Oedipus Rex and 21st Century World The story of Oedipus Rex written by Sophocles is a tragedy. This story reveals a lot of truths not only Oedipus has to deal with, but all of humanity. He faces a great deal of pain and suffering much like there continues to be pain and suffering in today’s society. The story of Oedipus’s life is important and relevant because he was blind to the truth the same way we can also be blind to the truths in our own lives. Oedipus is still fitting today because in this story each character makes choices that have consequences the same way our own choices have consequences. In Oedipus, Sophocles uses the literary elements of conflict and characterization in order to show how not only Oedipus, but all of us fight
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As problems were affecting Thebes, Oedipus called for Tiresias the prophet to find out what was going on. Tiresias stated, “Were you not excellent at solving riddles? And yet this very fortune was your ruin” (Sophocles 18). Tiresias is trying to say that Oedipus solving the Riddle of the Sphinx and becoming King is leading to his destruction by fulfilling the prophecy. Oedipus refuses to believe in what he has heard. According to the movie The Truman Show the producer, Kristof, says, “We accept the reality of the world we are presented” (The Truman Show 1998). Oedipus believed that he was living a perfect and honest life when in fact he was living a lie just as Truman was living most of his life as a …show more content…
Upon hearing from the old man who was with King Laius the day the king died, it was revealed to Oedipus that he himself had killed his own father. Oedipus exclaimed, “Woe! Woe! It is all plain, indeed! O Light, this be the last time I shall gaze on thee, who am revealed to have been born of those Of whom I ought not – to have wedded whom I ought not – and slain whom I might not slay” (Sophocles 44). One of the ironies in the story is that once Oedipus became physically blind he was able to see the truth that he couldn’t see when he actually had eye sight. One of the realities of modern day life is that we often fail to see the truth before it’s too
As problems were affecting Thebes, Oedipus called for Tiresias the prophet to find out what was going on. Tiresias stated, “Were you not excellent at solving riddles? And yet this very fortune was your ruin” (Sophocles 18). Tiresias is trying to say that Oedipus solving the Riddle of the Sphinx and becoming King is leading to his destruction by fulfilling the prophecy. Oedipus refuses to believe in what he has heard. According to the movie The Truman Show the producer, Kristof, says, “We accept the reality of the world we are presented” (The Truman Show 1998). Oedipus believed that he was living a perfect and honest life when in fact he was living a lie just as Truman was living most of his life as a …show more content…
Upon hearing from the old man who was with King Laius the day the king died, it was revealed to Oedipus that he himself had killed his own father. Oedipus exclaimed, “Woe! Woe! It is all plain, indeed! O Light, this be the last time I shall gaze on thee, who am revealed to have been born of those Of whom I ought not – to have wedded whom I ought not – and slain whom I might not slay” (Sophocles 44). One of the ironies in the story is that once Oedipus became physically blind he was able to see the truth that he couldn’t see when he actually had eye sight. One of the realities of modern day life is that we often fail to see the truth before it’s too