Oedipus Rex Character Analysis

Oedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles around 430 B.C. It is about a man named Oedipus who rules a city called Thebes. When the people there start to suffer greatly from a plague, Oedipus decides to find out how to solve the problems of his people. Through the god Apollo, he learns that the city's plague is because of the former king’s killer, and he becomes determined to find out who the murderer is. Unintentionally, Oedipus’s mission causes him to learn more about his own birth, and piece by piece he learns truths about himself that have been hidden from him his whole life. He discovers that he is the son of the former king and that he is also the one that murdered him. Another major truth that he uncovers is that the woman that …show more content…
While there were several strong performances, the majority of the actors did not portray their role in a convincing manner, and one who did not know the story beforehand would struggle to understand the plot. The performance of the messenger, in the scene where the queen’s death is revealed, was by far the most exceptional performance, as the actor was able to convince the audience of the horror that they had seen in a persuasive way. The language used by the actor made it seem as though the scene was occurring in front of one’s own eyes and the use of hand gestures, expressions and tone helped the actor make their performance stand out and be effective. A character that did not perform well, was Oedipus, as the actor who played him seemed to be unsure and nervous on screen. Their lines did not flow, seemed rehearsed and looked forced instead of natural. In specific, the scenes in which the actor was talking with the messenger carried more than enough anger, instead of surprise, which was the main emotion to be portrayed. Since Oedipus was the main character in the play, his poor performance made a negative impact on the way that the audience viewed the rest of the