Oedipus The King Analysis

Those who believe they can triumph over fate deserve to be crushed by the overwhelming weight of reality that will come crashing down on them. Ordinarily confidence yields benefit in moderation, however, it proves damaging when used excessively. Oedipus the King was written by Sophocles thousands of years ago as a cautionary tale about hubris. As a king, Oedipus rules over the city of Thebes with an arrogant attitude and believes that he can defy the gods. Through the events of the novella, Oedipus lost everything after uncovering that he killed his father and had children with his mother. Conversely the real downfall of Oedipus came from his pride and failure to handle the situation carefully. Oedipus fills the archetype of tragic

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.

In Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses his protagonist, Oedipus, to explore his pursuit of knowledge, which leads to his tragic destruction. Oedipus is a favorable king who is determined to end the curse that has been brought upon the city because the murderer of his predecessor, Laius, still lies in the city. Ironically, Oedipus delivers the curse to the city because he murdered his father, Laius. Oedipus’s desire to gain knowledge and bring the murderer of Laius to justice, results in his downfall, which causes the people around him to be greatly affected as well.

The chorus play an important role throughout the play, they not only set up various scenes, but they represent the collective moods and feelings that are supposed to be felt at the time. When the chorus mourns, the audience mourn. They are also the voice of reason, clarity and sense, attributes to which we cannot associate with Oedipus. And so they play a vital role, connecting his actions back to the play. A way to describe the chorus, would be that they're the collective conscious of ‘the people' of Thebes, but they also act as guardians. For although they are seen appealing to Oedipus to help them, they in turn have to help the king, they represent the faith that the city has in him.

Sophocles' play Oedipus the King has endured for over two thousand years. The play's lasting appeal may be attributed to the fact it encompasses all the classical elements of tragedy as put forth by Aristotle in Poetics nearly a century before it was written. According to Aristotle, tragedy needs to be an imitation of life according to the law of probability or necessity. Tragedy is serious, complete, and has magnitude. It must have a beginning, middle, and end and be spoken in language that is fit for noble characters. Furthermore it must be acted, as opposed to epic poetry, which is narrated. Tragedy shows rather than tells. Finally it must result in the purging of pity and fear, or a catharsis. Tragedy is based in the fundamental order of the universe, it creates a cause-and-effect chain that clearly reveals what may happen at any time or place because that is the way the world operates. Tragedy arouses not only pity but also fear, because the audience can envision themselves within this cause-and-effect chain. Tragedy as a whole is composed of six elements: plot, character, language, thought, spectacle and melody. Melody and language are the media by which the effect of imitation of action is carried out, spectacle is the manner or way the tragedy is carried out, and plot, character and thought are the means that initiate the action. Oedipus the King possesses all of these elements.

Sophocles’ Oedipus the King encompasses the ideas of fate and fortune into the tragic story of the ignorant Oedipus. Scholar Bernard Knox says that Oedipus’ fall was caused by “attributes of divinity- knowledge, certainty, and justice.” Oedipus’ fall was caused by the absence of knowledge, uncertainty, and anger, which led him to show injustice. He had absence of knowledge because he did not know the truth, he had uncertainty because he acted without certainty, and he showed anger when Teiresias would not tell him the truth, which led him to display injustice to Creon.

Oedipus goes against the Chorus as he strongly defends himself as the people intensify his incrimination of killing the old king. Oedipus could not believe in his wildest dreams that he murdered his own father and was the husband of his mother. As an adopted runaway boy and a newfound king, he had to dig deep in his past to ease his burden. The Chorus’ incrimination of the King has brought the town into a downward spiral due to finding the real truth of the blind prophet. The relevance of Oedipus’ inner character becomes apparent when he realizes what his past has done to affect his future as well as his traits developed becoming the new king. His self realization plays an immense part in finding his traits of leadership and intelligence,

Oedipus Cursing His Son, Polynices is a great work of art created by Henry Fuseli, in 1786. This painting was created in Fuseli’s homeland, Zurich, Switzerland. This painting has a powerful and dramatic purpose to it, and is very interesting to look at.

The truth is out and the the Kingdom is in shock. Never in news history has there been a story this big, but here it is you readed it here first the King and Queens lives are over. Queen Jocasta was found this morning dead after what it seems to be a suicide, and the King has disappeared “He nowhere to be founde,” says the royal guards. Eyewitnesses on the scene say they saw the King being escorted out of the city by Creon, so we tracked Creon down for an interview. During the interview we were told the shocking story of our Kings past. A number of years ago the former Queen and King, Jocasta and Laius, had a baby. They went to the oracle to get a glimpse into their future. What the oracle told them was hard for them to hear. They were told

“ No, man 's knowledge here can go beyond his experience.” John Locke. Knowledge is definitely power. To have power over anyone or anything out 
there you must know what you are doing. Knowledge gives you options, Knowledge enables bigger and better weapons. A sense of higher status. Very often will you find knowledge allows one to recognize opportunity. One character in the play Oedipus the King, Tiresias carries a great sense of knowledge. That he knows how to stay humble with. Which does not lead to his downfall unlike Oedipus the King.

“These are the sorrows which have burst out and overwhelmed them both, man and wife alike. The wealth and happiness they once had was real while it lasted, but now--weeping, destruction, death, shame--name any shape of evil you will, they have it all” (Sophocles 73 ). Oedipus was once a King, having both power and responsibility. By the end of the story Oedipus’ actions in Oedipus The King by Sophocles affect not only his life but others around him as well. Oedipus matches Aristotle's meaning of a tragic character by becoming someone the audience can pity, because of his downfall in society and naive decisions that led him to the ultimate destruction of his former life, position of respect, and the admiration he once held from his people

     In the play 'Oedipus Rex' the main character, Oedipus, has to deal with his predetermined fate and his own nature. He is cursed from the beginning of his life when a soothsayer tells of his fate upon his birth. It is predicted that he will kill his father, and marry his mother, and raise a family.

Tragedy has always been considered the highest form of literature; Oedipus the King is written by Sophocles who is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians, it fully represents the enduring charm of the ancient Greek tragedy, leaving the reader endless thinking. Through Oedipus’ misfortune, Sophocles tries to reveal the cause of their tragedy is ubiquitous and ever-present fate, rather than people themselves, dominates that people’s destiny. This essay aims to analyze the characteristics and the root causes of Oedipus’s misery to discover the fatalism the playwright want to state. To investigate the characteristics and the root causes of the tragedy Oedipus is beneficial for us to have more in-depth, objective insight to ancient Greek culture and understand the essence of tragedy correctly, leads us to think of the ultimate fate of life. In the face of powerful forces of fate, humans are too weak. In spite of this, human never stop struggling with limited strength, challenging fate in their ways.

Oedipus the King is a play rich with character development, surprises, irony, and most importantly: tragedy. The plot takes you and the characters of the play on a twisting and turning journey as Sophocles weaves an intricate web as the story unfolds. The main dilemma in this play is the characters’ ability to face up to the truth. Oedipus doesn’t want to believe that Iocaste is his mother, Iocaste doesn’t want to hear the truth, although it seems like she knows before anyone else, and the Choragos seems particularly resistant to anything that means negative consequence for Oedipus. This rejection of truth creates an empathetic connection between the audience and the characters by making their internal struggle apparent.

Sophocles is widely recognized as one of the greatest drama and play writes of all time. Sophocles’ writing takes place in the classical period. His unique style of writing involves symbolism, archetypal characters and tragedies. This type of style is shown in the “Oedipus the King” which can consists of either a great man or woman who has fallen. Sophocles paints a clear picture of exercising free will and it’s benefits, and the disastrous effects it can have on ones’ life. Oedipus was determined to end the plague in the city of Thebes by finding the murderer of King Laius. Oedipus also struggled with not knowing the identity of his parents. Oedipus ignored the advice of those around him and chose to pursue the truth,