Reader-Response Criticism In Oedipus Rex

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As a reader that is using the Reader-Response Criticism, the production of different responses of the text of Oedipus Rex is always different for each reader. The reader needs to examine the words thoroughly in their mind to come to an arguable conclusion. Oedipus has no fault in the actions that he did because he did not know at the moment, but how he tried to resolve things was not the way to go. The feeling I felt while reading the play is pure shock and hatred because of his actions, but he wouldn’t have done those things if he had known the truth. Although Oedipus was trying with all his power to find the culprit of his father, but while doing so, he showed weakness by his attributes, that led to his destiny. Oedipus showed concern towards …show more content…

He did not show some remorse towards the death of his mom Jocasta by leaving Thebes, but blinding himself as his last act of king showed no strength as a ruler of Thebes. Other people might think differently because “text spring from individual contexts are read by different people, the signs of discourage will always have a multiplicity of meanings” (Demir 84) that differentiate minds. Taking the sight of life does not make any situation better nor it will bring someone back for the dead. He did this due to the fact that he was angry at everything that he has done. I think that Oedipus has a great amount of integrity that makes him a well-liked person, but that is the only thing he really has. He showed strength towards the end of the play when he was leaving Thebes, which made him look like he was not dying inside of hurt and disgust. The message that I perceived from the play is that he has no courage. This is because instead of trying to fix things, he decides that blinding himself and leaving Thebes is the best option, which is helping no one. Overall, Oedipus’s pride is what caused the truth to be unraveled so late. I was actually pretty mad when reading through this play because of all the connections there were that Laios and Jocasta was Oedipus’s parents. When Teiresias was speaking with Oedipus about him being the killer of the king, he just ignored it and went right along with his pride. If Oedipus would have at least tried to make an effort and listen to what people had to say in the beginning of the play, he would have saved him a lot of time on his hands and probably would have been less of a weak role model to his people of

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