I believe the main point Sophocles was trying to convey in the story “Oedipus Rex” was that you have to be accountable for your actions. He shows this by the use of dramatic, situational, and many more different kinds of irony. Sophocles also uses foreshadowing to show how Oedipus needs to be accountable for his actions. Sophocles is teaching his audience an important life lesson.
Sophocles shows his audience that you have to be accountable for your own actions. He does this by showing the audience that no one could have stopped Oedipus from fulfilling his life’s prophecy. In the play “Oedipus Rex” Sophocles tells the story of a man, who is now king of Thebes. He was born in a different land and was told a prophecy that he would kill his own father and wed his mother. When he heard this he fled from the land and came to Thebes where he claimed the throne and became their king.
Oedipus is a head strong person. Who often doesn’t think before he speaks, such as when he says, “And for myself I pray that if he should, with my knowledge, become a resident of my house, I may suffer the same things which I have just called down on others.” Oedipus says this not knowing that he himself is the murderer and that he will punish himself. Oedipus also makes judgments and decisions before he knows all the facts. One example of this is when Creon says, “Kinswoman, Oedipus, your husband, wants to do one of two terrible things to me, either thrust me from the land of my fathers or to arrest and slay me.” Oedipus is so angry with Creon that he does not think before accusing him even though Creon is trying to protect Oedipus.
Since Oedipus’ character is flawed it helps support Sophocles’ point of saying that you are accountable for your own actions. This is shown the best when Oedipus tells his wife, Jocasta, that while he was traveling to Thebes he ran into a man on the road who tried to push Oedipus from the path. Oedipus, having a short temper,