The Tragic Ending Of King Oedipus

Charles could see Erik giving up as sharply as he felt it, the small spark that he’d come to label in his own mind as ‘life force’ dwindling to an ember and extinguishing. He was stepping forward before he could stop himself, blooding rushing in his ears against time as he spoke. “Dēsístite!“

Oedipus steps out of the royal palace of Thebes and is greeted by a procession of priests, who are in turn surrounded by the impoverished and sorrowful citizens of Thebes. The citizens carry branches wrapped in wool, which they offer to the gods as gifts. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how to put an end to it. Oedipus asks a priest why the citizens have gathered around the palace. The priest responds that the city is dying and asks the king to save Thebes. Oedipus replies that he sees and understands the terrible fate of Thebes, and that no one is more sorrowful than he. He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how to stop the plague. Just then, Creon

In Thebes, a plague is infecting the people. They ask King Oedipus for help, since he saved them from the Sphynx. He sent Creon to Oracle of Delphi to get help from Apollo. Creon comes back and says Thebes must find and punish former King Liaus’ murderer. So, Oedipus starts seeking information of the murder. Oedipus welcomes Tiresias, but Tiresias regrets coming. Finally, Tiresias tells Oedipus that he “is the wound”- King Liaus’ murderer. Oedipus responds by accusing Tiresias and Creon of treason, and defends himself. Jocasta, Oedipus’ wife, stands up for Creon, so Oedipus agrees to banish him, even though he wanted to kill him instead. Oedipus complains to Jocasta about Creon. She tries to calm him by telling him that prophesies and oracles can be wrong.

In Sophocles's play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is what is known in a tragedy as the tragic hero. Oedipus is the tragic hero because his fate goes from having the fortune to ending up in misfortune. Usually, the tragic hero is given a "tragic flaw" that sets the character up for his own downfall. The tragic flaw is intentionally an excessive positive trait causes the character fortune to turn to misfortune. In these Greek tragedies, fate plays another role in the outcome of the characters. The Gods trust that in the path they give a person, it would play out as it should. The fate the Gods choose to give them can also add to the character's downfall. In Oedipus Rex, the tragic result of Oedipus's down fall is the fault of fate and Oedipus's decisions because of the God's Prophecy, Oedipus's tragic flaw, and his parents' dishonesty.

An individual’s strengths can eventually become their greatest weaknesses. Their strongest traits can turn into their tragic flaws. A tragic flaw is a trait viewed as being favorable to a character at first, but it leads to their later downfall. It was often used in ancient Greek tragedies to show that mankind was susceptible to flaw. This was present in Sophocles 's tragedy, Oedipus the King. The protagonist of the tragedy, Oedipus, was not exempt from his own flaws. Oedipus’s traits of excessive pride and desire for knowing the truth were advantageous to him in the beginning, yet were the very things that contributed to his tragic downfall.

Oedipus was the biological son of Laius and Jocasta; they were from a city called Thebes. King Polybus and Queen Merope from Corinth and were given by a gift by a citizen. It was a gift to them since they were unable to have kids. Unfortunately the child had stakes in its ankles which made the child limp for the rest of his life. Nevertheless Oedipus grew up being contented, but never was told that he was adopted.

Oedipus is a king and there has been a curse put on thebes. Oedipus sends his brother-in-law Creon to find Apollo and figure out how to stop this curse ("Oedipus The King Summary"). He said that if the former king's killer was found then the curse would be lifter. The former king was killer a few years ago. Oedipus looks for clues and founds out that he killed him. His wife told him not to believe them but he does believe them. He remembers killing a man at the crossroads (Grade Saver). He continues to and finds people that tell him the story about how he was abandoned as an infant. He finds out that he married his mom and had a child with her. The mother also killed herself after she finds out and Oedipus is exiled from Thebes ("Oedipus The

Before coming to “the land of thebes”, which is the name of the city; Oedipus killed king Laius because the former king’s entourage tried attacking him. Afterwards, Oedipus admits his faults because he states that whole time he was “calling curses at himself in ignorance”. Which means that he never would've acted so cocky, if he was aware of his origin. Ultimately, Oedipus ends up sacrificing himself in hopes of lifting the plague. This action displays Oedipus’ remorse; also he figures that “Had I died then, I would not be so burdensome to friends”, which means that he'll accepts his faith and make things right.

Sophocles critiques the character Oedipus as having anger problems that cloud his judgment, lead to brash decisions, and ultimately becomes his major flaw that brings him down. The flaw can easily sculpt bad situations, especially when such an influential person is affected by it. He reveals his anger as a problem very early in the book during a road rage where he, “[brawling] with an old man in a carriage over right of way and in a fit of temper [killing] him.” (page #) Murder is a pretty serious crime to commit for a dispute of who had the right of way. He just didn’t take the time to think about what he was doing because he let his anger take control. Had he taken time to allow his anger to pass, he would have evaded the prophecy that applies

In the play Oedipus Rex, the city of Thebes was cursed with a plague. His brother in law, Creon, told him the only way to lift the curse was to find the killer of the former king. Someone had killed Laius and now Oedipus is looking for the murder because he cares about the city of Thebes. Creon says that Laius was killed in a very long time ago. Creon also brings a blind prophet by the name of Tiresias. Tiresias didn't want to say anything to Oedipus because he wanted to protect him from the truth. Oedipus grew angry and demanded for Tiresias to tell him the truth. Provoked by the anger of Oedipus, Tiresias begins to give hints of his knowledge. Edit bay start saying that Tiresias was the murder, so Terry see is tells Oedipus that he was indeed

In the reading it’s clear that the greeks view the Sophocles play “Oedipus the king” a hero. A tragic hero is defined as a person of noble birth with heroic qualities. The person who considered a tragic hero is either fated by the Gods, by a supernatural force, or is doomed from the start but must encounter suffering in some form. They must also have positive parts in their character. Meaning as they may have faults they out way their faults with their positive ones making them a true tragic hero such as Oedipus.

In the tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Oedipus searches for the truth of his identity, when it backfires. A plague is running loose so Oedipus, as the new king he tries to help Thebes ; his city. His best option is the gods, he turns to Apollo the god. After having a back and forth argument with his brother in law Creon he learns more about the former king’s death. Oedipus then calls for Tiresias, the seer. Tiresias argues with Oedipus about the oracle that tells the fate of Oedipus. Tiresias then gives Oedipus a hint about the horrible fate. At this time Jocasta, Oedipus's wife, comforts him. Later, after heavy thinking a Herold from Corinth shows up and explains that the king of Corinth; Polybus, is dead. Oedipus hears this news and

Throughout the play, Oedipus showcases his undeniable ability to grow enraged, frustrated and in various cases very close minded; this self-coping mechanism however is not part of a hamartia he may have endured that lead to his demise. His ultimate outcome actually was anything but his own doing for his destiny was predetermined by powers inexplicably greater than his existence.

- The beginning of the plot of the play, Oedipus’s objective was to figure out who murdered King Laïos, to then capture him and put a stop to the plague spreading around Thebes. King Oedipus is profoundly concerned about his people, and is determined to relive the misery that is occurring due to the curse in his city. When he starts investigating, the idea was brought up that it is possible that he, himself, killed King Laïos and that changes his mindset in a different path. Oedipus is aware that years ago before he came to Thebes, he had an encounter with a stranger that almost endangered his life and killed the man in self-defense. “And there a herald came towards me, and a chariot drawn by horses, with a man such as you describe seated in it. The groom leading the horses forced me off the road at his lord’s command...Swinging my club in this right hand I knocked him out out of his car, and he rolled on the ground. I killed him.” (pg.1240) Little did he know that the man was King Laïos; it seems like everyone in the play seems to know that Oedipus is the murderer of King Laïos but something keeps them from revealing that to him. All the confusement that is brought to Oedipus is there reason why the question “Who killed Laïos?” turned to “Who am I?” Discovering who he is, is the key in determining whether he is the possible murderer of King Laïos. On the level of the plot, the answer “Son of Laïos and lokastê, father’s murderer, mother’s husband.” However, in Oedipus mind,

The stories of ancient Greek mythology are famous up until our time. There is something about them, which will draw the reader into the story. “Oedipus the king”, written by Sophocles is one of those epic poems, in ancient Greek. Even though the story is thousands of years old, people enjoy reading them today. The involvement of Gods and godlike heroes, the prophecies, humans and their flaws, and scandalous behaviors create so much entertainment for the reader. They are so spectacularly dramatized, that several movie makers even made movies about them. The captivating, and at the same time very disturbing aspect, that Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother is an act in itself. The beginning of Oedipus’ fate, Jocasta’s loyalty to the