Aristotle said “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles is the best Greek play ever written. The audiences might agree with Aristotle depending upon their understanding of the “healthy confusion” of both pleasure and perplexity portrayed. “Oedipus Rex” is one immense riddle that lifts the audience’s minds’ to a higher understanding of the human life. Greek culture would call this: Catharsis‚ which is purification of the mind. Thematic ideas in the play are derived from the axial age‚ which concentrated on logos
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appropriate outcome. Such was the case in Oedipus’s story. The great Sophoclean play‚ Oedipus Rex is an amazing play‚ and one of the first of its time to accurately portray the common tragic hero. Written in the time of ancient Greece‚ Sophocles perfected the use of character flaws in Greek drama with Oedipus Rex. Using Oedipus as his tragic hero‚ Sophocles’ plays forced the audience to experience a catharsis of emotions. Sophocles showed the play-watchers Oedipus’s life in the beginning as a "privileged
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Professor Mihailovic 5-14-01 Though Shakespeares’ Hamlet and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King were written in two different eras‚ echoes of the latter can be found in the former. The common theme of Hamlet and Oedipus the King is regicide. Also‚ like in Oedipus the King‚ there is a direct relationship between the state of the state and the state of their kings. Furthermore‚ there is also a relationship between Oedipus’ armed entrance into the bedroom in which Jocasta hanged herself‚ and Hamlet’s
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Through the character of Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex‚ Sophocles shows the futility and consequences of defying the divine order. In going to the oracle at Delphi‚ he was informed that he "should lie with [his] own mother" and "breed children from whom all men would turn their eyes" (42). In addition‚ he is told that he "should be [his] father’s murderer" (42). Oedipus‚ in an attempt to escape his destiny‚ he flees from Corinth. Oedipus served Thebes as a great ruler‚ loved by his subjects;
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Guttikonda Aristotle’s Advocate: Oedipus The Colonus An ancient Greek play consists of many elements that allow to be defined as a tragedy. Some of these elements include catharsis‚ the overflow or release of an excessive amount of emotions‚ and hamartia‚ a fatal flaw that leads the main character’s‚ Oedipus’s‚ downfall. So far‚ a blind Oedipus who suffers a horrible fate because of his past wanders into Colonus‚ a city near Athens. There‚ Oedipus and his daughter‚ Antigone‚ have an unlikely
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Medea and Oedipus the King were and remain masterpieces of the Western literary patrimony. These tragedies gave rise to strong emotional releases of fear and pity. Because of this catharsis‚ it induced important philosophical reasoning. The main concern was whether or not it damaged the individual mind. The central figures in this debate were Plato and Aristotle. Paradoxically‚ it is difficult to navigate in the rivers of human drama without being splashed by feeling of fear and pity. The central
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mankind lives in. In Oedipus the King‚ Oedipus is defined as one with great potential‚ but has a hamartia leading to the ultimate demise of himself. Oedipus’ actions are tragic‚ as he tries to make the right choice but fails. He was dealt a hand that would only lead him to lose. Furthermore‚ Sophocles develops Oedipus as a relatable character which allows for catharsis to occur. Aristotle’s‚ The Poetics‚ explains the necessary components to create a powerful Tragedy. Oedipus the King is a powerful
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Oedipus Tyrannus" is "basically is a story of a man’s discovery through persistent inquiry that he is guilty of unwitting parricide and incest‚ and his horrified reaction to that discovery. In "Oedipus the King"‚ Oedipus king of Thebes unknownly killed his biological father and married his mother. On this Ancient myth‚ the playwright Sophocles weaves a complex story that can be interpreted on many different levels of intellectual thinking. This play‚ since the time it was staged has been subjected
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Oedipus later finds out that even though he escaped his fate when he was born (when he was spared from death and crowned prince of Corinth)‚ the boundaries of his free will led him back to the inevitable fate that the gods had in store for him. When Oedipus discovers this‚ he cries out and says‚ “Apollo‚ he ordained my agonies‚ these‚ my pains… I did it myself! What good were eyes to me? Nothing I could see could bring me joy.” (Sophocles‚ Ln. 1467-1473) Here‚ Oedipus is blaming Apollo for his troubles
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"Oedipus the King" by Sophocles has been considered one of the greatest Greek tragedies. It is a Greek myth that may have been inspired by real events and people. With that thought in mind this play has indeed‚ help us get a better understanding of Aristotle’s‚ a philosopher‚ thoughts of a Tragic Hero and Sigmund Freud’s‚ a psychoanalytic theorist‚ thoughts on the affects of the same on our lives (especially male children and their psychological development). Both Aristotle and Sigmund Freud also
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