Laius

her actions would be considered wrong, and that they would lead to her death, but she was ready to die for her own, personal, cause. In comparison, Oedipus was under the impression that he would be serving the populace by searching out the killer of Laius. Both of these plays are fine,…

it\ 's where the reader can first see his bursts of uncontrollable anger. During Oedipus’s search for the truth, Oedipus has several rash outbursts of anger that blind him from discovering the truth. After Tiresias claims Oedipus is the murderer of Laius, Oedipus furiously blurts out, “ If I thought you would blurt of such absurdities, you’d have died waiting before I had you summoned” (491). After receiving the truth Oedipus wastes no time lashing out at Tiresias and hurling…

Oedipus the King and Memento Meet the Sophists Halfway “You don’t know who you are … maybe it’s time you started investigating yourself,” says Teddy to Leonard in the critically acclaimed neo-noir film Memento (C. Nolan, 2000). As a result of anterograde amnesia, Leonard does not know that he himself is the very culprit he seeks to punish for killing his wife. The multiple and seemingly conflicting roles of Leonard as detective, criminal, and avenger correspond to those of Oedipus in Sophocles’…

Name Course Instructor Date Oedipus the King The original version of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King opens up with Oedipus at the palace in Thebes. The city of Thebes has been beset by a plaque, with the people and the priests praying to the gods to free them from the curse that have plagued them. Oedipus is tasked to save the city; their dying livestock, crops, as well as their women who had turned sterile. Oedipus identifies himself with Thebes by telling them that he understands their…

previous king, he decides to attempt to catch the murderer. He makes this action not for the people of Thebes but for himself, as he believes that whoever killed the previous king may “with the same hand wish to do vengeance upon me/And so assisting Laius I aid myself.”(141-142) Oedipus places his own life above that of the people of Thebes, worrying that he may lose his throne before caring for the people who need his help the most. Oedipus, it appears, due to his pride does not make the best…

Medea vs. Oedipus: Comparison of Reactions to Tragedy In many Greek tragedies, we are introduced to characters that are faced with many hardships within the tragedy itself. When faced with such tragedy and difficulty, we all vary in how we react and respond to said circumstances. In this paper, I will be looking at two characters from our writing; Sophocles’ Oedipus of Oedipus the King and Euripides’ Medea from Medea. In these two characters, we can see two reactions to difficulty and…

The Difference Between Good and Evil The very ideas of “good” and “evil” are locked in an eternal quarrel for dominance, but no one side can ever come out on top. As perspectives diverge, so does the structure of what is actually considered good and what is considered evil. In the story “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles, this line blurs repeatedly alongside the exploration of considerations from all perspectives of the characters. While all of the characters involved are somewhat similar, their…

Fate Drives Free Will Oedipus a man of mystery, frees the city from the Sphinx terror and becomes the savior of Thebes. Oedipus becomes a leader who will bring both glory and curse to Thebes’ name, and a leader whose pride and arrogance would fall to fate. In Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus the King, the author conveys the idea that fate is inescapable by hinting the kings future through the prophet and by the realization Oedipus experiences. Oedipus was told about his fate countless times…

creation by Oedipus’ wishes to prove the oracle’s predictions wrong. Assuming fate is a reality, the concept of predestination comes into play. Sophocles explores the fine line between fate and predestination quite expansively, as Apollo delivers onto Laius the prophecy of his own patricide, himself attempting to curb his fate, but ultimately failing. This brings to question if Oedipus was fated into his quest, as his survival relied entirely on chance, as was his meeting with his then lover and…

before the start of the play where all sorts of Greeks line up and give a speech about why they should be elected as the next king. The citizens would be looking for a new ruler to help expunge the hateful Sphinx who has taken residence. The old king Laius had been missing for too long, so the citizens thought it would be better to elect a temporary king to help. Up comes one, up comes another, all explain how they would defeat the Sphinx with guile or bribe, nevertheless the citizens are not…