essays on oedipus rex

Oedipus the King

Table of contents.

Tiresias says to Oedipus, “Creon is not your downfall, no, you are your own.” What is the extent of Oedipus’ guilt in his own downfall?

• “Oedipus the King demonstrates that the quest for truth only leads to self-destruction.” Discuss.
• What does the play have to say about fate and free will?
• “The play is about Oedipus’ search for his identity.” Discuss.
• “What should a man fear? It’s all about chance, / chance rules our lives.” Discuss Jocasta’s philosophy about life.
• Discuss the dual role of the Chorus.
• What do the choral odes have to say about the relationship between humans and the gods?
• What are Oedipus’ feelings about family?
• Evidence Bank

Oedipus the King is a classic Greek tragedy by Sophocles about the downfall of Oedipus, a heroic yet ill-fated character who was prophesied to slay his father and marry his mother. Oedipus finds himself caught in a dilemma between his determination to unwind the tangled threads of his history, or avoid undermining everything he knows about his life. The premise of the ancient play reminds audiences of the cruel nature of fate and the importance of making good decisions. Yet Oedipus himself is a complex character who does his best to exercise free choice within the restraints of his fate, which lends itself to the argument surrounding the extent of his guilt in his eventual downfall. To a large extent, Oedipus is responsible for his horrible actions that drive him to fulfil the prophecy given to him at birth, such as his violent nature which drives him to slay his father, as well as his incessant drive to seek the truth about himself. Yet as the ancient Greeks would have it, despite taking extensive manoeuvres to avoid his terrible future, Oedipus may have been a prisoner of his own fate and thus remain guiltless.

Oedipus the King, a timeless Greek tragedy penned by Sophocles, unfolds the tragic descent of Oedipus, a heroic figure ensnared in the ominous prophecy of patricide and matrimony with his mother/incest. Confronted with the formidable choice between unraveling the intricacies of his lineage and preserving the foundation of his perceived reality, Oedipus grapples with a profound dilemma. The narrative serves as a poignant reminder of the inexorable cruelty of destiny and the consequential significance of judicious decision-making.Oedipus, a character of intricate depth, endeavors to wield volition amidst the constricting threads of his foretold destiny, thereby fueling debates about the degree of culpability in his eventual downfall. While Oedipus bears considerable responsibility for the grievous deeds that propel him toward the fulfillment of his preordained fate—such as his proclivity for violence leading to the slaying of his parents—he also exhibits an unwavering determination to unveil the veracity of his existence.Yet, adhering to the ancient Greek ethos, Oedipus, despite his concerted efforts to circumvent the ominous prophecy, remains ensnared in the inexorable web of fate, prompting contemplation about his potential innocence. In essence, Oedipus, despite his extensive manoeuvres to avert a calamitous destiny, emerges as a captive of his predetermined path, thereby challenging conventional notions of guilt and culpability.

Oedipus’ violent and aggressive nature, as shown by his various impulsive actions, can be said to be a defining factor which led him to the actions of his downfall. Even considering the audience’s knowledge of his horrible fate, there is no question that his nature lends itself to his questionable actions. For example, Oedipus testifies to Jocasta that the man he killed, Laius, was “accompanied by a herald”, thus announcing to the world that he was a king. Yet Oedipus, despite having been raised as royalty himself, does not hold himself back in the slaughter of Laius, the herald, and multiple others. This can be interpreted in several ways: either his impulsivity and pride led him to rashly kill Laius and his followers, thus cementing his guilt in his own fate, or that the threads of fate led him to make that decision in that moment. Either way, there is little doubt that it was simply part of Oedipus’ nature, as there is little other justification for his violent actions. In a similar way, his dogged determination to uncover the truth of his past turns him hostile and abusive, revealing his hubris; when Tiresias does tell him the truth about what he seeks, he does not listen as he is consumed by paranoia. His aberrant character flaws are thus determinant of his guilt in his own downfall.

Oedipus’ propensity for violence and aggression, manifested through impulsive actions, emerges as a pivotal factor contributing to his eventual downfall. Despite the audience’s awareness of his inexorable fate, there is an unequivocal acknowledgment that his inherent nature propels him towards morally ambiguous deeds. Notably, Oedipus, while recounting to Jocasta the slaying of Laius, explicitly highlights the regal stature of his victim, accompanied by a herald. Paradoxically, even though Oedipus himself was nurtured in royal surroundings, he fails to restrain his carnage, perpetrating the ruthless murder of Laius, the herald, and others. This dichotomy invites interpretations that either his impetuosity and pride precipitated the hasty annihilation, cementing his culpability in his tragic destiny, or that the inexorable threads of fate coerced him into that fateful decision.Moreover, Oedipus’ unwavering commitment to unraveling the truth of his origins transforms him into a hostile and abusive figure, laying bare the depths of his hubris. When Tiresias imparts the veracious revelation he seeks, Oedipus, ensnared by paranoia, remains deaf to reason. His anomalous character flaws thus serve as decisive elements substantiating his complicity in the tragic unraveling of his own fate.

In addition to his violent nature, Oedipus’ incessant seeking of the truth also leads him to his downfall. As the play opens, the audience learns that Oedipus is at the height of his success, as he had already become a great ruler of Thebes, revered by many for “defeating the Sphinx”. This only lends itself to demonstrate the great downfall that he will face at the hands of his own curiosity. Later, when Jocasta tells the tale of Laius’ death to Oedipus, he begins to doubt himself, in that he is indeed the murderer he is seeking. However, despite understanding the consequences, this does nothing to stop the momentum of his investigation. Oedipus refuses to consider Jocasta’s advice that he “live at random, best we can” and according to chance. Instead, he is so fixated on getting to the bottom of the truth by calling for the old shepherd who saved him when he was a baby. Oedipus is aware of the consequences, that “if he refers to one man, one alone, / clearly the scales come down on me: / I am guilty”. Even as the shepherd, like Tiresias, demonstrates reluctance to tell Oedipus what he knows, he insists that the truth must come out. Moreover, when Jocasta collapses in despair, Oedipus remains fervent in his determination to discover his true identity, proclaiming that “I must know it all, / must see the truth at last”. In the end, it is this unwavering confidence and determination for the truth that ultimately leads him to his downfall.

However, despite these interpretations, it can also be said that Oedipus was merely a prisoner of his own fate, indicating that all the questionable actions he took were merely part of his destiny, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. Through this interpretation, Oedipus is guiltless as there was no way to avoid his fate. Many attempts to avoid Oedipus’ tragic fate appear in the play, yet he still fulfilled it regardless. Jocasta and Laius cast him out as a mere infant; Oedipus exiles himself from his adopted parents in fear that ill would befall them (and not his birth parents). Yet it is fate that drives him towards Thebes and to the crossroads where he slew Laius, where there was no reason to kill Laius, but he was driven to do so anyway. Fate rewards him cruelly with Jocasta as a wife after besting the Sphinx. Lastly, fate drives him to pursue the truth of his past, driving home the final punishment of exile and blindness set by himself. There appeared the illusion of free will in his choices, but Oedipus was ultimately driven to make horrible choices which resulted in the fulfillment of the prophecy. Hence, Sophocles presents the cruel reality that even though characters may take extensive manoeuvres to avoid committing the crimes of their fate, they will be compelled to commit abhorrent acts in order to fulfill their destinies.

Overall, Oedipus himself is a complex character: the extent of his guilt depends on how much the audience places value on his personal choices or the prison of his fate. It is true that his nature lends itself to the interpretation of his own guilt in his actions. However, given the context of ancient Greece where individuals were commonly understood to be prisoner of their own fate, there may have been no way for him to avoid the consequences. Hence, while Oedipus was ill-fated from birth, Sophocles aimed to imbue audiences with the moral that one’s choices are highly important to the outcome of their lives.

“ Oedipus the King demonstrates that the quest for truth only leads to self-destruction. ” Discuss.

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Oedipus Rex Essay

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Introduction, conflict between individuals, struggle against nature, conflict within oneself.

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How To Write An Essay On Oedipus

Introduction to oedipus and its significance.

When approaching an essay on Oedipus, it's essential to understand the play's significance in the context of ancient Greek literature and its lasting impact on Western culture. Begin by introducing "Oedipus Rex" (also known as "Oedipus the King") by Sophocles, one of the most renowned tragedies of ancient Greek theater. Outline the story's central themes of fate, free will, and tragic downfall. Your introduction should establish the scope of your essay, whether you plan to focus on character analysis, thematic exploration, the concept of tragedy, or Sophocles' use of dramatic techniques. A clear and engaging introduction will set the foundation for a deeper exploration of this classic work.

Analyzing the Character of Oedipus

In the body of your essay, delve into an analysis of Oedipus as a character. Discuss his journey throughout the play, from a respected king to a tragic figure doomed by fate. Examine his qualities as a leader, his pursuit of truth, and his eventual downfall due to his hubris (excessive pride). Analyze how Sophocles develops Oedipus’ character to explore themes such as human suffering, the limits of human understanding, and the struggle between fate and free will. This section should offer insight into Oedipus as a complex character whose story raises timeless questions about human nature and destiny.

Exploring Themes and Sophocles’ Dramatic Techniques

Extend your essay to discuss the broader themes in "Oedipus Rex" and how Sophocles employs various dramatic techniques to convey them. Analyze the role of fate and prophecy in the play, and how it intersects with the theme of blindness and insight. Discuss the use of dramatic irony, where the audience is aware of the tragic truth long before Oedipus himself realizes it. Consider Sophocles’ use of dialogue, symbolism, and staging to enhance the emotional and thematic depth of the play. This analysis should illustrate how "Oedipus Rex" exemplifies the elements of classical Greek tragedy and its enduring relevance in literature and theater.

Concluding with the Impact of Oedipus Rex

Conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and reflecting on the impact and legacy of "Oedipus Rex." Discuss why this play remains significant in modern times, considering its influence on literature, psychology (as seen in Freud's Oedipus complex), and theater. Reflect on the universal themes in the play that resonate with contemporary audiences, such as the quest for identity and the human condition's complexities. Your conclusion should not only tie together your analysis of "Oedipus Rex" but also encourage readers to consider its continued relevance and the insights it offers into the human experience.

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Drama Criticism › Analysis of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex

Analysis of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on July 27, 2020 • ( 0 )

The place of the Oedipus Tyrannus in literature is something like that of the Mona Lisa in art. Everyone knows the story, the first detective story of Western literature; everyone who has read or seen it is drawn into its enigmas and moral dilemmas. It presents a kind of nightmare vision of a world suddenly turned upside down: a decent man discovers that he has unknowingly killed his father, married his mother, and sired children by her. It is a story that, as Aristotle says in the Poetics , makes one shudder with horror and feel pity just on hearing it. In Sophocles’ hands, however, this ancient tale becomes a profound meditation on the questions of guilt and responsibility, the order (or disorder) of our world, and the nature of man. The play stands with the Book of Job, Hamlet, and King Lear as one of Western literature’s most searching examinations of the problem of suffering.

—Charles Segal, Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge

No other drama has exerted a longer or stronger hold on the imagination than Sophocles’ Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Tyrannus or Oedipus Rex ). Tragic drama that is centered on the dilemma of a single central character largely begins with Sophocles and is exemplified by his Oedipus, arguably the most influential play ever written. The most famous of all Greek dramas, Sophocles’ play, supported by Aristotle in the Poetics, set the standard by which tragedy has been measured for nearly two-and-a-half millennia. For Aristotle, Sophocles’ play featured the ideal tragic hero in Oedipus, a man of “great repute and good fortune,” whose fall, coming from his horrifying discovery that he has killed his father and married his mother, is masterfully arranged to elicit tragedy’s proper cathartic mixture of pity and terror. The play’s relentless exploration of human nature, destiny, and suffering turns an ancient tale of a man’s shocking history into one of the core human myths. Oedipus thereby joins a select group of fictional characters, including Odysseus, Faust, Don Juan, and Don Quixote, that have entered our collective consciousness as paradigms of humanity and the human condition. As classical scholar Bernard Knox has argued, “Sophocles’ Oedipus is not only the greatest creation of a major poet and the classic representative figure of his age: he is also one of a long series of tragic protagonists who stand as symbols of human aspiration and despair before the characteristic dilemma of Western civilization—the problem of man’s true stature, his proper place in the universe.”

For nearly 2,500 years Sophocles’ play has claimed consideration as drama’s most perfect and most profound achievement. Julius Caesar wrote an adaptation; Nero allegedly acted the part of the blind Oedipus. First staged in a European theater in 1585, Oedipus has been continually performed ever since and reworked by such dramatists as Pierre Corneille, John Dryden, Voltaire, William Butler Yeats, André Gide, and Jean Cocteau. The French neoclassical tragedian Jean Racine asserted that Oedipus was the ideal tragedy, while D. H. Lawrence regarded it as “the finest drama of all time.” Sigmund Freud discovered in the play the key to understanding man’s deepest and most repressed sexual and aggressive impulses, and the so-called Oedipus complex became one of the founding myths of psychoanalysis. Oedipus has served as a crucial mirror by which each subsequent era has been able to see its own reflection and its understanding of the mystery of human existence.

If Aeschylus is most often seen as the great originator of ancient Greek tragedy and Euripides is viewed as the great outsider and iconoclast, it is Sophocles who occupies the central position as classical tragedy’s technical master and the age’s representative figure over a lifetime that coincided with the rise and fall of Athens’s greatness as a political and cultural power in the fifth century b.c. Sophocles was born in 496 near Athens in Colonus, the legendary final resting place of the exiled Oedipus. At the age of 16, Sophocles, an accomplished dancer and lyre player, was selected to lead the celebration of the victory over the Persians at the battle of Salamis, the event that ushered in Athens’s golden age. He died in 406, two years before Athens’s fall to Sparta, which ended nearly a century of Athenian supremacy and cultural achievement. Very much at the center of Athenian public life, Sophocles served as a treasurer of state and a diplomat and was twice elected as a general. A lay priest in the cult of a local deity, Sophocles also founded a literary association and was an intimate of such prominent men of letters as Ion of Chios, Herodotus, and Archelaus. Urbane, garrulous, and witty, Sophocles was remembered fondly by his contemporaries as possessing all the admired qualities of balance and tranquillity. Nicknamed “the Bee” for his “honeyed” style of fl owing eloquence—the highest compliment the Greeks could bestow on a poet or speaker—Sophocles was regarded as the tragic Homer.

In marked contrast to his secure and stable public role and private life, Sophocles’ plays orchestrate a disturbing challenge to assurance and certainty by pitting vulnerable and fallible humanity against the inexorable forces of nature and destiny. Sophocles began his career as a playwright in 468 b.c. with a first-prize victory over Aeschylus in the Great, or City, Dionysia, the annual Athenian drama competition. Over the next 60 years he produced more than 120 plays (only seven have survived intact), winning first prize at the Dionysia 24 times and never earning less than second place, making him unquestionably the most successful and popular playwright of his time. It is Sophocles who introduced the third speaking actor to classical drama, creating the more complex dramatic situations and deepened psychological penetration through interpersonal relationships and dialogue. “Sophocles turned tragedy inward upon the principal actors,” classicist Richard Lattimore has observed, “and drama becomes drama of character.” Favoring dramatic action over narration, Sophocles brought offstage action onto the stage, emphasized dialogue rather than lengthy, undramatic monologues, and purportedly introduced painted scenery. Also of note, Sophocles replaced the connected trilogies of Aeschylus with self-contained plays on different subjects at the same contest, establishing the norm that has continued in Western drama with its emphasis on the intensity and unity of dramatic action. At their core, Sophocles’ tragedies are essentially moral and religious dramas pitting the tragic hero against unalterable fate as defined by universal laws, particular circumstances, and individual temperament. By testing his characters so severely, Sophocles orchestrated adversity into revelations that continue to evoke an audience’s capacity for wonder and compassion.

The story of Oedipus was part of a Theban cycle of legends that was second only to the stories surrounding the Trojan War as a popular subject for Greek literary treatment. Thirteen different Greek dramatists, including Aeschylus and Euripides, are known to have written plays on the subject of Oedipus and his progeny. Sophocles’ great innovation was to turn Oedipus’s horrifying circumstances into a drama of self-discovery that probes the mystery of selfhood and human destiny.

The play opens with Oedipus secure and respected as the capable ruler of Thebes having solved the riddle of the Sphinx and gained the throne and Thebes’s widowed queen, Jocasta, as his reward. Plague now besets the city, and Oedipus comes to Thebes’s rescue once again when, after learning from the oracle of Apollo that the plague is a punishment for the murder of his predecessor, Laius, he swears to discover and bring the murderer to justice. The play, therefore, begins as a detective story, with the key question “Who killed Laius?” as the initial mystery. Oedipus initiates the first in a seemingly inexhaustible series of dramatic ironies as the detective who turns out to be his own quarry. Oedipus’s judgment of banishment for Laius’s murderer seals his own fate. Pledged to restore Thebes to health, Oedipus is in fact the source of its affliction. Oedipus’s success in discovering Laius’s murderer will be his own undoing, and the seemingly percipient, riddle-solving Oedipus will only see the truth about himself when he is blind. To underscore this point, the blind seer Teiresias is summoned. He is reluctant to tell what he knows, but Oedipus is adamant: “No man, no place, nothing will escape my gaze. / I will not stop until I know it all.” Finally goaded by Oedipus to reveal that Oedipus himself is “the killer you’re searching for” and the plague that afflicts Thebes, Teiresias introduces the play’s second mystery, “Who is Oedipus?”

You have eyes to see with, But you do not see yourself, you do not see The horror shadowing every step of your life, . . . Who are your father and mother? Can you tell me?

Oedipus rejects Teiresias’s horrifying answer to this question—that Oedipus has killed his own father and has become a “sower of seed where your father has sowed”—as part of a conspiracy with Jocasta’s brother Creon against his rule. In his treatment of Teiresias and his subsequent condemning of Creon to death, Oedipus exposes his pride, wrath, and rush to judgment, character flaws that alloy his evident strengths of relentless determination to learn the truth and fortitude in bearing the consequences. Jocasta comes to her brother’s defense, while arguing that not all oracles can be believed. By relating the circumstances of Laius’s death, Jocasta attempts to demonstrate that Oedipus could not be the murderer while ironically providing Oedipus with the details that help to prove the case of his culpability. In what is a marvel of ironic plot construction, each step forward in answering the questions surrounding the murder and Oedipus’s parentage takes Oedipus a step back in time toward full disclosure and self-discovery.

As Oedipus is made to shift from self-righteous authority to doubt, a messenger from Corinth arrives with news that Oedipus’s supposed father, Poly-bus, is dead. This intelligence seems again to disprove the oracle that Oedipus is fated to kill his father. Oedipus, however, still is reluctant to return home for fear that he could still marry his mother. To relieve Oedipus’s anxiety, the messenger reveals that he himself brought Oedipus as an infant to Polybus. Like Jocasta whose evidence in support of Oedipus’s innocence turns into confirmation of his guilt, the messenger provides intelligence that will connect Oedipus to both Laius and Jocasta as their son and as his father’s killer. The messenger’s intelligence produces the crucial recognition for Jocasta, who urges Oedipus to cease any further inquiry. Oedipus, however, persists, summoning the herdsman who gave the infant to the messenger and was coincidentally the sole survivor of the attack on Laius. The herdsman’s eventual confirmation of both the facts of Oedipus’s birth and Laius’s murder produces the play’s staggering climax. Aristotle would cite Sophocles’ simultaneous con-junction of Oedipus’s recognition of his identity and guilt with his reversal of fortune—condemned by his own words to banishment and exile as Laius’s murderer—as the ideal artful arrangement of a drama’s plot to produce the desired cathartic pity and terror.

The play concludes with an emphasis on what Oedipus will now do after he knows the truth. No tragic hero has fallen further or faster than in the real time of Sophocles’ drama in which the time elapsed in the play coincides with the performance time. Oedipus is stripped of every illusion of his authority, control, righteousness, and past wisdom and is forced to contend with a shame that is impossible to expiate—patricide and incestual relations with his mother—in a world lacking either justice or alleviation from suffering. Oedipus’s heroic grandeur, however, grows in his diminishment. Fundamentally a victim of circumstances, innocent of intentional sin whose fate was preordained before his birth, Oedipus refuses the consolation of blamelessness that victimization confers, accepting in full his guilt and self-imposed sentence as an outcast, criminal, and sinner. He blinds himself to confirm the moral shame that his actions, unwittingly or not, have provoked. It is Oedipus’s capacity to endure the revelation of his sin, his nature, and his fate that dominates the play’s conclusion. Oedipus’s greatest strengths—his determination to know the truth and to accept what he learns—sets him apart as one of the most pitiable and admired of tragic heroes. “The closing note of the tragedy,” Knox argues, “is a renewed insistence on the heroic nature of Oedipus; the play ends as it began, with the greatness of the hero. But it is a different kind of greatness. It is now based on knowledge, not, as before on ignorance.” The now-blinded Oedipus has been forced to see and experience the impermanence of good fortune, the reality of unimaginable moral shame, and a cosmic order that is either perverse in its calculated cruelty or chaotically random in its designs, in either case defeating any human need for justice and mercy.

The Chorus summarizes the harsh lesson of heroic defeat that the play so majestically dramatizes:

Look and learn all citizens of Thebes. This is Oedipus. He, who read the famous riddle, and we hailed chief of men, All envied his power, glory, and good fortune. Now upon his head the sea of disaster crashes down. Mortality is man’s burden. Keep your eyes fixed on your last day. Call no man happy until he reaches it, and finds rest from suffering.

Few plays have dealt so unflinchingly with existential truths or have as bravely defined human heroism in the capacity to see, suffer, and endure.

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“Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles Play Analysis Essay

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Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is a play authored by Sophocles. It was first performed in 429 BC in Athens, Greece (Knox 133). The play is the second of several Sophocles’ plays, and has been regarded as an excellent piece by many scholars (Belfiore 176). This report will highlight about the author, discuss the setting of, and the theme of fate in the play, before giving personal impression about the play.

The play is about Oedipus the king. He is respected by his people, but falls disgracefully from power. Its unravels an oracle such that Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother unknowingly. The plan to kill Oedipus takes a twist when his mother and the servant refuses to kill him, allowing the opportunity to live and later to fulfill the oracles. The life of Oedipus is saved the second time when a shepherd finds him and hands him over to King of Corinth for adoption. Oedipus grows without knowing his biological parents. He learns of the oracle and wishes to avert it only to allow fate take its course. Oedipus meets his father and kills him while escaping from that fate, and later marries his mother. He also saves the people by solving a riddle and fulfills the oracle that the murderer of King Loius would be revealed.

Sophocles was among the Greek’s great playwrights (Belfiore 176). He was born in 495 B.C near the town of Athens and received the best education in his time. He majored in arts. He was influential and many people liked him. His career had began at an early age when he participated at a competition and took the first prize. This is when he used his skills to include characters in a play by reducing its chorus. Sophocles wrote over one hundred and twenty plays but only seven have been successful. These are Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex), Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Electra, Ajax and Philoctetes.

The setting of the play is in Thebes city, which is portrayed as a city in crisis; the city is struck by a plague (Sophocles 22-32). The palace of Oedipus as well as the altar of Zeus features in much of the play. In general, this setting characterizes the whole of Oedepus (Sophocles 51).

Fate is a main theme in Oedipus Rex, and is plainly indicated in the play. The characters believes in fate. The mother of Oedipus, Queen Jocasta, believes in the fate that Oedipus would kill King Lauis (Sophocles 711-714). Oedipus also believes in the same fate and runs away from his guardians to avoid killing them (Sophocles 791-793). Thus, Sophocles allows the characters to reveal the theme of fate to the reader. Fate is also largely demonstrated by the oracles in the play.

The theme of fate is demonstrate in the unavoidability of the oracles. The prophecy that Oedipus would commit adultery with his mother and murder his own father comes true, even when Oedipus’ parents plans to alter it. When Oedipus reveals about the oracle, he escapes from Corinth to avoid fulfilling it, but this action leads him closer to what he was destined to do. First he unknowingly meets his biological father and kills him, and later marries his own mother without knowing their real relationship.Therefore, his attempts to avoid a prophecy is what makes the prophecy come true.

Sophocles clearly indicates the theme of fate when he makes the oracles unconditional. Oedipus is predestined to kill his father and marry his mother, and that happens against Oedipus’ will. Although the events that surround Oedipus are not predetermined, it is shown that they lead him to fulfill the oracles. Oedipus does not make the choices to kill his father, marry his mother and reveal that he murdered the King, but the force of fate direct him to actions that lead him to do so.

My impression of Oedipus Rex is that it is an excellent play that shows the great masterly art by Sophocles. The author attempts to bring out important themes is successful. He uses figurative writing and other writing styles to emphasize on motifs and themes. For instance, Oedipus blindness is figurative, and Jocasta repeatedly talks about the oracle, which emphasizes that it is unconditional.

The play is also captivating, but wrongfully instills a feeling of pity to the reader. One would sympathize with Oedipus because it is apparent that he was manipulated by higher forces in order to end up to his resentful state. However, several of Oedipus actions and events were not predestined and he could have chosen a different paths to take.

There is less emphases on moral values in the play. Wrongful actions of people are easily justified by oracles and fate. Nonetheless, the play indicates that the action of killing is resentful and it is worth to make things right.

Works Cited

Belfiore, Elizabeth. Tragic Pleasures: Aristotle on Plot and Emotion. Princeton, p. 176. 1992.

Knox, Bernard. The Date of the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles,” The American Journal of Philology , Vol. 77, No. 2, Pp. 133-14. 1956.

Sophocles. Oedipus the King. New York: Hayes Barton Press. 1946.

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118 Oedipus the King Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Oedipus the King, also known as Oedipus Rex, is a famous Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. The story follows the tragic downfall of Oedipus, a man who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother, fulfilling a prophecy that he tried to avoid. This timeless tale has been studied and analyzed for centuries, and there are countless essay topics and examples that can be explored. Here are 118 Oedipus the King essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your next literary analysis:

• The role of fate in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus as a tragic hero
• The theme of blindness in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's search for truth and self-discovery
• The use of dramatic irony in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's downfall as a result of his hubris
• The symbolism of the Sphinx in Oedipus the King
• The role of the chorus in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's relationships with Jocasta and Tiresias
• The significance of the oracle's prophecy in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's tragic flaw and its consequences
• The portrayal of women in Oedipus the King
• The influence of Oedipus's parents on his fate
• The theme of free will vs. fate in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's journey from ignorance to enlightenment
• The role of the gods in Oedipus the King
• The impact of Oedipus's actions on the people of Thebes
• Oedipus's struggle with identity and self-acceptance
• The symbolism of sight and blindness in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's tragic fate and its implications for the audience
• The conflict between individual will and societal expectations in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's relationship with his children, Antigone and Ismene
• The theme of power and authority in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's role as a leader and king in Thebes
• The impact of Oedipus's actions on his family and kingdom
• The significance of Oedipus's exile at the end of the play
• The theme of justice and punishment in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's moral dilemmas and ethical choices
• The portrayal of Oedipus's character development throughout the play
• The role of prophecy and oracles in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's relationships with Creon and the other characters in the play
• The symbolism of the plague in Thebes in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's struggle with authority and control
• The theme of redemption and forgiveness in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's journey towards self-awareness and acceptance
• The significance of Oedipus's self-inflicted punishment at the end of the play
• Oedipus's role as a tragic hero and his ultimate downfall
• The theme of guilt and shame in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's relationships with his parents and the impact of their actions on his fate
• The symbolism of Oedipus's name and its significance in the play
• Oedipus's struggle with his own identity and destiny
• The theme of prophecy and predestination in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's relationships with the gods and their influence on his fate
• The significance of Oedipus's journey from ignorance to knowledge
• Oedipus's role as a tragic hero and the impact of his actions on those around him
• The theme of pride and arrogance in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's relationships with Jocasta and Tiresias and their impact on his fate
• The symbolism of Oedipus's physical blindness and its metaphorical implications
• Oedipus's struggle with his own mortality and the inevitability of death
• The theme of family and legacy in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's relationships with his children and the impact of his actions on their lives
• The significance of Oedipus's relationship with his parents and its influence on his fate
• Oedipus's role as a father and the impact of his actions on his children
• The symbolism of Oedipus's journey towards self-awareness and acceptance
• Oedipus's relationships with the other characters in the play and their impact on his fate
• The theme of betrayal and loyalty in Oedipus the King
• Oedipus's role as a leader and king in Thebes and the impact of his actions on his kingdom
• Oedipus's struggle with guilt and shame and the impact of his actions on his fate
• The significance of Oedipus's journey from ignorance to knowledge and self-awareness
• The significance of Oedipus's relationships with the other characters in the play
• The significance of Oedipus's role as a tragic hero and his ultimate downfall
• Oedipus's journey from ignorance to enlightenment and self-discovery
• The theme of blindness and sight in Oedipus the King
• The significance of Oedipus's journey towards self-awareness and acceptance
• The symbolism

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Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King

By sophocles, oedipus rex or oedipus the king essay questions.

Oedipus remains in the dark. Do you agree?

This question asks you to consider the importance of dark and light, and therefore perhaps also sight, in the play. Think metaphorically (i.e. 'in the dark' - unknowing) but also literally (Oedipus' blinding at the end of the play).

Oedipus is old before his time. Do you agree?

This question asks you to consider question of youth and age in Oedipus - though the action of the play happens in a single day, how might Oedipus be considered old? You might also want to think about fathers and children and the impact generation has on age.

This play happens backward. Do you agree?

This question asks you to consider the structure of the play. Look at the section on 'Myth' and consider the way Sophocles alters the story to turn it into a drama. What does Oedipus know at the start of the play? What does he know at the end? What events actually occur during the play - or have all the events happened before it begins?

How might a consideration of the conditions of Greek theatrical performance impact upon our understanding of Oedipus Rex?

This question asks you to consider the importance of the Greek theatrical conventions (particularly masks) that would have originally been employed when Oedipus was performed. Think practically - there were no electric lights, no recorded music, and perhaps even no props. How might this change your interpretation of the play? (See 'About Greek Theater' for more information).

Is Oedipus Rex a private or a public play?

This question asks you to consider the relationship between public and private (or between oikos/polis) in the play. What is the outcome for Thebes? What is the outcome for Oedipus? Is Oedipus to be considered as a father/son/brother or simply as the king of Thebes?

Might Oedipus be more than one man?

This question asks you to consider the play's central inconsistency as potentially one of its themes. The Thebans have heard that Laius was killed by more than one man; in fact, Oedipus alone committed the murder. Think of Oedipus' various roles in the play - king/brother/father/son - and consider whether the conflict of the play might be a conflict between the one and the many.

Do you agree that Oedipus' tragedy happens because of a 'tragic flaw'?

This question asks you to consider that Oedipus' tragedy happens because of a tragic flaw - an opinion that many critics would strongly disagree with. Why do the events of the play happen? Whose fault is it - if anyone's? See Oedipus and Aristotle for more information about the idea of tragic flaws.

"The old seer had eyes" (Oedipus the King, 748). Discuss ideas of sight and blindness in the play.

As well as thinking literally about blindness in Oedipus (Teiresias, in particular) consider the relationship between knowledge and sight. Does Oedipus have any insight into things - can he, perhaps, see better without his eyes?

"I stumbled when I saw" (Gloucester, in Shakespeare's King Lear ). Compare Oedipus Rex to any other play of your choice.

This question invites you to compare Oedipus to any other play. You might want to think about themes, about characters, or what you consider to be the ultimate lesson of the play - just remember to keep comparing: write about both plays at once, not one and then the other. See Useful Comparison Points for some good ideas.

How does Oedipus come to embody the riddle of the Sphinx?

This question requires you to make a connection between the Sphinx riddle's answer - 'man' - and Oedipus' fate. Oedipus, as a consequence of seeking the answer to his kingdom's plague, manages to go through the three stages of the Sphinx's riddle. He is the baby with pierced ankles, crawling on four feet to escape a messenger who would kill him. Then he is the proud adult, king of Thebes, walking on two feet. And finally he is the old, blinded man, walking with a cane, cast out of his own kingdom.

Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What does Oedipus seem to believe about his ability to control his own destiny?

It is important to remember that, even at this first stage of the play, Oedipus’ pride does not bring about any of the events that cause the plague. The murder of Laius, after all, happened many years ago, and he already has four children fathered...

Character analysis please?

Oedipus is the king of Thebes, married to Jocasta. He is unaware, at the start of the play, that he has murdered his father and slept with his mother. Soon he learns that it was he that put his kingdom at such terrible risk, and blinds himself...

• Oedipus the King

Jocasta is both Oedipus' wife and mother, though, she is unaware that she has married her son. When she learns that her son was not killed, and was in fact her husband, Jocasta takes her own life.

Study Guide for Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King

Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) study guide contains a biography of Sophocles, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Essays for Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King

Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) by Sophocles.

• Hubris in Antigone and Oedipus
• Hubris in Greek Mythology
• Anagnoresis
• Poetics and the Great Greek Tragedy: Oedipus Rex
• The Vision of Blindness: Sight Versus Insight in Sophocles' Oedipus the King

Lesson Plan for Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King

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Essays on Oedipus Rex

Hook examples for "oedipus the king" essays, anecdotal hook.

Imagine a prophecy that foretells a man's tragic fate – a prophecy that becomes a self-fulfilling nightmare. This is the gripping story of Oedipus the King.

Question Hook

Can one's relentless pursuit of truth lead to their ultimate downfall? Explore the tragic consequences of Oedipus's relentless search for answers.

Quotation Hook

"How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth." — Sophocles, "Oedipus Rex." Delve into the profound wisdom of this ancient Greek tragedy.

Statistical or Factual Hook

Sophocles' "Oedipus the King" is one of the earliest examples of Greek tragedy, dating back to 429 B.C. Explore its enduring significance in the world of literature.

Definition Hook

What does it mean to grapple with the concept of fate and free will? "Oedipus the King" serves as a timeless exploration of these philosophical questions.

Rhetorical Question Hook

Could Oedipus have changed his destiny, or was he always destined to fulfill the prophecy? Uncover the layers of this enigmatic character's life choices.

Historical Hook

Step back in time to ancient Greece, where dramatic performances like "Oedipus the King" were central to cultural and religious festivals. Discover the historical context of this masterpiece.

Contrast Hook

Contrast Oedipus's noble intentions with the inevitable tragic outcome of his actions. This stark contrast lies at the heart of Sophocles' enduring drama.

Narrative Hook

Follow Oedipus's tumultuous journey from a revered king to a broken man as he unravels the mystery of his identity. It's a narrative of profound tragedy and self-discovery.

Shocking Statement Hook

Prepare to be shocked by the harrowing revelations and moral dilemmas that Oedipus faces on his quest for truth. The story's power lies in its shocking twists and turns.

Oedipus in The Play Oedipus The King

Aristotle’s view on "oedipus the king" by sophocles, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

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A Theme of Toxic Pride in Oedipus The King

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Interpretation of Oedipus The King Through Aristotelian, Sophoclean, and Freudian Perspectives

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Truth in Oedipus The King

Sight through blindness: reason and irrationality in oedipus, the quest for truth in oedipus rex, the role of the chorus in oedipus the king, the power of pride in oedipus rex and antigone, the pursuit of knowlenge in oedipus tyrannus, the tragedy of oedipus, the eyes have it: oedipus and responsibility in ancient greek society, eisenberg's jocasta poem analysis, defining the soul of oedipus: sophocles’ play alongside plato’s republic, the character of creon as a foil for oedipus in "oedipus rex", fulfill your destiny: oedipus and sundiata, examining characters' blindness in "oedipus rex" and "the glass menagerie", the concepts of fate and free will in "the kite runner" and oedipus, how the chorus in the oedipus rex assert the supremacy of the community over the self, the execution of knowledge in genesis and oedipus, an analysis of the plot in oedipus rex, a play by sophocles, fate vs free will in sophocles' oedipus rex, comparing and contrasting themes in sophocles’ oedipus rex and antigone, physical sight vs. non-physical sight in the oedipus plays.

Oedipus, Creon, Antigone, Tiresias, Jocasta, Shepherd

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• Antigone Tragic Hero
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Oedipus Rex

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At the start of the play, the city of Thebes is suffering terribly. Citizens are dying from plague, crops fail, women are dying in childbirth and their babies are stillborn. A group of priests comes to the royal palace to ask for help from Oedipus , their king who once saved them from the tyranny of the terrible Sphinx. Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon , to the oracle of the god Apollo to find out what can be done. (A little background: before Oedipus arrived in Thebes, the previous king, Laius, was murdered under mysterious circumstances and the murderer was never found. When Oedipus arrived in Thebes and saved the city, he was made king and married the widowed queen, Jocasta , sister of Creon.) Now Creon returns with the oracle's news: for the plague to be lifted from the city, the murderer of Laius must be discovered and punished. The oracle claims that the murderer is still living in Thebes.

Oedipus curses the unknown murderer and swears he will find and punish him. He orders the people of Thebes, under punishment of exile, to give any information they have about the death of Laius. Oedipus sends for Tiresias , the blind prophet, to help with the investigation. Tiresias comes, but refuses to tell Oedipus what he has seen in his prophetic visions. Oedipus accuses Tiresias of playing a part in Laius's death. Tiresias grows angry and says that Oedipus is the cause of the plague—he is the murderer of Laius. As the argument escalates, Oedipus accuses Tiresias of plotting with Creon to overthrow him, while Tiresias hints at other terrible things that Oedipus has done.

Convinced that Creon is plotting to overthrow him, Oedipus declares his intention to banish or execute his brother-in-law. Jocasta and the chorus believe Creon is innocent and beg Oedipus to let Creon go. He relents, reluctantly, still convinced of Creon's guilt. Jocasta tells Oedipus not to put any stock in what prophets and seers say. As an example, she tells him the prophecy she once received—that Laius, her first husband, would be killed by their own son. And yet, Laius was killed by strangers, and her own infant son was left to die in the mountains. But her description of where Laius was killed—a triple-crossroad —worries Oedipus. It's the same place where Oedipus once fought with several people and killed them, one of whom fit the description of Laius. He asks that the surviving eyewitness to Laius's murder be brought to him. He tells Jocasta that oracles have played a big part in his life as well—he received a prophecy that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother, which is why he left Corinth, the city he was raised in, and never returned.

An old messenger arrives from Corinth with the news that Oedipus's father, King Polybus, has died of old age. This encourages Oedipus. It seems his prophecy might not come true, but he remains worried because his mother is still alive. The messenger tells him not to worry—the king and queen of Corinth were not his real parents. The messenger himself brought Oedipus as a baby to the royal family as a gift after a shepherd found the boy in the mountains and gave him to the messenger. The shepherd was the same man Oedipus has already sent for—the eyewitness to Laius's murder. Jocasta begs Oedipus to abandon his search for his origins, but Oedipus insists he must know the story of his birth. Jocasta cries out in agony and leaves the stage. The shepherd arrives but doesn't want to tell what he knows. Only under threat of death does he reveal that he disobeyed the order to kill the infant son of Laius and Jocasta, and instead gave that baby to the messenger. That baby was Oedipus, who in fact killed his father Laius and married his mother. Oedipus realizes that he has fulfilled his awful prophecy. Queen Jocasta kills herself and Oedipus, in a fit of grief, gouges out his own eyes. Blind and grief-stricken, Oedipus bemoans his fate. Creon, after consulting an oracle, grants Oedipus's request and banishes him from Thebes.

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Oedipus Rex

38 pages • 1 hour read

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Pages 160-198

Pages 199-251

Character Analysis

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Discussion Questions

The philosopher Aristotle considered Oedipus Rex a paragon among plays, and used it to expand on his theory of catharsis—the idea that seeing traumas enacted onstage provides the audience relief through the experience of pity and terror. How does Oedipus Rex bring about catharsis? Look for specific moments in the play to support your ideas.

If you were directing Oedipus Rex , how would you encourage the actor playing Jocasta to describe Laius’s attempted infanticide or the actor playing Oedipus to describe fleeing from the people he believes are his parents? Why would you stage these scenes this way?

The Chorus provides interludes of music, dance, and commentary. What dramatic, thematic, and emotional roles does the Chorus serve?

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