An avid reader has the tendency to question what promotes to haunt their inner most thought. Another reader is curious to what degree of uncertainty does one owe an unparalleled fear. Often an individual finds themselves in angst due to an unknowing of what comes next in the future. It is a perfectly rational fear shared amongst all their fellow men. However, what happens to be the most terrifying concept is one that only comes to fruition when it casts the dark shadow of reality. While the fear of the unknown seems to be scary, when that exact same unknown becomes known and is detrimental to an individuals current state of being, the true fear is acknowledged. In Oedipus Rex, King Oedipus expresses fear of not knowing who killed Laius, which he believes is the cause of the current plague in the City of Thebes. However, his true fear comes when he finds out that not only is Laius his father, but that he killed him. While the unknown for Oedipus is a problem for him, he does not realize his true fear until he finds out what actually happened.
The situation in which Oedipus has been placed in is one that is an exceptionally graphic and terrible example of a common occurrence in everyone’s lives. I have personally found that while I may have recurring fears about the unknown, fears such as what the future holds, what others around me think, what grade I will make on this paper, or how my final exams will end up, these are perfectly rational fears. Oedipus has a perfectly rational fear of not knowing who killed the King because the plague has set on his city. This fear is heightened even more when Tiresias, the blind prophet, accuses Oedipus of killing the king and also begins hinting at other terrible things that Oedipus is has done...
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Sophocles’ work in this manner is applicable to just about any situation in life. He gives us a lesson that we can use in any situation where we are given the opportunity to decide between knowledge and ignorance. If we choose to stay in ignorance, the price that may accompany that decision is one like Oedipus’, where in which every denial and every sprint away from the truth drives us deeper into a fear in which getting out of becomes more of a tragedy. Sophocles gives us the advantage of seeing what denial and running from the truth can do to someone. He also gives us the ability to see through another man’s story the differences between the two fears. Through this advantage, Sophocles helps us realize the ability to effectively problem solve by addressing our problems early on before they manifest into a web of wretchedness and become dreadful and unbearable.
Oedipus the King, a tragedy which was written by the ancient greek dramatist Sophocles, is often referred to as the perfect tragedy (McManus, 1999). According to Aristotle in his Poetics, in order for a story to be considered a tragedy, it must be realistic, evoke a series of emotions leading to catharsis, which is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions”. A tragedy should also contain six key elements:
Oedipus the King conveys many lessons that are relevant to people living today despite the fact that it was written by Sophocles twenty four centuries ago. Oedipus is a child destined to kill his father and marry his mother. During his life, he makes many mistakes trying to avoid his fate. These mistakes teach us about the nature of humans under certain circumstances. Oedipus possesses personality traits which causes him to make wrong decisions. Attributes like arrogance and his inability to make
justice – are all qualities Oedipus thought he possessed – and that is why he was the perfect example of the inadequacy of human knowledge, certainty, and justice”. The lack of these qualities pushed Oedipus farther from the truth and closer to his great downfall. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus’ tragic downfall was caused by his alleged certainty of knowledge, his rash actions and judgment, and his unwavering sense for justice. In Knox’s statement, he refers to Oedipus’ “inadequacy of human knowledge
THEATRE 2) Is Oedipus a Tragic Hero? Answer this question demonstrating specific understandings of the concepts of Tragedy and the Tragic Hero. In the Greek play, “King Oedipus” written by Sophocles, certain characteristics, which determine the traits of a tragic hero, reveal themselves as the play unfolds. These traits enable readers to enjoy a more enhanced reading of the play and also serve to evoke a particular response from the reader. Readers acknowledge that King Oedipus is a tragic hero
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is a Greek tragedy and also a mystery. At the beginning of the play Thebes is suffering from a plague which leaves its fields and women barren. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, has sent his brother-in-law Creon to ask how to end this plague. Creon returns and tells Oedipus that once the killer of Laius is found Thebes will be cured of the plague. Laius was the predecessor of Oedipus. Oedipus vows to protect his land and people and to find the murderer of Laius. He then finds
Oedipus the King is a great epic, written by Sophocles that discusses Oedipus’ journey to find his own identity. Most importantly, this epic challenges even the noblest of human beings by portraying a theme between personal convictions versus the force of fate. Throughout his journey, Oedipus encounters these challenges through several oracles, in which he has a difficult time interpreting and accepting. Nevertheless, King Oedipus, being a man with great curiosity and determination, seeks for these
Oedipus the King, was a play by Sophocles, it takes place in the city of Thebes. The city swept with a plague, it was just like the one in Athens (Kennedy 710). The plague encourages Oedipus to find and exile the man who murdered Laios, the former king. Throughout the play Oedipus portrays his ignorance and innocence, but then he begins to question his upbringings and realizes the truth about his life. “...Oedipus gets his name through a complex pun. Odia means “to know” (from the root vid-, “see”)
Oedipus the King by Sophocles is the story of a man who was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. The ancient Greeks believed that their gods decided what would ultimately happen to each and every person.Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. Both the concept of fate and free will played an important part in Oedipus' destruction. Although he was a victim of fate, he was not controlled by it. Oedipus was destined from birth to someday marry his
This exact oracle revealed the prophecy of a man by the name of Oedipus, he is smart, he is heroic, but more than any trait he is cursed. Oedipus learned that he shall murder his father and one day marry his mother who in turn will give birth to his children. That is exactly what happened: he ran away from his adopted parents, killed his true father and won his mother’s hand in marriage by defeating the Sphinx. But in the end, Oedipus had no idea he ruined his family, and once he saw the truth, he
Oedipus and Creon in Sophocles' Oedipus the King At first glance, Oedipus and Creon are two very different people. But as time progresses their personalities and even their fates grow more and more similar. In Sophocles’s play “Oedipus the King”, Oedipus and Creon are two completely opposite people. Oedipus is brash and thoughtless, whilst Creon is wise and prudent. In “Oedipus the King”, Oedipus effectively portrays the idea of the classic “flawed hero”. He becomes arrogant and brash. He accuses
from being able to see the truth. Sophocles introduces this idea of physical versus mental blindness in the play, Oedipus the King. The reader follows Oedipus on his search for the truth. Through juxtaposition Sophocles shows, the metaphorical blindness of the main character in contrast the mental clarity the blind man possesses. Pairing with this thought, the author validates this idea of blindness through dramatic irony. The reader sees the truth, while Oedipus remains blind. Despite the common
messages through the presentation of already well known narratives such as the story of Oedipus. In doing so, the dramas were dramatically ironic, and did, therefore, serve as a type of moral reminder to Dionysian festival attendees. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Sophocles asserts that prophecy is unavoidable because the gods have been, and always will be, in control of destiny. During the time that Oedipus the King was written and performed, the fifth century B.C., Athens had made significant strides
In the Oedipus Cycle, Sophocles explores many themes surrounding fate, the will of the gods, and how characters attempt to control it. The Oedipus Cycle consists of three plays: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. The first two plays center around Oedipus’ life and trials, while the third, Antigone, follows Oedipus’ titular daughter, Antigone. Throughout the three plays, Sophocles shows how the main characters Oedipus, his brother-in-law, Creon, and Antigone are affected by fate, and the
from “Oedipus the King” by the Ancient Greek playwright Sophocles, is a blind prophet and whilst he is only on the stage for a little time he plays a major role by what he does and what he represents. Tiresias enters the play after being summoned by Oedipus to tell him of the murderer of Laius, the recent King. Tiresias for the sake of Oedipus does not tell him the truth at the start saying that “what will come will come. Even if I shroud it all in silence”. In is conversation, Sophocles, uses Tiresias
but there is a countless number of people that argue that there is a higher power that controls our lives. In the play ‘’Oedipus the King’’ by Sophocles destiny played a critical role in the lives of the characters. To keep away from their fated destiny, the characters took safety measures to avert their foreordained fates. Beginning with the prophecy further going to Oedipus lastly the Queen otherwise called Jocasta they only proved that you can not outrun or escape your fate. With every one of