Oedipus the King: Does Oedipus Satisfy the Definition of a Good Man?

Oedipus shows his benevolent characteristics through his actions and words to the people of Thebes. He has told all of them that they, the people of Thebes, “can trust [him]. I am ready to help, I’ll do anything. I would be blind to

Oedipus’ character speaks the truth, acts openly, and is concerned with honor, but he did not have the gift of fortune. He acts rash and takes swift action that had consequences on his fate. Oedipus acted swiftly in finding Laios’ killer and more evidence led to himself, even though his wife told him to stop investigating his past. In today’s society it is tough to see any one worthy of being labeled “High-Minded”. People care more of what others see in them, than truth itself. Oedipus fought to find the truth of his past, though he knew there could be dire consequences. His honest approach proceeds to make him fit more high-minded qualities than most people would in today’s

In my opinion, Oedipus does not deserve what he got and is a victim of fate. This is because all his actions were unintentional. However, some of his actions were ignorant. Right from the beginning we see how Oedipus was envisioned to kill his father and marry his mother, thus his feet being pinned together and him

Finally, the way in which Oedipus the King can be perceived as universal the best is in character traits that are alike in both modern people and Oedipus himself. Oedipus is a very stubborn person. He believes that Tiresias has not told him the truth and was sent by Creon to lie to him, even after Tiresias proves that he can actually see into the future. Modern day people can also be very stubborn, especially if they know or think that they are wrong about something. Oedipus also shows great intelligence. He saved the entire city of Thebes by answering the Sphinx's riddle and his reward was the crown and the queen's hand in marriage (Meyer, 987). He ruled the city fairly and justly, and shows his intelligence once again when he

In the citizen’s eyes, Oedipus is seen as a good leader. He demonstrates great leadership through several events. When the Oedipus learned of the plague, he “sent away [his] brother-in-law, son of Menoeceus, Kreon, to Pythian Apollo’s shrine” to hear from Apollo on “what [he] might do or say to save our city.” He notified the people that he understands their pain and suffering for the “soul inside [him]

     Oedipus is a very honest and persistent man. From the instant in which he questions Teiresias about the murder, we see that he is very persistent in trying to find the answer. Even when Teiresias begs Oedipus to stop questioning him, Oedipus forces the truth-teller to speak the truth. He goes as far as to threaten to kill Teiresias to give him the news which would accuse Oedipus as the murderer that he seeks.

Oedipus demonstrated great strengths while he lived in the city of Thebes. He was a very caring man; when his people needed aid "[he] willingly would do anything to help [them]" (Sophocles, 26). When the people of Thebes asked Oedipus to bring their land back to normal, he did everything he could to find out who was polluting the earth. Oedipus was also a very prosperous and successful man. He was the ."..Greatest of men; he held the key to the deepest mysteries; [and] Was envied by all his fellow-men for his great prosperity..."(Sophocles, 68). People from distant lands knew the name of Oedipus; he who conquered the Sphynx and helped Thebes become a flourishing city once again.

At the beginning Oedipus is characterized as a great leader. For example, he solves the riddle of the Sphinx, which is the winged female monster that terrorized the city (Sophocles 487). Here we can see how Oedipus is clever and smart. In result the people of Thebes respect him for his cleverness and reward him as King. People even look at him as being almighty when it comes to handling problems such as, when there is a plague that is killing people, animals and made women give birth to nothing. They knew he would help as long as he was aware of the situation. “We’ve come because you are the best man at handling trouble or confronting the gods” (Sophocles 487). This statement shows how people depend on him and look at him as a great leader. It also shows how he is a man of action and looks after his people as a king should. With that being said, he is told to find the killer of Laios and either banish them or kill them to stop the plague. Likewise, he did what he is commanded to do, he obeys the god and search for the killer that killed the previous king. Furthermore, he follows instruction and is concerned for himself and the people of Thebes. “My heart grieves for you, for myself, and for our city” (Sophocles 487).

In short, Oedipus is a poor leader. He is irrational which leads to him being hot headed, and ultimately leads to him being naive and blind to the truth. The irrationality of this character shows readers that negative actions will lead to someone’s

The people value Oedipus for his ability to be honorable when they cannot, and simply expect him to set an example without necessarily following it. Oedipus tries to be lawful and honorable, yet his gaps in knowledge and understanding prevent him from doing so. Even the people halt the investigation of the king’s murder and the origins of Oedipus even though they do not have enough evidence to make any conclusions about these events. He embodies a culture which admires intelligence, but doesn’t seek to gain more for fear of discovering something unpleasant that would add to their current troubles. Oedipus blindly believes he has all the information he needs to be a successful leader, and his subjects blindly believe that Oedipus knows what he's

In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus can be seen as the “leader” of his society. As can be compared to today’s society being a leader doesn’t make you superior or a good person. As a matter of fact a leader usually establishes more negative things than positive for their society. Being a leader can lead to fueds due to someone having too much power. Additionally, leaders can develop to show too much hubris, which is known to be a terrible characteristic. Not only that but being the head of a society also leads to major impacts between small groups such as family. This can occur by simply trying to do something for the better. The play shows numerous negative traits of a leader that can be compared to today’s society.

Oedipus was a tragic hero. Sophocles, instead of killing Oedipus in the end of the novel, chose to give Oedipus a fate worse then death. Oedipus found out who he was and that he killed his father and slept with his mother. His tragic end was a result of his hamartia, hubris. His pride was what caused him to attack the carriage and kill his father, which led to him marrying his mother. He

When he first speaks to the citizens of Thebes, he shows a side of himself that cares about the city and its people. “…my spirit / Groans for the city, for myself, for you…” (I. Prologue. 65-66), says Oedipus. He shows that he really does want what’s best for everyone. But then, he goes and insults the psychic, Teiresias, when Teiresias tells him that he is King Laius’ killer and the source of the plague. Says Oedipus, “You sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man!” (I. 1. 356). He refuses to believe that he is the source of his peoples’ troubles. As one A.E. Haigh said, “[Oedipus] catches at each hint, and pursues each clue, with a light and cheerful heart…” But unfortunately, he doesn’t stay so light and cheerful. He shows all sides of himself throughout the story, which really helps the reader stay intrigued with Oedipus and the story as a whole.

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.

views Oedipus as one who " does not unselfishly seek out the truth even though he knows it will be painful