Oedipus the King is a well-known ancient Greek play that is to this day still studied and analyzed by the best of actors, directors, and readers. It is written by Sophocles, a poet and playwright in the 400s B.C. Using many themes like love, determination, freedom, free will, fate, and more, Sophocles’s writings touch the readers and listeners, and always leave them with something to think about. This play was probably an interesting one to watch, to say the least, as it was both thoughtful and profound, entertaining and fierce. It would be very difficult for the reader or audience member of this play to walk away without contemplating the heavy themes. One very prominent theme was that power often leads to pride, which leads to the fall. Oedipus,
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He calls upon Creon, known as the finest ruler in Thebes. Oedipus thinks he knows everything and accuses Creon of trying to steal his throne, when that is not Creon’s intention at all, and instead he just wants to give Oedipus advice. Creon says, “To reject a good friend is the equivalent of throwing away one’s own dear life--that’s my opinion. Given time you will realize this without fail” (Sophocles 41). Because of his pride, Oedipus has once again broken another relationship that could have given him aid in this time of crisis. Instead, in order to keep his throne, he blamed Creon and denied his guidance. Following Creon’s wise words, Oedipus says, “Death is what I want for you, not exile” (Sophocles 42). Oedipus’s ignorance had begun to set a bad reputation for him. In addition, after persistently digging deeper (and getting into trouble) to figure out the problem, Oedipus did not listen to his own wife. Jocasta says, “Take my advice, I beg you--do not go on with it.” Oedipus says: “Nothing will move me. I will find out the whole truth” (Sophocles 77). Oedipus’s saying ‘nothing will stop me’ is negated by the events very soon after his enlightenment of the truth: his gouging out his eyes and with his wife hanging herself did in fact stop him. Because of that, his life was in extreme grief and deterioration ever
He calls upon Creon, known as the finest ruler in Thebes. Oedipus thinks he knows everything and accuses Creon of trying to steal his throne, when that is not Creon’s intention at all, and instead he just wants to give Oedipus advice. Creon says, “To reject a good friend is the equivalent of throwing away one’s own dear life--that’s my opinion. Given time you will realize this without fail” (Sophocles 41). Because of his pride, Oedipus has once again broken another relationship that could have given him aid in this time of crisis. Instead, in order to keep his throne, he blamed Creon and denied his guidance. Following Creon’s wise words, Oedipus says, “Death is what I want for you, not exile” (Sophocles 42). Oedipus’s ignorance had begun to set a bad reputation for him. In addition, after persistently digging deeper (and getting into trouble) to figure out the problem, Oedipus did not listen to his own wife. Jocasta says, “Take my advice, I beg you--do not go on with it.” Oedipus says: “Nothing will move me. I will find out the whole truth” (Sophocles 77). Oedipus’s saying ‘nothing will stop me’ is negated by the events very soon after his enlightenment of the truth: his gouging out his eyes and with his wife hanging herself did in fact stop him. Because of that, his life was in extreme grief and deterioration ever