Laius

Agamemnon is the first play in the Oresteia trilogy, and Oedipus the King is the second play in the Oedipus trilogy. These ancient Greek plays are full of prophesy, fate, free-will, and tragedy. There are two oracles, Cassandra and Tiresias, who try throughout the plays to warn people of their actions, but the fates of these people are sealed. Agamemnon and Oedipus both have similar tragic flaws, hubris and impulsiveness, that appear to aid in their downfalls. Free will plays a part as the…

The classic argument of Fate v Free Will in life and in literature has been around for centuries. Everyone debates it at least once. It has always baffled mankind whether there is a fate that cannot be altered or if it is what you make of it. It has been between those that believe that their every move has been pre-destined and those that believe that you make your own decisions without it being planned for them. The thought that everything is set in stone gives comforting feelings for some,…

After solving the Sphinx riddle, he becomes king and the people of Thebes perceive him as a hero. However, this only led Oedipus to gain more self confidence since he had a kingdom that idolized him. This led his interest of solving the previous King Laius’…

Can you assess justice and how you forage for it? Oedipus Rex, the King of Thebes, was in sought for the truth of his crimes. He perceived justice was never on his side because Apollo and the other gods never wanted him to receive equity. He presumed he was an honorable man that was failed by the justice system. However, the audience is ambivalent about the way he was in quest for his honesty and his apprehension of the precise definition of justice. Moreover, there also questions about how his…

Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power.” In greek literature, knowledge is viewed as the cause of a hero’s demise, a burden they could not afford to carry. However, today knowledge is looked upon through a new lense as an investment in the future of humanity and society. Throughout history, knowledge has patently dissipated from being a burden to becoming beneficial. This is seen through greek myths, how education affects poverty, and various religions. Greek mythology has shown…

the truth, Oedipus is relentless. Oedipus rages against Creon, stating “Trouble? Your king was murdered - royal blood!” (145) and takes up the burden to “bring [the murder] all to light” (150). Oedipus’s words and incredulity at the knowledge that Laius was killed without a thorough investigation foreshadow his relentless search for the truth. Demonstrating the importance of the truth to Oedipus, Oedipus’s investigation trumps Tiresias’s warnings. Tiresias exclaims “You did, you forced me,…

him at the time, when their chariots crossed paths. Oedipus said “Woe, woe is me! so seems it I have plunged all blindly into curses terrible.”(Oedipus the King, L770-771) As he learns from Jocasta of just how coincidental it was to him when king Laius died and the curse is shown true. When he killed him it showed an unimaginable amount of hubris, so much so that he killed a king over it! Only a person who is immensely corrupted by power, and thus hubris, could commit such a heinous act out of…

fever. Just to get Okonkwo to become in a worried position for his daughter caused him to show a sign of not only weakness but carrying. Oedipus being only month old gets set free to die all because of his future prophecy. Decision made by both King Laius and Queen Jocasta scared them that he will kill his father and marry his…

The downfall of mankind is an essential part of comprehending human nature. If there is nothing tragic, then inversely there is little happiness to be taken from comedy. Nonetheless, every tragedy requires a hero with a tragic flaw. The protagonist being human makes the character relatable and even more pitiful because the audience is aware that his inevitable downfall is to come. His tragic flaw not only harms himself but harms others in the story as well. Works such as Sophocles' drama Oedipus…

Classical literature is studied today because of how it connects to different events in one’s life. Works of Shakespeare and Sophocles continue to grow and reveal new information to current generations, allowing students studying their works to connect to themes in the classics that are relevant to situations happening in peoples’ lives. The play truly showcased how older, classical compositions are still relevant to this day, despite the gap between years. St. James Academy’s performance of Get…