The Downfall of Oedipus Essay

continue to sink. Oedipus has much in common with a character in quicksand. The harder he fights to get out of his fate, the closer he is to becoming it. In the tragedy about Oedipus Rex, he goes to Thebes to find it guarded by a sphinx who wants an answer to its riddle. Oedipus gets the riddle correct and frees the kingdom, and becomes the king himself. Oedipus then starts to see his past unravel when he starts investigating the death of Laius the past king. In the story Oedipus the King,…

story of a divine figure, such as King Oedipus, who unknowingly causes brings upon harm to many people who trusted or loved swore their loyalty to him during most of the play, Oedipus The King. Many would think that some of the most noble of mankind would be the least likely to fall to immorality, however, that is not the case for Oedipus. The suffering caused by Oedipus upon King Laius and Jocasta, the citizens of Thebes, and Oedipus’s family leads to the downfall of this tragic hero. With…

Throughout the story Oedipus struggles with finding the truth about his life. Overall, I would say Oedipus was pretty powerless, because he was blind. Not physically blind till later in the story but, in a sense that he couldn’t see what’s really happening, he was oblivious. He was blind to the fact that he killed his father and married his mother. Making him powerless, because he wasn’t aware of what really happened due to the dishonesty in his life. I think yes, he is powerless by his…

trait is heavily represented in the story “Oedipus the King” (c. 430 B.C.) by Sophocles. In the story, Oedipus the king of Thebes has the cocky trait and it results in torture for life. Oedipus’s arrogant personality shows throughout the story as he tries to find the killer of the former king of Thebes, his father. Oedipus tends to deem himself as a god throughout the story…

Oedipus perfectly fits Aristotle’s idea of a tragic hero. He possesses many positive traits, such intelligence and being a caring leader. However, he also possesses negative traits, such as hubris, that eventually leads to his downfall. Oedipus teaches the reader important life lessons that are applicable to today’s time period. Oedipus represents the common flaws in society today such as: arrogance, temper, and self denial. These flaws ultimately lead to Oedipus 's demise. He learns he…

Sophocles’ plays, Oedipus Rex and Antigone, and Euripides’ play, Medea, share the same three motifs: tragic flaw, betrayal, and self-righteousness; which create the conflicts in each of the three timeless Greek plays, and these motifs are rooted in way people behave. Oedipus’ tragic flaw is how he avidly seeks the truth, even to the extent that his wife would commit suicide and he blind himself. Compassion, which is usually predominant in women, causes Antigone’s downfall because she felt…

Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is “the dramatic masterpiece of the Greek theatre” (231). The play embodies two key elements required for a masterpiece – plot and active engagement. The plot of Oedipus the King primarily focuses on Oedipus’ journey to discover the murderers of the former King of Thebes, King Laius, in order to save the citizens of Thebes from a plague. The performance of Oedipus Rex engages the audience, allowing them to follow along with the sequence of events leading up to…

The famous Greek play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles portrays the unfortunate life of the King of Thebes, Oedipus. Oedipus has spent his whole life running from a prophecy- a prophecy that states he will one day kill his father and marry his mother. The more the cursed prince tries to escape his fate, the more trapped he becomes by it, and he is completely ignorant of this fact. He condemns himself with curses, throws accusations to those closest to him, and generally makes poor decisions. However,…

fate controls our destiny. The same question applies to Oedipus the King. Does Oedipus control his actions, or are they predetermined by the gods? It’s that question that makes Oedipus classic, and there are many different views on it. With all the oracles and talk of prophecies, it’s obvious that there is some involvement in Oedipus. Does he have the ability to choose his own path or is everything in life predetermined? In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, the tension between individual action and…

Impact of Mythology in Oedipus Rex Have you ever thought about how Greek mythology is implanted in the story of Oedipus Rex? There are many examples of mythology throughout “Oedipus Rex.” There are many references to gods and goddesses and also mythological creatures. Oedipus is viewed as a tragic hero in Greek mythology. The use of mythology makes sense because of the time that Oedipus Rex was written back in 429 B.C. Sophocles uses elements of Greek mythology in “Oedipus Rex” in order to…