Oedipus The King Rhetorical 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.

“It’s a tragedy, it’s a classic. In a way, he’s got a character flaw that is going to cause his destruction, and it’s not going to come from the outside; it’s going to come from the inside of him. “ (Bennett Miller). What exactly is a classic tragedy? It is the story of a hero or heroes who tend to have it all, but through misfortune they lose everything. The story also has to take place in one time period, one set location, and most importantly it’s one individual story. Sophocles was a tragedian author who lived from 496-406 B.C. He wrote many different works in his time period, but only 7 survived in complete form. One of the most important works he produced was Oedipus The King, and that famous work has kept him king of the throne of classic

Oedipus is extremely upset in this paragraph. You can tell because he is using words like weep, bitterness, and brilliant rites unfinished. This reinforces the reversal by stating about how he is extremely upset by the suicide of his mother/wife. He this follows this by saying his goodbyes to his loved children and lives out his life where Oedipus’s mother and father wanted him to die. He now has to live with this heart tearing truth.

The audience feels pity for Oedipus because of his final requests before he is exiled. Aristotle uses another key component in Oedipus Rex, he uses pity, especially from the audience. When Oedipus asks the new king Creon before he is exiled he asks four requests from him. Oedipus begs Creon to bury “the woman inside, bury her as you see fit” (Fagles.1584-5.246). The audience feels pity for Oedipus when he has to beg Creon to bury his wife/mother. Oedipus says “I command you-I beg you” to Creon, when Oedipus starts to talk to Creon here as if he is still king (Fagles.1583.246). Oedipus’s second request to king Creon is take care of his daughters. The audience feels pity for Oedipus because Creon has to permit Oedipus to see his daughters. Oedipus

The audience experiences a catharsis of pity and fear at the end of Oedipus the King. The audience experiences a catharsis by releasing their repressed feelings of pity and fear. Before Oedipus finally leaves, his discussion with his two daughters provides the audience with a catharsis as he states, "I weep for you...I weep when I think of the bitterness" (Sophocles lines 1598-1600). Oedipus directly tells his daughters of the repercussions of his actions. The audience experiences fear for the futures of Oedipus's daughters since having a distressing life is a feeling that is relatable. The audience realizes Oedipus's actions rob his daughters of a normal

When a person is betrayed, the outcomes are usually misery and heartache.  Betrayal can have many different forms and  motives.  A person can betray another because he or she is driven by jealousy, greed, impulse or fear.  Humans do not only deceive other people but they also have the ability to mislead themselves.  A person’s mind can become corroded which can lead to the distortion of one’s rational train of thought.  Emotions can also take over a person’s sense of judgement which could lead to misfortune.  In Sophocles’  Oedipus Rex, Laius’s foolish deception of himself displays the nature of betrayal.

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.

In Sophocles play, Oedipus the King, Oedipus is determined to find the murderer of the

After realizing that he has fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother, King Oedipus has stabbed his own eyes out. The people of Thebes have now seen his horrid appearance and Oedipus uses this speech as a way to justify his self-torture and try to get help from the people of Thebes. Throughout his pleas, the ashamed Oedipus takes on a solemn tone as he tries to appeal to the Thebans’ sense of sympathy, but falls short of convincing them to help. In trying to appeal to the chorus, Oedipus manages to instead invoke fear in his audience with his disturbing appearance and loses their support.

Irony, particularly dramatic irony, is the key reason for the story of Oedipus progressively becoming a tragedy. In the story Oedipus digs himself a bigger and bigger hole as time goes on. Dramatic irony is firstly seen when Oedipus gives a public speech about the killer and what will happen to him. Furthermore, irony takes place when Oedipus blames others for the crime he committed; then, forcefully denies the possibility of himself being the killer. These events are ironic because later Oedipus finds out that he is the killer. Firstly, Oedipus publicly causes the killer, announces the punishment he will receive for the crime, and tells the citizens multiple ways they are to shun the killer. Oedipus says,” I solemnly forbid the people of this country, where power and throne are mine, ever to receive that man or speak of him, no matter who he is, or let him join in sacrifice, lustration, or in prayer”(Part 1; 316).

Dramatic irony plays an important role in the passage and in the play of Oedipus the King. The reader learns from the backstory about what Oedipus does not realize until the end; therefore, it is somewhat comical to follow Oedipus in his journey, “To find the murderers of Laius, / And slay them or expel them from the land,”

The true irony of the play is that the audience goes into the play already knowing Oedipus’s fate before he even knows it. The dramatic irony that creates leaves a greater sense of pity and sympathy towards Oedipus because of his circumstances. Sophocles has several parts where he utilizes irony to show his plot and the message. This shows how perception to the costs of a misunderstanding leads to a greater loss, which can even be in some ways completely avoidable. ”Irony is used as a deflection from the expectation.

Sophocles’s reliance on dramatic irony is apparent throughout the entire story. From the start of the play—where Oedipus searches for the murderer of the fallen king—the audience is already aware of Oedipus’s story. Ironically, readers grasp that Oedipus was the murderer of Laius and therefore the cause of the plague. Oedipus himself, however, lacks any knowledge of his participation in the event and believes that he has managed to avoid the prophecy’s fruition. As such, Sophocles’s use of the device affects the way the plot progresses. Mainly, the author bases the conflict on Oedipus’s “blindness”. It draws out the story until it reaches its climax. Throughout the play, Oedipus is in denial of his involvement in the death of Laius despite being told several times of his guilt. One such time occurred when Teiresias, an old blind prophet, reluctantly told Oedipus of his actions. As to be expected, Oedipus reject his words with scorn, threatening the old man. “Do you imagine you can always talk like this, and live to laugh at it hereafter?” (lines 425-426) Oedipus further insults Teiresias physical blindness, not realizing his own metaphorical blindness. As per dramatic irony, however, readers know the one who is truly blind was Oedipus. Teiresias further makes this apparent. “You have your eyes but see not where you are in sin, nor where you live, nor whom you live with. Do you know who your parents are?” (lines 482-484) Events such as these seem to be a recurring theme in the play. Oedipus is made aware of the truth by another character, and then he fervently accuses them. Because of this, the audience becomes familiar with the pattern. The dramatic

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