Oedipus The King Analysis Essay Any great story has its critics ready to critique every great detail of a story. Sophocles’s Oedipus the King is no exemption. Oedipus the King was written around B.C. so this play has had plenty of time to be critiqued Jan 01, · Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King” is a tragic play illustrating a shift from the belief of predestination to freedom of choice. Therefore, “Oedipus the King” becomes a symbolic representation of human progress. In the play, Sophocles concentrates on Oedipus’, the main character, discovery of the true murderer of King Laius and the consequences that follow Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is an exquisite link between mythology and art of the author’s epoch. In conveys the picture of the world, which gave much space to fate and gods who ought to decide upon a
Oedipus the King by Sophocles Literature Analysis - Words | Essay Example
Any great story has its critics ready to critique every great detail of a story. Oedipus the King was written around B. so this play has had plenty of time to be critiqued. Not only has this Greek tragedy been around for so long, but it is considered a masterpiece; it only makes sense for something very famous to be criticized even more.
Oedipus the King follows the story of a man named Oedipus who tries to escape fate. Before the play is even started, the readers are given background information about Oedipus. When Oedipus was a baby his parents abandoned him. His parents, Oedipus the king analysis essay and Jocasta, ordered a servant to leave him on a mountain to die.
The servant, taking pity on Oedipus, gave Oedipus to a shepherd. The shepherd oedipus the king analysis essay gave Oedipus to the king and queen of Corinth. When Oedipus is older he learns of a prophecy that he is destined to kill his father and marry his mother; Oedipus, upon learning this, leaves Corinth to avoid this prophecy coming true.
Along his journey, Oedipus has some mishap with a chariot and kills the servants and their passenger. Unknown to Oedipus, the passenger was Laius. His journey leads him to Thebes, where he was born to Laius and Jocasta, the king and queen of Thebes. As Oedipus is mentioning this, Creon arrives with news from Apollo. Creon says the only way for the plague to be ridden is for the killer of Laius to be murdered or exiled. Oedipus, not realizing the murderer is him, promises to just that.
Tiresias, trying to help, tells them that the murderer they are looking for is Oedipus, but Oedipus calls him a liar. Oedipus talks with Jocasta about everything that has happened, only to start to realize that Tiresias and the oracle he spoke with before leaving Corinth were both correct. Oedipus then meets with a messenger from Corinth and the servant who was to leave him on a mountain to die to oedipus the king analysis essay everything he has realized.
The play ends with Creon becoming king and Creon taking Oedipus away from his daughters and the citizens of Thebe to await his fate. One critique of the play is that there are difficulties understanding what actually happened in past events because of contradicting statements. This is half true; there are some things that are confusing, but other things that seem quite simple.
One example is the death of Laius. I would have to disagree in this situation. My belief is that the servant said there were multiple men so it did not seem like Laius and his servants lost to one person, hence the contradicting statements. Oedipus was the person, and the only person, to kill Laius and his servants. Creon mentions that after the survivor of attack returns with the news and the Sphinx tells them not to investigate the death of Laius.
However, oedipus the king analysis essay, this contradicts with what Jocasta tells Oedipus, oedipus the king analysis essay. Jocasta tells Oedipus that the servant arrived after he had taken the throne, which means the Sphinx would have been gone. I would have to agree in this situation and say that this does make the past events confusing. However, if the servant really did arrive before Oedipus why is it he did not warn everyone else that he was the murderer when he finally arrived.
In Oedipus the king, the citizens of Thebes and Corinth heavily worship the Greek gods Apollo, Zeus, Dionysus, Hermes, etc.
The citizens in this Greek tragedy rely on the gods for practically everything. At the beginning, citizens are burning wool before temples of Athena to help try and rid the plague. There are two ways gods are incorporated in this. This first is obvious the temples of Athenathe citizens are burning here because Athena is known for being the protector of Greek cities.
The second way is through the burning of wool; burning of wool was used for offerings to Apollo, the god of healing and prophecies, oedipus the king analysis essay. Throughout the play, there are several more mentions of Apollo, dealing particularly with his prophecy of Oedipus. The third god mentioned in the beginning would be Zeus, who is introduced through the priest of Zeus that is introduced in the beginning.
The next part of the critique, about warning mankind of becoming too proud, is also very true. This part applies mainly to Oedipus. Oedipus was too proud to realize the truth of Tiresias and the harm he had done to his town.
When Tiresias told Oedipus it was him who killed Laius he refused to elieve him, being too proud and stubborn. Another thing people critique over in Oedipus the King is whether or not Oedipus would have still killed his father if he was not fated to do so.
A compelling case can be made for both sides of this argument. It could be said that no matter what Oedipus did he would end up killing his father no matter what, oedipus the king analysis essay, which is sort of evident in the play.
Oedipus the king analysis essay did everything he could to avoid the prophecy once he heard of it. He left Corinth as soon he heard to avoid his killing his father, only to kill his real father on the way. On the other hand, it could be said that Oedipus easily could have escaped killing his father if he had not been fated to do so.
If Oedipus had not been fated to kill his father and marry his mother, his parents would have made such drastic measures to take him away and kill him. He could have happily lived with his parents without killing his father. I myself am split down the middle with my decision. I believe both options are very possible, that he could or could not escape his fate. However, oedipus the king analysis essay, if I had to chose I would pick the side that he could indeed live a normal life without killing oedipus the king analysis essay father if he was not fated to do so.
I also belief even if Oedipus was fated to kill his father he could still escape this fate if his parents had not sent him away. The first reason for this belief is that there would have been no prophecy that would have sent Oedipus away, which was the ultimate reason for the prophecy coming true. The second reason for my reasoning is no sane person would kill their father. On the other hand, the argument could be made that even if Oedipus was not sent away and lived in the royal house he still could have killed his father without being fated to.
Oedipus could still have got in a oedipus the king analysis essay of rage and killed his father, whether on purpose or accident. All great stories, Oedipus the King included, are going to critiqued. Authors should almost be thrilled people pay that close attention to their stories; it shows that their stories are good and they would like to analyze them.
A great story is fated to be a great story if it can remain that way through all the critiques it will go through. More Essay Examples: Symbolism In Oedipus The King Essay Free Will In Oedipus Rex Essay Essay on Theme Of Fate In Oedipus The King Essay about Remorse In Oedipus The King Oedipus and The Gods Theme Of Suffering In Oedipus The King Essay Essay on Oedipus Oedipus the king analysis essay King Literary Analysis The Chorus In Oedipus The King Essay Essay about The Gods In Sophocles Oedipus The King Fate Versus Free Will.
Irony in Sophocles' Oedipus the king
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Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is an exquisite link between mythology and art of the author’s epoch. In conveys the picture of the world, which gave much space to fate and gods who ought to decide upon a Oedipus The King Analysis Essay Any great story has its critics ready to critique every great detail of a story. Sophocles’s Oedipus the King is no exemption. Oedipus the King was written around B.C. so this play has had plenty of time to be critiqued Jan 01, · Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King” is a tragic play illustrating a shift from the belief of predestination to freedom of choice. Therefore, “Oedipus the King” becomes a symbolic representation of human progress. In the play, Sophocles concentrates on Oedipus’, the main character, discovery of the true murderer of King Laius and the consequences that follow
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