The Downfall of Oedipus Essay

Sophocles’ tragic play, Oedipus Rex, effectually illustrates and portrays the impact of justice not only throughout the work as a whole, but also independently within the live’s of the characters. Oedipus Rex seeks to develop the theme that mankind consists of remarkable individuals, yet even the best of us are flawed and will inevitably be reformed by order and justice. Oedipus, in particular, is significantly influenced and impacted by the forces of justice and his opinions of justice…

people how to live a better life/be a better person. A tragedy had to be able to move the audience by triggering their emotions. Sophocles, a Greek playwright did this rather well. In his satire, “Oedipus the King”, he conveys a message to teach the audience about the consequences of arrogance. “Oedipus the King”, is a story about the noble king of Thebes. He was the “son” of Polybus and Merope, the rulers of Corinth. He found out that his prophecy was to kill his father and marry his mother. He…

By using different aspects of peripeteia in the poem, Oedipus Rex, Greeks were able to keep others in line.…

characteristic that eventually leads to one 's downfall or death. Whether is Icarus flying too close to the sun, or Achilles refusing to let the trojans win, hubris is a reoccurring theme throughout greek tragedies. And Oedipus is no exception. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles explores how Oedipus’s own Hubris can be considered his main motivating factor, which affects all of his decisions throughout his lifetime, and eventually leads to his own downfall as king. Oedipus’s over confidence is what…

Creon from Oedipus Rex to president Obama a contemporary real life figure has helped me understand that Sophocles message is that the act of humility and modesty will get you further than hubris which is the tragic flaw within the tragic hero that brings about his downfall. The character of Creon is portrayed as an honest, even tempered. Creon does not commit the sin of hubris throughout the play which stands out in contrast to the other characters in the novel such as locasta and Oedipus. Some…

made sure it was the heroes that suffered the downfalls and heartaches. The tragic hero’s in the following stories are destined for suffering after fighting as a hero would. In the Ancient Greek Tragedies, Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Medea, the author’s followed Aristotle’s ideas of a real tragedy and a tragic hero. Sophocles’ uses the characteristics of Aristotle’s ideas on what makes a good tragedy in Oedipus the King. The main character, Oedipus, left his…

All of Fate in the Hands of the Gods Although The Oedipus Cycle may not be a trilogy, all three plays have one constant element: the constant involvement of the gods in each and every situation. Antigone, Oedipus Rex, and Oedipus at Colonus all have a constant factor in each play which is the role of the gods in each play. The gods control every aspect of life throughout the plays. Although they may not be physically visible, the gods have total control of the fate of an every member of the…

hero, as defined by the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, is a character whose actions lead to their own downfall. A perfect example of a tragic hero is Oedipus Tyrannus. This character’s life is discussed in Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Oedipus tries to outrun a prophecy that states he is fated to kill his own father and lay with his mother. As a result of this running, he only seals that fate. Oedipus becomes a king, but he is never shown as heroic or villainous. He is only a flawed human being,…

Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”, written around 429 B.C.E., was a Greek tragedy focused on the fall of the Theban King Oedipus. He was considered a strong, brave, and seemingly intelligent king by the ancient people of Thebes. Although this tragic hero had a multitude of good qualities, Oedipus had quite a few negative traits that led to his tragic end. His imperfections were such that they caused his inner blindness. They ultimately led to the demise of his family and of himself. The two flaws that…

Pitiful Oedipus A tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes in its audience an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in the viewing. In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus endures many tragic events that lead to the to the downfall and suffering of his character. For a Greek tragedy to be a tragedy if must have a certain magnitude, pity and fear, and a complex plot according to Aristotle. A certain magnitude of good to bad fortune should be used in the play. In…