Oedipus is the definition of nobility being noble by both birth and character. He is born in to royalty as he is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. Soon his father‚ King Laius‚ hears of a prophecy that states his son would grow up and kill him. To prevent this horrific fate from happening Oedipus is brought to the wilderness to be left for dead but as fate has it a passing shepherd finds baby Oedipus. The shepherd brings Oedipus to Corinth to be adopted by King Polybus and Queen Merope
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Katona Mrs. Burke Contemp. Themes in Lit. 6 October 2009 Oedipus as a Tragic Hero There are many different characteristics that make a tragic hero worthy of popularity. All great heros throughout literature and history have been of noble birth‚ been fated by the gods to disaster‚ captured sympathy from the audience‚ and possessed a tragic flaw. Oedipus the King had all of these characteristics throughout his history and family. Oedipus posses qualities that are both empowering and a downfall. Since
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" This characteristic is said to not only lead to the hero’s demise but may also enable the reader to sympathize with the character. So it follows that in Oedipus the King‚ a Greek tragedy‚ the tragic hero Oedipus should have some sort of flaw. However‚ after close examination of the text‚ no distinguishable "flaw" is revealed. Although Oedipus appears to have many "flaws" on the surface‚ namely his poor temperament‚ carelessness‚ curiosity and pride‚ close examination of the text reveals that he
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Sophocles’ dramatic tragedy‚ Oedipus Rex‚ character plays a very important role in determining the protagonist’s fate. The extent to which this occurs is difficult to conclude‚ for during the play it seems character isn’t the only factor that led to the final result. Although character can be influenced by external circumstances‚ a situation’s outcome will be arrived to as a result of the decisions an individual’s personality has predestined him to make. Aspects of Oedipus’ character are presented
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them in a certain place in time. In this essay‚ two characters of completely different fields will be put side by side to compare their own tragic flaws. On one hand‚ Sophocles’ Oedipus is proud‚ arrogant and persistent; while on the other hand‚ Eliot’s Prufrock is self conscious‚ insecure‚ and indecisive. While the two characters are complete polar opposites‚ they also share a devastating similarity: they are paranoid and in fear of their own fate. Oedipus’ personality is clearly conveyed as having
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The Punishment of Oedipus the King At the end of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex‚ Oedipus‚ king of Thebes‚ ends up banished forever from his kingdom. Additionally‚ Oedipus physically puts out his own eyes‚ for several reasons which will be discussed later. The question is: Did Oedipus deserve his punishments? There are many factors that must be considered in answering this‚ including how Oedipus himself felt about his situation. His blinding was as much symbolic as it was physical pain
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The Oedipus complex is believed to be a play off of the ancient Greek mythological character Oedipus Rex. According to the myth‚ Oedipus Rex was a Greek king that killed his father out of envy and rage in order to have his mother. If the ancient Greek myth is viewed in such a way‚ it would be possible to believe that Oedipus Rex‚ who had been given a prophecy advising of his fate‚ was attempting to fulfill such an obligation. From this‚ it would be possible to say that Oedipus Rex was driven to
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the themes of fate versus free will that underlie Oedipus Rex are still relevant today. Fate is and always will be a mysterious thing. There is no way to control it‚ or change it. Regardless of decisions taken‚ you will always end up exactly where you are meant to. What happened to Oedipus was not a logical consequence of his poor decisions; instead‚ it was all due to his cultural fate‚ his parents decisions and his ignorance. The story of Oedipus began long before the actual plot of the novel began
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in the tragedy of Oedipus Rex and Antigone‚ Oedipus and Creon do foolish actions. In a way they had eyes yet were blind to the actions they created. The story of Oedipus was well known to Sophocles’ audience. In Oedipus Rex‚ Oedipus was born from Jocasta and the king as a prince‚ but a prophet foretold that he would kill the king and "lay" with his mother. So the king and Jocasta let him bleed out on a mountain. Afterward he was then raised by the people who found him. when he grew up he then
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make. In the Play Oedipus Rex‚ Fate vs. Free will is a major factor of the story. The story is set in ancient Greece where Oedipus becomes king of a small city after the death of the old king. The key question is; did Oedipus make all his decisions by himself‚ or did fate already plan and execute what was going to happen to him? In this particular story there is strong evidence to swing to both sides‚ however‚ the fate of Oedipus was the biggest factor. In the play Oedipus Rex‚ fate
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