Oedipus: The King by Sophocles is a tragedy about a king named Oedipus who once had a father, King Laius of Thebes, who ruled before him. King Laius was given a prophecy by an oracle which explained how his son will kill him and have a child with his wife. Giving into the prophecy, he ordered to have his son killed, which did not work out leading him (Oedipus) to come back. Irony has been expressed throughout the entire play since Oedipus went through so much to find the person who killed King Laius, which eventually turned out to be himself. Sophocles, used the Greek gods many times throughout the play to symbolize the actions portrayed by many of the characters. The gods are viewed as all-powerful beings that are sacred to the characters.
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The gods are mighty beings containing all aspects of power, explained by the author throughout the play. On page 29, the quote, “All wise are Zeus and Apollo, and nothing is hid from their ken; they are gods and in wits a man may surpass his fellow men.” (Sophocles 29), explains the barrier between them and man. Basically, it explains how the gods have absolutely no flaws and should never be questioned or challenged. On page 44, Jocasta (mother of Oedipus) states, “So then Apollo brought it not to pass the child should be his father’s murderer.” (Sophocles 44) This explains how Apollo (god of the sun, music, and prophecy) created the prophecy which led to the death of King Laius. These quotes also explain how the gods are all-powerful figures which are greatly praised and admired by people throughout the …show more content…
The difference in power is explained when the gods are mentioned, which is a factor in illustrating the conclusion that the gods are far more superior than man. Towards the end of the play, it is concluded that the barrier between man and the gods is present. It is established that the power of the gods cannot be questioned or challenged, no matter how hard the humans try. The hardest a person tries to get close to the barrier containing the gods will ultimately result in death, while the gods are immortal so no harm can come to them. Sophocles expresses the message that no one can challenge the inevitable since the gods set out a plan for everyone. He’s basically explaining how humans are nothing compared to the gods, since they’re powerless and the gods are powerful. An example is when King Laius tried to change the fate of the prophecy by killing his son, yet the prophecy was correct and he ended up dead. This explains how humans don’t really have control over their lives, since they were created and played out by the
The gods are mighty beings containing all aspects of power, explained by the author throughout the play. On page 29, the quote, “All wise are Zeus and Apollo, and nothing is hid from their ken; they are gods and in wits a man may surpass his fellow men.” (Sophocles 29), explains the barrier between them and man. Basically, it explains how the gods have absolutely no flaws and should never be questioned or challenged. On page 44, Jocasta (mother of Oedipus) states, “So then Apollo brought it not to pass the child should be his father’s murderer.” (Sophocles 44) This explains how Apollo (god of the sun, music, and prophecy) created the prophecy which led to the death of King Laius. These quotes also explain how the gods are all-powerful figures which are greatly praised and admired by people throughout the …show more content…
The difference in power is explained when the gods are mentioned, which is a factor in illustrating the conclusion that the gods are far more superior than man. Towards the end of the play, it is concluded that the barrier between man and the gods is present. It is established that the power of the gods cannot be questioned or challenged, no matter how hard the humans try. The hardest a person tries to get close to the barrier containing the gods will ultimately result in death, while the gods are immortal so no harm can come to them. Sophocles expresses the message that no one can challenge the inevitable since the gods set out a plan for everyone. He’s basically explaining how humans are nothing compared to the gods, since they’re powerless and the gods are powerful. An example is when King Laius tried to change the fate of the prophecy by killing his son, yet the prophecy was correct and he ended up dead. This explains how humans don’t really have control over their lives, since they were created and played out by the