Similarities Between Exodus And Oedipus

What is tradition? Tradition is a story about the past that reminds us how to act in the present. Although the dictionary defines it as the handing down of information, beliefs and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another. There are many cultures that still follow their old traditions, like the Hebrews and Greeks. Famous stories like Exodus and Oedipus show how these cultures became who they are and why they act the way they do. Exodus and Oedipus Rex serve as traditional stories for the Hebrews and Greeks because both stories set a tradition for rituals and laws to follow. Exodus served as a traditional story for the Hebrews because it set a tradition for rituals and laws to follow. The Hebrews received the Ten

In Ancient Greece theater was a necessary part of Greek culture; it was almost law that everyone from every city-state had to go watch the public performances. Oedipus itself is a play, written by Sophocles, which means that all the Greeks knew of his story and through Sophocles’ plays the Greek theater continued to develop. During the Greek festivals, that had the performances of the plays, there would actually be sacrifices to the gods because each theater was dedicated to a god. Although this is one form of a ritual, Oedipus himself is like a sacrifice because he was fated from the beginning to be punished in order to save Thebes from its plague. “Upon the murderer I invoke this curse- whether he is one man and all unknown, or one of many- may he wear out his life in misery to miserable doom! On you I lay my charge to fulfill all this for me, for the God, and for this land of ours destroyed and blighted, by the God forsaken.” (Oedipus Rex 246-249) During the play, there is a plague on Thebes which can only be stopped by killing the murderer of the previous king; this quote is Oedipus unknowingly cursing himself and being a sacrifice for the peace of Thebes. Oedipus makes for a great tradition story because it shows the key values the Greeks practiced which was love of the polis (city-state) and respect for the gods. “Oedipus: I’m sane enough to defend my interests. Creon: You should be protecting mine as well.” (Oedipus Rex 760,761) This quote is important because Sophocles is saying how leaders make a good city and people should also help each other in order to be a good city; Oedipus is showing how he is not being a good leader by not caring for Creon so Oedipus is an example, to the Greeks, of how not to act.“Creon, my old trusted family friend, has secretly conspired to overthrow me and paid off a