Oedipus the King - 1315 Words

Lorne Coughlin Literary Genres: Drama and Essay September 20, 2007 The tragedy of Oedipus Sophocles is one of the best and most well-known ancient Greek tragedians. He influenced the development of drama especially by adding a third character and thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. Even though he wrote 123 plays, he is mostly famous for his three plays concerning Oedipus and Antigone: these are often known as the Theban plays or The Oedipus Cycle. One of these plays is â€Å"Oedipus the King†, which will be discussed throughout this essay. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus learns, as the story unfolds, that he committed both patricide and incest. Sophocles’ use of dramatic irony emphasizes how limited†¦show more content†¦This proves that he is in control of his destiny and failing because of who he is. Also, another turning point of the story is when the details surrounding the death of Laà ¯os are unveiled. After having learnt from the drunken man that his so-called parents from Corinth were not his real par ents, Oedipus was sad and enraged: â€Å"I contained myself that night, though I felt anger/And a sinking heart† (64). Afterwards, Oedipus saw an oracle (page 65) that said to him that he would be his father’s murderer. These events caused him to leave Corinth as he did not want to harm his â€Å"so-called† father. Then, he meets Laà ¯os’ chariot and out of rage, kills all of them including Laà ¯os: â€Å"I struck him in my rage/[†¦]I killed them all.† (65). Again, by being who he is, he committed a severe crime as it is, a crime that would lead to his destruction later on. The fact that he believes heavily in prophecies and in what the oracles (spokesman of the Gods) said (he left because of it) and was severely upset by the drunken man’s comments are signs reflecting his behaviour, who he really is. Thus, his personality is the root of all his actions, as bad or good as they are. There is another take to this event. Oedipus could have killed Laà ¯os, not only because he was enraged, but also out of hubris over which has the right of way. â€Å"Hubris† here can be seen as exaggerated self pride that leads to fatal retribution. ItShow MoreRelatedOedipus The King Of Oedipus868 Words   |  4 Pageschallenge that waits upon one. Confidence overpowers cockiness. The cocky trait is heavily represented in the story â€Å"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 which plays a big role in interaction with people around himRead MoreOedipus The King : Oedipus1328 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus the King Oedipus had a lot of different character traits both good and bad. 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Every word spoken holds great symbolic weight and those words contribute to a narrative that reflects the gods plans. Adversely the work of Johnathan Swift takes the form of a social satire, combining economic arguments with a sociopoliticalRead MoreOedipus the King1164 Words   |  5 Pagesmen of high reputation and good fortune such as Oedipus.† This attitude, commonly found in men of high station is not specifically identified as pride in the case of Oedipus and, indeed, different readings can place Oedipus’ great flaw in a number of areas. It seems as if Sophocles intended to emphasize the more common interpr etation of Oedipus’ flaw being excessive pride, but other interpretations, such as Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1967 film Oedipus Rex, present other possibilities as the main characterRead MoreOedipus the King773 Words   |  4 PagesThe Greek drama Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, is regarded as one of the most perfect tragedies ever written. 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