Oedipus Essays and Term Papers
Last update: July 31, 2014-
Oedipus the King
Oedipus, at the beginning of the play speaks to the young people of Thebes and asks them why they are all there when the city is in need of help. Thebes has been cursed with a plague and the people need their god to tell them what they need to do to save their city. Oedipus sees an old priest bowing at his feet and he asks him to speak for everyone of the
Rating:Essay Length: 1,285 Words / 6 PagesSubmitted: February 15, 2010 -
Comparison of Oedipus the King, Hamlet”, Waiting for Godot
Some of the first forms of drama come from ancient Greece. “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles is a great example of ancient Greek tragedy, “Hamlet” by Shakespeare is the example of drama of Elizabethan period and Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot “ represents the drama of the 20th century and belongs to so called “Theatre of the Absurd”. Because all these dramas come from different period of time, it's natural that they differ from
Rating:Essay Length: 1,020 Words / 5 PagesSubmitted: February 18, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex
In the play "Oedipus Rex" the main character, Oedipus, has to deal with his predetermined fate and his own nature. He is cursed from the beginning of his life when a soothsayer tells of his fate upon his birth. It is predicted that he will kill his father, and marry his mother, and raise a family. Oedipus was born to Laios and Iocaste who were the king and queen of Thebes. Upon his birth, his
Rating:Essay Length: 617 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: February 19, 2010 -
Oedipus
Oedipus is guilty because, despite knowing the prophecy that he will commit parricide and incest, he yet kills an elderly gentleman and sleeps with an elderly women. The choice was his, and this accounts for his guilt. This is implausible because, at the time he killed the old man (his father) he had no idea of the prophecy that foreseen this happening. Even if he would have known about the Gods saying that he would
Rating:Essay Length: 917 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: February 25, 2010 -
King Oedipus
The play opens in front of the Theban palace. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, asks a passing priest why he and his followers are lamenting and praying. The priest replies that they pray to the gods to end the plague that has beset Thebes. This plague has wasted the city's crops and pastures and rendered all Theban women sterile. The priest begs for Oedipus's help. Oedipus tells the priest that he feels the city's pain,
Rating:Essay Length: 3,157 Words / 13 PagesSubmitted: February 27, 2010 -
Oedipus the King
Destiny and Anger In “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles, the author uses the idea of fate and free will to explain the struggle of Oedipus’s life. In the story, fate is explained as an outside supernatural force that controls life. Oedipus has a strange life story. He gets abandoned by his mother and is left to die, a different family adopts him and he ends up killing his father in a fight and gets married
Rating:Essay Length: 302 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: February 27, 2010 -
Use of Dramatic Irony in Oedipus the King
Oedipus Rex a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles in the early days of antiquity is based upon an even more ancient story in Greek mythology. Sophocles, however, knowing that his audience is aware of the outcome of the play utilizes that foreknowledge to create various situations in which dramatic and verbal irony play key roles. Through his use of irony Sophocles manages to avoid simply retelling an old tale, though the audience is cognizant
Rating:Essay Length: 1,788 Words / 8 PagesSubmitted: February 27, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex the Hero
Throught Oedipus Rex, Oedipus displays his heroism many times. From the Prologue of the play to the moment in which he leaves Thebes, Oedipus' heroics become extremely apparent; however, at the same time, the decisions which make Oedipus a hero ultimately become the decisions which bring him to shamefulness and exile. From before Oedipus was born, he was doomed to become the child who would kill his father and marry his mother, a very
Rating:Essay Length: 789 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: February 28, 2010 -
Oedipus the King
Oedipus the King Being born with a terrible prophecy, having parents send out for death, surviving death, living in a entirely lie, does it sounds like fate or is it made by decisions? In the play Oedipus the king there is a deliberation in whether Oedipus life is simply just fate with an incapacity to change it or if he chooses his fate by the choices and decisions he formulates. There is no right or
Rating:Essay Length: 831 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: March 1, 2010 -
Oedipus as a Tragic Hero
The foundations of Greek tragedy were laid down by the philosopher Aristotle in his famous “Poetics” which discussed the characteristics of a tragic hero. In this composition of philosophy and literary theories, Aristotle’s ideas revolve around three crucial effects to audience members. First, the audience must develop an emotional attachment to the tragic hero. Next, the audience must fear what may befall the hero. Finally, once misfortune strikes, the audience pities the suffering hero. Clearly,
Rating:Essay Length: 597 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: March 1, 2010 -
21st Century Audiences Feel Differently Than Ancient Audiences About Oedipus Rex
21st Century Audiences Feel Differently Than Ancient Audiences about Oedipus Rex In the Sophocles play, “Oedipus Rex,” the story of a hubristic king is told. In ancient times, audiences saw Oedipus as a tragic figure, and left the play feeling a catharsis of fear and pity. However, in the 21st century, audiences tend not to feel the same way about Oedipus or get same feelings as the ancient audiences did. Reasons for this are differences
Rating:Essay Length: 474 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: March 1, 2010 -
Oedipus the King; Did the Prophecy Cause His Destiny?
Oedipus The King; Did the prophecy cause his destiny? Undoubtedly there has been a tremendous amount of speculation and dissection of this play by countless people throughout the ages. I can only draw my own conclusions as to what Sophocles intended the meaning of his play to be. The drama included a number of horrific and unthinkable moral and ethical dilemas, but I believe that was what made the play so interesting and that is
Rating:Essay Length: 358 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: March 2, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex
Oedipus, since the day he was born, always had control over his fate. The gods had never intervened in Oedipus’ life, but rather or simply gave a ‘hint’ as to what Oedipus is to face in the future. This ‘hint’ could supposedly be to try and help Oedipus avoid his downfall. And so, decisions as to which paths to take were not up to the gods, but to the individual, Oedipus. Logically speaking, the gods
Rating:Essay Length: 457 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: March 4, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex - Bliss in Ignorance
One of the most memorable and meaningful Socratic quotes applies well when in context of Sophocles' Theban Trilogy. "The unexamined life is not worth living," proclaims Socrates. He could have meant many things by this statement, and in relation to the play, the meaning is found to be even more complex. Indeed, the situation of Oedipus, king of Thebes, the truth of this statement is in question. Would Oedipus have been better off if he
Rating:Essay Length: 639 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: March 5, 2010 -
Oedipus
You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers.? This quote helps to describe the overall description of Oedipus? character in Oedipus the King written by Sophocles. Throughout Oedipus the King the ideas and themes of fate, irony, and reason reoccur numerous times. Oedipus believes in fate but he believes more in his own abilities and actions to determine his future. Irony is evident in many forms such as verbal, dramatic, and situational.
Rating:Essay Length: 862 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: March 5, 2010 -
Excruciating Truth of Oedipus
he Excruciating Truth of Oedipus Oedipus is a man of integrity and passion whose goal in life was to seek the raw truth. Throughout the story, he constantly tried to obtain that goal, but at times he tried to swallow his tongue because he sometimes had the inclination way down in his gut, he might be a killer. Worse then the fate of a killer, would be the reality of being married to his mother.
Rating:Essay Length: 261 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: March 6, 2010 -
Tragic Fall of Oedipus Rex: Self-Inflicted or Fate
The tragic fall of Oedipus in Sophocles play “Oedipus Rex” is both self-inflicted and result of events drawn from his own destiny. First off early on in Oedipus’ life his first deadly mistake towards succeeding his self-inflicted downfall was the murder of his father the former king. In a blind rage without any motive, he kills Liaus and his men at a rode crossing. Fate may have had led him to that point but it
Rating:Essay Length: 840 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: March 6, 2010 -
Oedipus Tyrannus
Oedipus Tyrannus Sophocles’s play, “Oedipus Tyrannus”, is one of the most well known Greek tragedies. For those who are not familiar with the story of Oedipus, it is written about the results of a curse put on King Oedipus. After reading this play, it is apparent that there are a few different themes, though the one which will be discussed in this essay is the theme of blindness. The theme of blindness is shown through
Rating:Essay Length: 707 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: March 7, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex Broken Down
Oedipus Rex Broken Down Oedipus Rex is a classic tragedy that shows how King Oedipus does some detestable things that led to his misfortune and eventually end his reign as the “King of Thebes.” I will be breaking down the Plot, Structure and Setting of this play, and then go more in depth into the theme. The Plot in Oedipus Rex had a set pattern. The play opens with a Prologue, which is in the
Rating:Essay Length: 972 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: March 10, 2010 -
Fate in Oedipus Rex
The characters in Oedipus the King express many different views on fate, prophecy, and the power of the gods. Characters like the chorus and the leader have solid beliefs in the gods and prophecy, but their faith is shaken many times and is changed based on the events that happen. Other characters like Jocasta refuse to accept the prophecies as truth. Towards the end of the play, however, all have no hesitation in their minds
Rating:Essay Length: 866 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: March 11, 2010 -
Oedipus the Man
For the Greeks of ancient times, a source of entertainment was often found in the theaters, where great tragedies were performed. The narratives of these tragedies evoked in the audience feelings of pain and fear that were built up as the plot progressed; but were released as the tragic events transpired. The Greek audience not only obtained pleasure from this catharsis, or purification of emotions, but also acquired gratification from the ability to understand and
Rating:Essay Length: 1,402 Words / 6 PagesSubmitted: March 11, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, & Willy Loman Comparison
“Still, the Truth Remains” An immense desire for personal satisfaction, and extraordinary reputation can often result in a sickly, perverse distortion of reality. In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, a man well known for his intellect and wisdom, finds himself blind to the truth of his life, and his parentage. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet also contains a character that is in search of the truth, which ultimately leads to his own demise, as well as the demise of
Rating:Essay Length: 1,516 Words / 7 PagesSubmitted: March 11, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex
 Oedipus Rex, a tragic victim of fate, easily meets the criteria of the tragic hero. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero can not be extremely virtuous or evil, they must be on the middle ground. This is true of Oedipus, in the eye of the public, he is a concerned, caring individual, but he is also capable of atrocities. He does have the blood of his own father on his hands. The fact that
Rating:Essay Length: 304 Words / 2 PagesSubmitted: March 11, 2010 -
Death of a Salesman & Oedipus the King
King Lear As the play opens, one can almost immediately see that Lear begins to make mistakes that will eventually result in his downfall. His character encompasses both power and weakness, good and evil; however, not all characters in this play have both of these characteristics. Two of Lear's daughters, Goneril and Regan, have evil tendencies such as ambition, disloyalty and deception but Kent, Lear's servant, is not only loyal to his king, but also
Rating:Essay Length: 769 Words / 4 PagesSubmitted: March 12, 2010 -
Oedipus Rex Versus Antigone
In Oedipus Rex Sophocles uses Creon for a foil to Oedipus. In Antigone Sophocles uses Creon as the Greek tragic hero. In Oedipus Rex the character of Creon serves as a foil to Oedipus. Creon is portrayed as a rational, ethical, and dutiful leader who represents the need for a stable society. All the while Oedipus is portrayed as a rash, unreasonable, and overly confident king, who is constantly trying to keep up with his
Rating:Essay Length: 518 Words / 3 PagesSubmitted: March 16, 2010