The Tragedy Of Sophocles ' Oedipus The King )

The Greek drama “Oedipus The King” evidently leads to the unveiling of a tragedy. Oedipus, the protagonist of the play uncovers his tragic birth story and the curse he had been baring his whole life. Oedipus is notorious for his personal insight that helped him defeat Sphinx, which lead him to becoming the king of Thebes. He is admired by the people of Thebes and is considered to be a mature, inelegant and a rational leader. From his birth, his story began with a prophecy that Oedipus would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. Through out the play numerous people, who tell him of his unknown past, visit Oedipus. Blind to the truth he casts them away until a blind man named Therisis gives a sight of truth to Oedipus. As Oedipus learns the truth he realizes the great evil his life carries. After finding his wife and also mother hung in her bedroom, Oedipus blinds himself with the gold pins that held Jocasta’s robe. Oedipus blind to the truth is finally able to see when the old blind man visits him and tells him the truth about his life. Both metaphorically and physically sight plays a significant role in understanding the irony of a blind man seeing the truth while Oedipus who isn’t blind doesn’t seem to the truth that’s right in front of him.

The play, Oedipus the King by Sophocles presents a grim hamartia caused from a terrible deed of long ago. Oedipus the protagonist is the powerful King of Thebes and held of high estate by the people of Thebes. As the terrible deed of Oedipus’s becomes apparent to both Oedipus and the City of Thebes his tragic flaw is slowly realized. The play will show “tragic power resides in human failing, hamartia, constantly underpinning any sense of the inevitable” (Walton). The play will show the author’s view of a tragic hero as seen in the play Oedipus the King does exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.

In Sophocles play Oedipus the King, Sophocles depicts the horrible fate of Oedipus, a pompous, arrogant young ruler. The story begins in the Greek town of Thebes. A plague has descended upon the Thebians causing death and famine throughout the land. Oedipus, being the heroic king, takes full responsibility to find out the cause of their aliments. While working to discover the source of the plague, Oedipus stumbles upon the tragic truth of his heritage and the horrifying implications of his appointment to the throne. Unfortunately for Oedipus, everything ends in tragedy. With the suicide of his mother/wife and the self-inflicted blindness followed by exile from Thebes, Oedipus paved the path to his own

Many people believe that fate has planned out their lives and despite efforts on their part what was meant to happen, will eventually happen. This belief has been handed down over the centuries from some of the first civilizations, such as the Greeks. However, not all Greek citizens wanted destiny to take control of their lives. Some decided to choose freewill over the will of the gods. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles writes a cautionary tale meant to warn the doubters in Greek society that regardless of their beliefs in gods and prophecies, it is necessary to heed their warnings. Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laius are Sophocles’ characters that prove that escaping one’s fate is not possible, as each of their predicted fates is realized despite extensive efforts to thwart them.

Sophocles was well-known as a master of tragedy. Sophocles was born at Colonus, not far from Athens. Sophocles wrote over 100 different dramatic stories. “Oedipus the King” is one of his great stories that has a mix of heroics to it and yet, we feel sorry for Oedipus and his fate. We ask ourselves after reading “Oedipus the King” who was this man and why did he think he could run from his destiny of fate? Was Oedipus responsible for his final fate and could he have changed his fate? We are going to talk about Oedipus and how his life unfolds from his birth. Then you, the reader will decide if you feel empathy for Oedipus if this story was about a tragic hero.

Sophocles was conceived in Colunus, Greece. He passed on a mid 406 B.C. Sophocles is the child of Sophilus, an affluent part of a little group. He had a noticeably anxious life. Sophocles experienced childhood in the town of Colonus, just outside Athens, which was the setting of his disaster Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles was a minister of Halon and helped present the faction of Asclepius, lord of medication, to Athens. He was regarded post mortem as a saint. His father, Sophillus, thought to have been an affluent aristocrat, sent his child to Athens for an instruction. Sophocles was the second of the 3 greatest Greek writers of tragedy (with Aeschylus and Euripides). He is known best for what he wrote about Oedipus, the mythological figure who proved central to Freud and the history of psychoanalysis. He lived through most of the 5th century, experiencing the Age of Pericles and the Peloponnesian War. He had a first marriage with Nicostrata, by whom he turned into the father of Iophon. Sometime down the road he had an association with a certain Theoris, a lady of Sicyon. He additionally had a child called Ariston. Other three children are specified by name, albeit nothing is thought about them. Some additionally said that in amazing maturity, Sophocles became hopelessly enamored with the mistress Archippe, whom he made beneficiary of his property. This is ruined by the way that Athenian laws were against excluding at age

AP BOOK REPORT Anaaya Shah Mrs. Moskovitz English 1 Honors Period 5 January 29,2016 1. Title of Work: Oedipus Rex 2. Author and Date Written: Sophocles wrote the play, Oedipus Rex.

Sophocles’ plays are among some of the best-written performances of the 5th century, and they have evolved into several modern theatrical productions and movies. Although not written as part of a trilogy, Sophocles’ three interconnected plays focus on the same dysfunctional family: Antigone, Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) and Oedipus at Colonus. His second play Oedipus the King continues to awe the audiences today as much as it entertained Sophocles’ audience. There existed then and now a fascination with this defected group of individuals that others still seek to transform and capture with their spins and surprises; nevertheless, the innermost secrets of desire and power and terror remain constant no matter the version.

What would one expect to be the outcome of the life of a man who has been cursed from birth and cast into the shadows only to rise and rule over the land? In the play Oedipus Rex, Sophocles develops a storyline centered on the main character Oedipus the king who is faced with unequivocal misfortunes that test his courage. Even though Oedipus attempts to evade the prophecy at his birth, his personality triggers a series of events that leads to his destruction. Oedipus had some good traits as well as some undesirable flaws in his person but his insistent search for the truth is what leads to his destruction and writes his story. Sophocles illustrates how the character of a man can service the fulfillment of his own prophecy in this tale of tragedy.

The Greeks considered tragedy the greatest form for literature.  However, the tragic ends for the characters were not ordained or set by fate, but rather caused by certain characteristics belonging to that person.  Such is the case with the characters of Sophocles' plays Oedipus the King and Antigone.  Oedipus from King Oedipus, and Antigone and Creon from Antigone posses characteristics, especially pride, that caused their tragic ends.  As the play progress, other characteristics appear and further add to the problem to such a point that it is inevitable that it will end in tragedy.  Therefore the tragedies were not a result of a plot by the fates, but rather a result of the

Tragic hero could be said to be someone that has had a tragic flaw that leads to the hero's death and also helps the reader to sympathize with the character. Oedipus is a classic example of a tragic hero who had many flaws on the surface, such as the lack of self-knowledge, curiosity and pride, and the wisdom gained at the end.

Unknowingly marrying his mother and the sire of his children Oedipus, a father, a son and a brother to them went through a lot pain when the truth is revealed. The true parents of Oedipus abandoned the child on the sole bases of a prophecy that may or may not have come true foretelling of Oedipus killing his father and marrying his mother, they leave him in hopes to be killed so this does not happen, but apparently you cannot get away from “fate”. “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles is a masterpiece within its own rights when one speaks of the epic plays, but is there a thing such as fate that actually exists? The servant that had to leave the poor child to die either by animal or nature could not do it, and as such caused the butterfly effect to go into play. Not being told of his true parentage and was kept in the dark until the last possible second, the denial as realization struck Oedipus and the outcome that came with it. Would being ignorant have been better than knowing the truth?

The story Oedipus The King has many tragedies, yet a large percent of what happens is not in the fault of Oedipus. Oedipus really has no idea what he did and os very confused. In the beginning, he thought the prophecies were wrong and that he would not kill his dad and marry his mom. He was scared that would come true. He denied all of it, but did not know that he had done exactly that, and became the king. He was always told lies about his childhood but he eventually found out the hard way that he was the son of King Laius. . Finding the truth, he gouged his eyes out to relieve his pain. He wanted to relieve the pain, to not see his mistakes. His wife had hanged herself so she did not have to live with guilt. This situation could have been avoided very easily, but it wasn’t told. Polybus and Merope could have told him the truth, and could have his parents back. Fate had other plans for poor Oedipus and it gets him killed.

Sophocles’ plays are among some of the best-written performances of the 5th century, and they have evolved into several modern theatrical productions and movies. Although not written as part of a trilogy, Sophocles’ three interconnected plays focus on the same dysfunctional family: Antigone, Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) and Oedipus at Colonus. His second play Oedipus the King continues to awe the audiences today as much as it entertained Sophocles’ audience. There existed then and now a fascination with this defected group of individuals that others still seek to transform and capture with their spins and surprises; nevertheless, the innermost secrets of desire and power and terror remain constant no matter the version.

Whether positive or negative, individuals have various characteristics that define them. Many people struggle to find a balance between confidence and arrogance. Oedipus, King Laius, and Queen Jocasta fall into this category, as they all possess this character flaw. Throughout Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, these characters make decisions based on what is best for themselves. Sometimes putting yourself before others is necessary for a healthy mindset and can be a suitable choice. However, Oedipus, Laius, and Jocasta make mistakes that they will later come to regret. Though these characters are determined and driven, their decisions, so clouded by hubris, cause them to face