever changed him internally and life as he knew it. Eventually, his downfall occurred due to his lack of knowledge about those around him, and most of all, himself.

Although Oedipus the King was written by Sophocles when the Ancient Greek civilization was at its peak, far before the textbook you will read it from was created, its ideas and themes can still be applicable. Despite being far older than the simple platitude, one theme of Sophocles’ tragedy is perhaps best explained with the phrase “ignorance is bliss”. Oedipus the King also has a second theme, people pick and choose what they want to believe as it suits them. Both themes, developed through the symbolism and irony throughout the tragedy, cause us to question our own pursuits and beliefs, making it a story worth examining further.

The tale of Oedipus and his prophecy has intrigued not only the citizens of Greece in the ancient times, but also people all over the world for several generations. Most notable about the play was its peculiar structure, causing the audience to think analytically about the outcomes of Oedipus’ actions and how it compares with Aristotle’s beliefs. Another way that the people have examined the drama is by looking at the paradoxes (such as the confrontation of Tiresias and Oedipus), symbols (such as the Sphinx), and morals that has affected their perceptions by the end of the play. Nonetheless, the most important aspect is how relevant the story is and how it has influenced modern ideas like that of Freud and other people of today.

At first, a need for knowing the truth was beneficial for Oedipus to unravel the mystery of the murderer of Laius, but ultimately led to his tragic fate.His need for knowing the truth helped him to free Thebes from the plague in the city. When the news was brought forth to him about an “unclean that was born and nourished on our soil,” (Burgess 16), Oedipus quickly came up with a resolution and prided himself in saving the city again. He first called upon the prophet Tiresias, looking for answers. Tiresias told him all that he needed to know, yet Oedipus was not content. Oedipus continued his search for the murderer in spite of the warnings he was given each time he inquired. When a messenger from Corinth came bearing “good news” about Oedipus

Sophocles Oedipus the King is a tragic play which discusses the tragic discovery of Oedipus that he has killed his father and married his mother. The story of Oedipus was well-known to the Athenian's. Oedipus is the embodiment of the perfect Athenian. He is self-confident, intelligent, and strong willed. Ironically these are the very traits which bring about his tragic discovery. Oedipus gained the rule of Thebes by answering the riddle of Sphinx. Sophocles used the riddle of the sphinx as a metaphor for the 3 phases of Oedipus' life and to further characterized him as a tragic man. The Sphinx posed the following riddle to all who came to obtain the rule of Thebes: “What is it that walks on 4 feet and 2 feet and 3 feet and has only one voice, when it walks on most feet it is the weakest?” Oedipus correctly answered “Man” and became the king of Thebes. This riddle is a metaphor for the life of Oedipus. As a child man crawls on his hands and knees this is the four feet to which the Sphinx refers. Also, man is at his weakest as a small child. He depends solely on others for his nourishment and well-being. Oedipus was the child of Jocasta and King Laius who was taken to the mountain by a Shepard to be killed so the omen of the god Apollo that Laius' son would kill him and lay with Jocasta would not come true. Oedipus was the weakest of his life at this point.

"Oedipus the King" is a tragic play showing a shift from the belief of fate to freedom of choice. Therefore, Oedipus the king is a great example of those who run from fate ends up fulfilling their fate

Aristotle’s Poetics argues that the a successful tragedy is determined by its “plot, character, diction, reasoning, spectacle and lyric poetry” (50a8). A great tragic work, as described by Aristotle, will be impossible without plot, but characters are merely optional—the most effective tragic device lies in the perceptions and implications a tragedy’s plot yields. Yet, having a protagonist of “not outstanding moral excellence or justice” undergoing bad fortune due to error instead of “moral defect or depravity” would make a tragedy excellently distinguished from others. According to these properties, Oedipus Tyrannus by Sophocles makes a perfect case for tragedy with its