Oedipus The King Character Analysis

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.

Through history, everyone is trying to rise to the top. However, the ones at the top are not always the most suitable. This becomes evident in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, where Oedipus becomes the ruler of Thebes after defeating the Sphinx. Throughout the story, Oedipus fails to meet the characteristics of a good leader, including: humbleness, selflessness and patience.

Every good leader must listen to the people around them. In the play, Oedipus listens to his people when they tell him to back off of Creon when they are disputing. Oedipus strongly believed that Creon was coming for his throne. The people of Thebes tell Oedipus to back down because Creon has a good reputation. This action was impressive because he could have disregarded the people's suggestions and kept fighting with Creon, but he let it go. On the other hand, Oedipus had some times where he didn’t listen and it reflected on his ability to lead. Oedipus didn’t want to believe Teiresias when he told him he was the murderer of Laius. If he had listened to him, he would have gotten the truth before everything went downhill.

There are many facets of personality of a minor character that authors may utilize to supply contrast to the main character of their work. Some of these contrasts are extremely noticeable and some are not. One such facet is with the use of a neutral character; to not only showcase the main character’s flaws, but so not to detract from the moral of the story. Creon, from the play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles is used for both of these reasons. Sophocles wished to show that one cannot escape fate, yet did not want to cloud this issue with a possible coupe against his main character Oedipus. He also showed how, at times one character can act completely irrational, while one remains calm in the face of serious accusations.

In all stories, characterization helps the reader to understand and sympathize with the character. In “Oedipus the King” Oedipus and Tiresias have contradictory attributes that help amplify each other's features. The themes of sight and wisdom, along with blindness and ignorance can be found throughout the story.

When contemplating the character of Oedipus in Oedipus Tyrannus, it would be easy to dismiss him as merely a tragic character with only a cursory glance. One must dig deeply into Oedipus to fully understand him as a man. Aristotle understood this when used Oedipus as his example of a tragic hero. It is through deep analysis that one fully grasps that while Oedipus is a tragic character, he is also heroic in his being and his actions.

A king must possess select components of bravery, pride, and determination that coincide with one another in a manner to which others will perceive as commendable. However, the very qualities that make a king rise above his citizens may be the exact characteristics that lead to his downfall. This concept could be correlated to the acclaimed work of Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, whereby the epitome of a tragic hero is created in the main character, Oedipus. In essence, Sophocles has characterized Oedipus to be the embodiment of a respectable leader, possessing both extreme pride and relentless determination, which later proves to be the fatal flaw leading to his eventual, inescapable demise. This is due to how Sophocles codified this moral, or community standard, in his Theban Trilogy in order to lead the audience to understanding that the Greek Gods always punish arrogance or boastful actions.

In the play Oedipus Rex, King Oedipus posses many qualities that show his spirit of greatness that yet leads to his self-destruction. One indiscreet choice that King Oedipus has made was killing his father King Laius out of rash angerness, at the crossroads. The killing of his father was one of the essential links to his downfall, in which he could have prevented using several ways. Oedipus suffered because he killed his dad, even though he did not know much about his father because he grew up with adoptive parents, and didn't think anything much of his father because of that unknown knowledge. Therefore, his violent temper was one of his tragic flaws that we see in the play. Furthermore, later on we see Oedipus's anger when he lashes out both at Creon and the blind prophet Teiresias for bringing him bad news. While Oedipus is arguing with creon he says, “The trusty creon, my familiar friend, Hath Lain in wait to oust me and suborned this mountebank, but in his proper art stone blind.” (130) And his angered words for Teresius remarked “Say, sirrah, hast thou ever proved thyself a Prophet- Thank thy grey hairs that thou hast still to learn what chastisement such arrogance deserves.” (135) As shown in Oedipus's angered words he threatens to do bad things just because they brought bad news, as if he was declaring good news from them. However, anger in no way causes Oedipus to sleep with Jocasta, as told in his prophecy that he will sleep with his mother and kill his father. This was an important part of his downfall, in which he suffered because he was doing exactly what the prophecy predicted that he would do. Moreover, this was also considered why Oedipus was blinder than the blind- Tiresias because he couldn't see his fate and yet he has eyes to see. To conclude, because Oedipus had made the choice to kill his father and sleep with his mother just as the prophecy predicted, he suffered the consequences that ultimately lead to his downfall of not being a king, but being a person exempted his actions based on his absorbed anger.

In Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus the King, Oedipus, the main character, goes through many struggles that lead to his downfall as a leader and character. In the beginning of the play, the Plague of Athens strikes, and many people are dying rapidly. Oedipus, being the king of Thebes, is placed in charge of solving the problem. He relies on an the seer Tiresias to help him, and the seer tells him that the plague will be stopped when the murderer of Laius is found and expelled. Oedipus also finds out that when he was born, the oracle told his parents that he was going to kill his father and have an affair with his mother. In order to prevent this from happening, his parents sent him off to Thebes where he was raised by a royal family. After inquiring for more information, it becomes clear that Oedipus’ real mother is Jocasta, who he married without knowledge that she was his mother, and his real father is Laius, who he killed on a crossroad years ago. Throughout these occurrences, Sophocles alludes to major events and customs within Athens, and his writing follows many common themes in Greek Mythology.

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.

Oedipus was a king in Greek mythology, commanding over the city of Thebes. Oedipus has been given a prophecy that he had heard when he was young that, he would have to kill his father and marry his mother. After, given a horrid the outcome oedipus decides to own out with the Gods and with the forces of the universe, but then starts being guiltless for not looking out for himself and doesn’t respect the Gods, but Oedipus didn’t listen and didn’t care he did whatever he wanted to do.

Oedipus the King is a dramatic tragedy written by Sophocles in the 5th century B.C.E. Oedipus the main character in Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus the King possesses idyllic personality traits, however he will become known as the ultimate tragic hero. A tragic hero is a literary character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering or defeat; making an error in judgment or has a fatal flaw that combined with fate and external forces brings on tragedy. Oedipus displays all of the traits necessary to become a tragic hero. He was of noble birth being born to Laios and Jokasta King and Queen of Thebes. Oedipus also possess tragic flaws or hamartia which is a mistake that causes the downfall of a character; not in relation to bad deeds or evil character; not the fault of the protagonist; victim of fate, which leads to his eventual downfall. Additionally Oedipus has a significant amount of increased of self-awareness throughout his journey, realizing he was in fact the killer of Laios as one example. The readers also feel pity and are fearful for Oedipus particularly near the end of the story when he stabs his own eyes out.

Sophocles was a tragedian writer in Greece, 497/ 496 BC, who aspired to create unique plays that contrasted against Greek society. In most literature, there is a clear division between the roles and characteristics of man and woman. While this play is a heroic archetype, Jocasta’s role in the play contrasts against Oedipus’s role, within the play “Oedipus Rex” to convey different emotions. The roles portrayed by the characters showcase that Sophocles specified each character to represent and illustrate a type of emotion and a specific trait that added to his play, while giving a profound plot with entertaining conflict. Sophocles’ tragedy “Oedipus Rex” demonstrates his uses of conscience/morality/religion vs. pride/power to illustrate

Oedipus the King had accomplished many great things during his reign of Thebes and in his life time. Oedipus found out during his reign in Thebes that the Gods who loved him also knew his devastating fate. As a young man when Oedipus answered the riddle the Sphinx he soon found his self having everything want and need. He earned his spot as the new King of Thebes, he had a great wife and lovely set of children and last but not least a widely known name

The play “King Oedipus” contains the characteristics of a tragedy. The play is set in a tragic setting, atmosphere and mood. Oedipus, the King of Thebes, is the protagonist of the play where he goes through some form of suffering and has a tragic flaw that leads to a catastrophe. The play also has a tragic understanding by the audience and character. Therefore, I consider “King Oedipus” a tragedy because of the events in the play such as Oedipus’s destined fate at birth and his actions after the revelation of the truth about his parentage.