Oedipus Rex Character Comparisons

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The book, Oedipus Rex, has a full range of characters. The colloquy, activity and motivation circle around the characters in the whole story. We find Oedipus Rex trying to get away, from home, to flee the prophecy. The prophecy states that he will kill his father and marry his mother. He also tries to clear up a murder of the old king. Oedipus marries a widow named Iokaste. He also gets advice from a seer named Teiresias. The purpose of this essay is to show the three positive and three negative qualities about these characters in direct and indirect characterization. I will find the qualities of Oedipus, Iokaste and Teiresias.

What is the definition of "to see"? I can see you over there. I see what you mean. As someone is watching a movie, they get frightened at the sight and quickly cover their eyes. As people, we are sometimes unable to uncover the real truth. Sometimes the blind can see better than other people who actually have the sight. Oedipus fails to see the truth but Teiresias could see it very clearly. He knows Oedipus was blind and left him. "You call me unfeeling. If you could only see the nature of your own feelings," says Teiresias (page119). This is a motif in the book. Oedipus has been ignorant in his lifetime. When Teiresias reveals the truth to him, he doesn't believe him. "I say that you are the murderer whom you seek," says Teiresias (page119). He also believes that Teiresias was with Kreon, and he was trying to get rid of him. He is very quick to judge people. Oedipus is disrespectful through the whole story. He talked with rage, when he was speaking to Teiresias and Kreon. "Am I to bear this from him? Out of this place! Out of my sight," yells Oedipus to Teiresias (page120). "No, not exile. It is your death I want, so that the entire world may see what treason means," says Oedipus to Kreon. Those were his negative qualities. Oedipus is also known for his intelligence. He solved the riddle of the sphinx and married Iokaste who was impressed. He goes around trying to achieve knowledge. Oedipus was a caring person to his people. As the ruler, he speaks directly to them and actually solves their problems as if they were his own. "Sick as you are, not one is as sick as I.

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