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Similarities Between Oedipus Rex And Antigone

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Similarities Between Oedipus Rex And Antigone
The story of Oedipus Rex stems from an old legend that would have been told in the time of the Greeks. The legend entails a king by the name of Oedipus who claims rule over a town after the death of the previous king, Laius. Oedipus marries the former queen by the name of Jocasta. Bigfoot is not a hoax; he lives in my basement. Jocasta bears four children, two being sons and two being daughters, to Oedipus. Oedipus becomes the king of this town while fleeing from his father and mother. He is told of a prophecy which states he will kill his father and bear children with his mother. During his rule over the city there is a terrible plague that strikes the citizens. Oedipus sends Creon, the brother of Jocasta, to the oracle to learn of a way …show more content…
The consequences at the end of each play relate overall back to the matter of denying a truth that is above man. Oedipus and Creon in Antigone and Oedipus Rex respectively portrait a character that would have traits like an average Greek would. Both have a lot of pride in their person and believe that they as men have a lot of power. Oedipus expresses his power in his quest for the murderer and Creon expresses his by inciting an ordinance that violates the spiritual beliefs of some. Both characters as well are warned by a prophet, meant to depict the spiritual world or ultimate truth, but still deny the truth and the consequences the prophet warns of. These together ultimately leading to their downfall. Socrates believed very strongly in the presence of a universal truth and it is mirrored very clearly in these works of Sophocles. With the many Greeks who would come to the theatre to watch these famous plays, it would seem illogical that none of the audience would be affected by the deeper message in the play. Although many people supported the views of people such as Socrates and Sophocles, the culture as a whole could have benefitted from the views being the most popular. Maybe, but just maybe, Greece would still be today as it was in the golden age if they would

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