A mystery in the traditional sense is a novel, play, or movie that deals with a puzzling crime. Although the play Oedipus Rex does not fall under this genre, it confronts the murder of the King Laios in which the transgressor is unknown. Throughout the play, Oedipus and his advisers seek to solve this enigma, which leads to a new discovery about King Oedipus’ past.
The play introduces dramatic irony to the story which allows the reader to have insight on what is unknown. Due to the use of this device, the search for King Laios’ murderer is capable of illuminating the meaning of the work by enabling the reader to draw their own conclusions and actively take part in the mystery.
The play is centered around the conundrum of who killed the late King Laios. The crime was committed “at a place where three roads meet” while the King was driving in a chariot with five of his men (Sophocles 39). All were murdered except for a mere household servant who escaped and later begged to be sent away. To catch the …show more content…
In the process of solving the enigma, Oedipus and Iocaste often speak about their prophesied fates. Oedipus claims that his foretold future is that he “should lie with [his] own mother” and be his “father’s murderer” (Sophocles 42). Similarly, Iocaste reveals that Apollo had told them that their child will “kill his father” then marry his mother (Sophocles 38). Although these two characters do not know that they are mother and son, the audience is well aware that they have fulfilled their destiny. This creates suspense that engages the reader because they know that the secret will come out, but are still left in the dark on how and when it will happen. As a result of this built-up tension, the climax becomes much more dramatic and the story “explodes” rather than ending as a resolved issue. This enhances the work as a whole, unlike a traditional mystery since the reader is able to take part in the
The play introduces dramatic irony to the story which allows the reader to have insight on what is unknown. Due to the use of this device, the search for King Laios’ murderer is capable of illuminating the meaning of the work by enabling the reader to draw their own conclusions and actively take part in the mystery.
The play is centered around the conundrum of who killed the late King Laios. The crime was committed “at a place where three roads meet” while the King was driving in a chariot with five of his men (Sophocles 39). All were murdered except for a mere household servant who escaped and later begged to be sent away. To catch the …show more content…
In the process of solving the enigma, Oedipus and Iocaste often speak about their prophesied fates. Oedipus claims that his foretold future is that he “should lie with [his] own mother” and be his “father’s murderer” (Sophocles 42). Similarly, Iocaste reveals that Apollo had told them that their child will “kill his father” then marry his mother (Sophocles 38). Although these two characters do not know that they are mother and son, the audience is well aware that they have fulfilled their destiny. This creates suspense that engages the reader because they know that the secret will come out, but are still left in the dark on how and when it will happen. As a result of this built-up tension, the climax becomes much more dramatic and the story “explodes” rather than ending as a resolved issue. This enhances the work as a whole, unlike a traditional mystery since the reader is able to take part in the