Justice In Sophocles Oedipus The King
analytical Essay
456 words
Oedipus the King Throughout the play and novel Oedipus the King, Oedipus is in search for justice for the murder of King Laius. He will stop at nothing to get to the truth. Oedipus makes it a personal mission to find the murderer, and even goes against the advice of people close to him in his pursuit for justice. Oedipus understands that if the murderer is not found and exiled, the people of his kingdom will continue to suffer from the plague that was put on the land. This gives him plenty of motivation to find the killer. The only problem is that he, unwillingly and unknowingly, killed king laius. Oedipus, once he finds out the truth, understands that to save the people of his kingdom he must be exiled and that is what he wants to be done to him. He puts the people first in order for them to survive and prosper with the plague gone. Oedipus’ search for the killer does yield …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how oedipus the king is in search of justice for the murder of king laius. he understands that if the killer is not found and exiled, the people of his kingdom will continue to suffer from the plague
- Analyzes how oedipus' search for the killer yields results, but if he had accepted what the prophet told him from the beginning, it would have not needed to begin the investigation.
- Analyzes how oedipus realizes that he has never really had control over his own life, making his search very significant. his fate was decided at birth, but it ended up staying the same.
- Narrates how the man left his parents to change the outcome of the prophecy, but he didn't know that his real father would kill him and marry his mother.
- Analyzes how oedipus' pursuit for justice gives him the answers he was looking for, but no the ones they wanted. he realizes that all the terrible things that were foretold of his destiny came true.
Even though he tried to change the outcome of his destiny, it ends up staying the same. His fate was decided at birth, he never had control. The moment Oedipus realizes that the prophecy still came true he is destroyed. This is a significant turning point in the story because he finds out his whole life was a lie. He left who he thought were his real parents to change the outcome, but he had no idea he would accidentally run into his real father and kill him and marry his own mother just like the prophecy foretold. Oedipus’ pursuit for justice gives him the answers he was looking for but no the ones he wanted. He understands he must stop at no cost to find the killer and exile him, even if it is himself. He is successful in his search, but in the process realizes that all the terrible things that were foretold of his destiny came true. The significance of his findings is what destroys him and leaves him wanting to be
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- Oedipus The King Suppressed Desire Analysisanalytical essayOedipus is searching for the truth of his identity. He vows to get to the bottom of Laius homicide, in spite of his mother/wife's insistence on not to and other people's voice telling him not to. In the play Jocasta, his wife advises him as he inches closer
In this essay, the author
- Compares oedipus the king and suppressed desires, which have similar tones, times, and endings.
- Compares "suppressed desires" and "too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing."
- Analyzes how oedipus is searching for the truth of his identity. he vows to get to the bottom of laius homicide, despite his mother/wife's insistence on not to.
- Illustrates how too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing. laius's thirst for the truth cost him his throne.
- Analyzes how henrietta is the protagonist in "suppressed desires." she loves to interpret dreams and wants her husband, steven, and sister, mabel's dreams really bad.
- Analyzes how oedipus and henrietta's stories are a reminder of how too much knowledge can be dangerous.
475 wordsRead More - Means To Tragic Ends (oedipusanalytical essayFurthermore, Oedipus exhibits self-loathing and a desperation towards the end of the play. After the facts have been voiced, he desperately attempts to rationalize the evidence and states, “You said that he spoke of highway robbers who killed Laius. Now if he uses the same number, it was not I who killed him. One man cannot be the same as many. But if he speaks of a man travelling alone, then clearly the burden of the guilt inclines towards me.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the events in oedipus the king and antigone suggest that man ultimately chooses his own deeds and endures fate and the responsibilities for them.
- Analyzes how pride is one of the dominant flaws that causes oedipus' tragic downfall.
- Analyzes how pride is not the only characteristic which contributes to oedipus' tragic end. his temper is exposed in the argument between teiresias and himself.
- Analyzes how oedipus threatens to banish or kill creon after his attempted reasoning. he is falsely rationalizing that teiresias is secretly plotting to overthrow him.
- Analyzes how oedipus exhibits self-loathing and desperation towards the end of the play. after the facts have been voiced, he desperately attempts to rationalize the evidence.
- Analyzes how antigone holds a detrimental sense of pride, which is presented in the speech between creon and herself.
- Analyzes how antigone's acceptance and welcoming of death contributes to her tragic end. creon affirms this by declaring 'life was your choice, and death was mine.'
- Analyzes how antigone appears to display righteousness when she states "if creon and his people are the wrongdoers let their suffering be no worse than the injustice they are met out to me."
- Analyzes how creon's pride is adamant and unforgiving, more so than oedipus, and his stubbornness when others attempt to defy his will.
- Compares oedipus's inability to see the situation he has placed himself in, and antigone’s expectation of pity for the wretched situation she was born into.
- Analyzes how the flawed characteristics of father and daughter are similar to the sides of a coin.
- Analyzes how creon's flawed characteristic is undoubtedly his pride, which made him unmovable as a mountain.
- Analyzes how oedipus is guilty in the end, not for killing his father and marrying his mother, but it is his attempt to raise himself above others, disregarding facts and wisdom brought to him.
1090 wordsRead More - Oedipus Is to Blame in Oedipus Rexanalytical essayOedipus is the head investigator for the murder of King Laius. Even though he tells the people of Thebes that, "I am ready to help." He promises the people that he would do anything t...
In this essay, the author
- Agrees with bernard knox that oedipus is responsible for the tragic outcome of the play.
- Analyzes how oedipus's opening of the investigation is the first step toward his downfall. he covers up the murder and is nervous when he hears the news.
- Analyzes how oedipus is the head investigator for the murder of king laius. he promises the people that he would do anything to find his murderers.
- Analyzes how oedipus, seeing his responsibility, demands anyone who knows about the murder to come forth. the city of thebes is weak and powerless after the death of the king laius
- Narrates how oedipus awaits creon to return with the oracle from apollo to help further his investigation.
- Analyzes how oedipus' discovery of more information about the murder and his fate leads him to recognize what needs to be done.
- Analyzes how oedipus brings the tragic discovery on himself. he is responsible for the murder of the king. no one knew about the fate until the servant arrived.
511 wordsRead More - Oedipus perseveres through his quest to discover the murderer of the former king, explaining to the citizens that he dedicates all of his effort to the investigation. Oedipus states, “On these accounts I, as for my own father/ Will fight this fight, and follow out every clue/ Seeking to seize the author of his murder”(10). Oedipus ensures his people that he devotes all of his effort, attempting to resolve the plague among the city. In addition, although Oedipus receives warnings to stop his investigation, his determination drives him to know nothing less than the entire truth. Due to his excessive desire to know the truth, Oedipus “will not hearken- not to know the whole”(36). Oedipus’ determination blinds him from knowing that he is the killer; as a result, he continues to pursue the truth. Furthermore, through his extensive amount of determination, Oedipus eventually discovers the information that he desires; however, his determination leads him to discover that he is the murder of his father and husband of his
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how sophocles, arthur miller, and william shakespeare's plays, "oedipus rex," "death of a salesman," and "hamlet" demonstrate determination among the protagonist characters.
- Analyzes how "oedipus rex" portrays a plague-stricken city as the king, demonstrating his determination to his people by continuously searching for the murderer of the ex-king.
- Analyzes how oedipus displays determination in concluding the murderer of the old king. his determination blinds him from accusing himself until all clues lead back to him.
- Analyzes how willy's main desire is to be a successful businessman, and his determination to become successful hinders him from taking on another job.
- Analyzes how willy was a salesman. he didn't put bolts to nuts, tell you the law, or give you medicine.
- Analyzes how willy displays his determination through his continuing desire to be a successful business man; however, he chooses the wrong direction to pursue his dream, leading to his suicide.
- Analyzes how hamlet exhibits his determination through elaborate schemes to obtain revenge on king claudius for killing his father.
- Analyzes how s exemplify the determination of the protagonist in each play through their persistence to achieve their goals.
1187 wordsRead More - Revenge And Fate In Sophocles Oedipus The Kinganalytical essayOedipus’ murder of his father and his subsequent marriage to his mother in Sophocles’’ Oedipus the King are arborous and difficult to imagine one doing. The king’s character flaws of anger and pride play a part in his downfall but either alone or together, his flaws are not enough to cause him to commit the acts he does. Instead, his flaws are used against him to in an effort to lead him towards fulfilling the prophecy. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, primarily Fate causes Oedipus’ fall (fulfillment of the prophecy).
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how oedipus' murder of his father and his subsequent marriage to his mother are arborous and difficult to imagine one doing. the king's character flaws of anger and pride play a part in his downfall.
- Analyzes how the prophecy's revelation rids oedipus of knowledge of his origins and allows it to be fulfilled.
- Analyzes how the revelation of prophecy to oedipus' brings him to thebes to fulfill it. the first revelation took the king away from his home thereby robbing him of his identity.
- Analyzes how coincidences out of oedipus' control play pivotal roles in his fall.
- Analyzes how sophocles arranges the play to take advantage of the king’s flaws as he leads the character down a path that can only result in oedipus’ downfall.
752 wordsRead More - Comparing Oedipus and Pentheusanalytical essayOedipus thinks his human powers can match anything put in front of him. He forces other characters to tell him things, which again creates his tragic ending. (O790) Oedipus by not knowing his identity seems to create his own tragedy. Throughout the entire play, he is blind to everything people are telling him. (O320) He continues to badger Teiresias to answer things that Oedipus does not believe is true. If he only stopped, asking questions his fate might have been different. (O385) Because of these answers, he begins to suspect that people are plotting against him. He feels that he is above such lowly deeds. His own conceit and blind confidence in himself helps him continue towards a tragic ending. (O452-460) While Teiresias was predicting the future of Oedipus, he should have been smart enough to listen. He should have started to change his ways before he ended up destroying himself. Oedipus' guilt was beginning to play tricks on his mind. At the beginning of the play, Oedipus was on the top of the mortal world. Now he is finding out the truth about his past and his world starts to crumble around him.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how oedipus and pentheus are tragic greek characters who help create their own endings through their character's flaws and blindness to what is going on around them. the only consistent character in both plays who understands past and present dangers is teiresias.
- Analyzes how oedipus' conceit and blind confidence in himself help him continue towards a tragic ending.
- Analyzes how oedipus lets his own ego get in his way when he comes upon a carriage with the man and his servants. his stubbornness and pride kept him from changing his future.
- Analyzes how pentheus like oedipus was taken with his own powers. he could not believe anything could harm him.
- Analyzes how teiresias was the only character to be able to see things as they were. even though physically weak, old, and blind, he seemed mentally strong.
- Analyzes how teiresias says that oedipus is blind for not knowing who his parents are. this is a new character trait that develops.
- Analyzes how sophocles and euripides created a story based on the common bond between characters in greek tragedies. pentheus and oedipus could have changed their fate by reacting different at different points during their lives.
573 wordsRead More - The Role Of Justice In Oedipus Rexopinion essayLast week, I had an opportunity to read Oedipus Rex, which was a fantastic play. Oedipus Rex presents different perspectives of a person’s life, and the impact they might have on his/her descendants. For example, Oedipus’s great grandparent committed a crime that affected Oedipus later on in his life. However, Oedipus isn’t even born when the crime take place. In addition, Oedipus Rex presents the notion of justice, which I agree with because I believe that justice is essential, and fair just, as it portrays in the play; however, I do think that justice can be unfair sometimes due to ones’ ulterior motives.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that oedipus rex presents different perspectives of a person’s life, and the impact they might have on his/her descendants.
- Analyzes how justice is essential in the play due to the pressure that lays upon finding the murder of laius. oedipus is eager to find justice and solve the case for his country.
- Opines that justice doesn't always seem fair, especially when different people have contradictory views on how it should display. oedipus murdered laius, but it was self-defense.
380 wordsRead More - Oedipus as a Tragic Heroanalytical essayOedipus discovers that the child of king Laius, and queen Jocasta was sent away to die as a child. As he seeks for the reason for this child being sent away he stumbles upon the fact that the child was prophesized to kill his father and he would lay with his mother. From this he became suspicious that the child may be him. He realized that while he had been considered a hero at the same time he had been doing what the oracle told him he would do.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that they tried everything to avoid the prophecy, but ran right into it.
- Narrates how jocasta fulfilled the prophesy, and how he wentuged out his eyes so they could not see the faces of those who looked down on him.
- Analyzes how oedipus can be considered a tragic hero because he commits an action which ultimately destroys him.
- Analyzes how the tragic hero, oedipus, is portrayed as a heralded king who solves the riddle of the sphinx.
353 wordsRead More - Oedipusanalytical essayThe ambitious aspect of Oedipus’ character is revealed through his conversations with the Leader and the Chorus. When the Leader steps up at the beginning of the play to offer suggestions, Oedipus gladly accepts; he asks no one to “hold back” (323) and for everyone to just say whatever information they had on the killing of Laius. Oedipus is very open-minded to the Leaders suggestions. He promises the citizens of his town, the Chorus, that he will find the murderer of King Laius. Oedipus is ambitious, but, at times, he also is very arrogant.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how oedipus the king is a unique character whose different aspects are revealed throughout the play. he talks with creon, jocasta, and tiresias.
- Analyzes how the ambitious aspect of oedipus' character is revealed through his conversations with the leader and the chorus.
- Analyzes how oedipus accuses creon of plotting to kill him or banished him from his kingdom so he can rule instead of him.
- Analyzes how oedipus shows deep love and compassion towards jocasta. he is affectionate, instead of "haunting" as he normally is.
- Analyzes how oedipus' short temper and stubbornness is exploited when he talks to tiresias, and his impatience.
- Analyzes how oedipus' conversation with the shepherd revealed his trait of desperation. the shepherd is a humble man who needs to know who killed laius.
584 wordsRead More - Oedipus is the main character in the play Oedipus the King. Oedipus is thought of as a tragic figure because he was doomed from birth. Tiresias, an old blind prophet, told Oedipus' parents about Oedipus' fate. He told them that Oedipus would kill his father and sleep with his mother. So, his parents decided to have him killed, only it did not happen that way. He was passed off by two shepherds and finally to the King and Queen of Corinth, Polybus and Merope to raise him as their own. Oedipus finds his way back to Thebes and on the way kills his father, but Oedipus did not know that one of the men he killed was his real father. This is the beginning of the prophecy coming true. In short Oedipus obtains the throne, Marries his mother and has kids with her. Oedipus' fate has come together without him even realizing what is going on. Eventually he is told what has happened and asks to be banished by his uncle/brother-in-law Creon. The tragedy in Oedipus' life began with his birth and the realization by his parents that his whole life was doomed.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that tragedy comes in many forms, such as earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes. however, tragedy in literature is on a smaller scale than those.
- Explains that oedipus is a tragic figure because he was doomed from birth. tiresias, an old blind prophet, told his parents about his fate. he was passed off to the king and queen of corinth, polybus and merope to raise him as their own.
- Analyzes how hamlet didn't know that his life would end up the way that it did. claudius weaseled his way into the throne as king.
- Opines that oedipus' fate was determined from birth, and no one knew hamlet's fate.
- Opines that oedipus and hamlet were two very different characters but in the end they both had very tragic lives.
624 wordsRead More