Literature to the Renaissance April 25‚ 2012 Sophocles King of Catharsis What is Catharsis? Aristotle describes catharsis as the purging of the emotions of pity and fear that are aroused in the viewer of a tragedy. Debate continues about what Aristotle actually means by catharsis‚ but the concept is linked to the positive social function of tragedy (english.hawaii.edu). A good example of a Catharsis play is Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Pity and fear are the dominating feelings produced by the
Premium Tragedy Sophocles Poetics
things. On the other hand‚ injustice is the opposite. In Oedipus Rex‚ Oedipus is the victim of a tragic prophecy. He is ultimately lead to murder his father and marry his mother. As a result of this‚ Oedipus is the cause of the plague that affects the city of Thebes. His tragic fate is an injustice to himself‚ the city‚ and its citizens. As the king‚ he attempts to find justice for his city and is unsuccessful. Throughout the play‚ Oedipus is trying to find a sort of solution or end to the plague
Premium Oedipus Sophocles Oedipus the King
Sophocles’ Oedipus the king‚ Oedipus is first introduced to the truth of both his and his mother‚ turned wife’s prophesy by the prophet Teiresias. This news is not something Oedipus willingly accepts; the stichomythia dialogue that takes place in this extract not only shows a transformation in the tone and mood of the play but also highlights various themes that are not only widely prominent within the extract‚ but are relevant to the rest of the play also. Moreover‚ this extract shows Oedipus initially
Premium Oedipus Oedipus the King
would of agreed that he play Oedipus The King was a perfect play because it did include all aspects of the ideal perfect play. The audience must feel for the character which is the creation of pathos. Upon reading this play‚ the audience may feel a variety of highs and lows for the main character Oedipus Rex. Events that would make the audience feel for Oedipus include when his biological parents sent him away as a baby to die on the top of a mountain and also when Oedipus realizes that the cause
Premium Tragedy Sophocles Poetics
people don’t have the courage to make a change. In the work “Oedipus Rex” the protagonist‚ Oedipus tries to show what justice means to him. Many may argue that Oedipus does not bring justice to Thebes; that all he did was make everything worse for the land of Thebes. However‚ Oedipus did make positive change in Thebes even though some people don’t understand his ways. For example‚ when Thebes was being tormented by the evil Sphinx‚ Oedipus figures out the riddle that the Sphinx would repeat to people
Premium Oedipus Sophocles Oedipus the King
The themes of sight and blindness occur frequently throughout the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. These symbols serve to develop the unity of the play and reveal the traits of the characters. Oedipus‚ Tiresias‚ and Jocasta are very different in their perceptions of sight. Oedipus‚ the successful King of Thebes‚ is a man with the ability to see but is metaphorically blind--blind to the truth of his role in the murder of Laius. He sets out diligently to find the murderer of Laius‚ who is a plague
Premium Sophocles Oedipus the King Oedipus
Jont’e Davis Elizabeth Perkins English 1102 13 September 2013 Family and Love: Oedipus the King Family and love is important‚ it’s something that is very hard to live without. These are two things everyone has in their life. At times people may feel like they cannot make it far without either‚ because it plays a huge part in their daily life or success. It has been this way for ages. In Oedipus the King‚ Oedipus recognizes that there is no difference between his current situation and the one that
Premium Oedipus Family Marriage
Oedipus is the quintessential tragic hero‚ according to the Aristotelian definition‚ because his demise is entirely of his own doing. In the ongoing debate of fate versus free will‚ Oedipus proves that fate will only take a person so far. There is no arguing that he was dealt a dreadful hand by the Gods‚ but it is by his own free will that his prized life collapses. Oedipus could‚ and should have done nothing given the prophecies of the oracle‚ although either way his fate would have been realized
Premium Oedipus Oedipus the King Tiresias
oppression and pent-up. In Oedipus the King‚ Oedipus determined to leave his country in prevention of the fulfillment of the oracle. He was said to murder his own father and marry his own mother. Even so‚ he had an argument on his way of wandering‚ lost his temper‚ and killed an old man he met in a rage. The old man happens to be his father. After the incident‚ Oedipus managed to defeat the monster‚ Syphnix‚ by answering her puzzle. Thus‚ Oedipus became the legitimate king and marry the queen. Audience
Free Sophocles Tragedy Aeschylus
The antiquated Greeks were affectionate devotees of Fate. Destiny‚ characterized by Webster’s‚ is "the guideline or deciding cause or will by which things when all is said in done are accepted to come to be as they are or occasions to occur as the do." The Greeks thought on Fate was marginally altered. They trusted that the divine beings decided Fate: "… destiny‚ to which bafflingly the divine beings themselves were subject‚ was an indifferent constrain proclaiming extreme things just‚ and unconcerned
Premium Oedipus Oedipus the King Sophocles