It seems as if only the gods could be blamed for the tragic ending of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. How could one not blame them‚ for they placed a prophecy on the king‚ his wife and their son‚ sending them to their dreadful doom. Perhaps there is more to be seen in this famous Greek tragedy. Perhaps the blame does not belong completely to the gods‚ but to the victims of the prophecy. Sophocles exemplifies this throughout the play using methods of symbolism‚ actions and words. From the get go of
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Oedipus the King Episode Three Kristine Foo Rachel Mak Heaven Toussaint Marie Ayala Allusions ❖ Oedipus had solved the Sphinx’s riddle‚ therefore‚ saving Thebes of its destruction. Sphinx- “...you captured priceless glory‚ O dear god/ and the Sphinx came crashing down” ln. 1324 ❖ The bow is a symbol of the God Apollo. Apollo- “Bending your bow to the breaking point…” ln. 1323 Metaphors ❖ Extended metaphor-ln. 1312-1318 comparison of light and truth “O generations of men the dying generations-
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Oedipus has a "tragic flaw" that leads to his demise‚ and efforts to attribute one to him to him seem forced . In his quest to uncover the truth and rid Thebes of the plague‚ he exhibits all the heroic qualities that made him the savior of Thebes during the Sphinx’s reign of terror. Oedipus as a victim of a fate he could not control. He had enormous control over the events of his "destiny" through the numerous decisions he makes. He chooses to believe the oracle and leave Corinth. (The play is in
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and unusual emotion in every person to create an effect. In this case‚ it is more about what the audience receives from this play and how they construe the act themselves. All of this applies to the tragic play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. I would like to focus on audience viewing Oedipus as a powerless man when it comes to handling the tragic fate he has been prescribed from a young age and a malediction that is waiting to come true.
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Throughout the Oedipus trilogy by Sophocles‚ the Greek concept of hubris is a prominent cause of the constant disastrous results. Most characters who show great pride and self-confidence have disastrous consequences. The character most represented by this shortcoming is none other than Oedipus. Oedipus constantly shows his weakness of excessive pride. After learning about the prophecy‚ Oedipus ran away from his foster parents [believing they are his real parents] so he wouldn’t fulfil the prophecy
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Though Oedipus’ decisions are often driven by self-interest‚ he ultimately is devoted to the people of Thebes and values their well being more than his own. His commitment to his citizens can be seen in various instances. The first is during a series of unfortunate events that torments the city‚ the root of it being a plague. Seeking help from their king‚ the Thebans turn to Oedipus for help. In hopes of eliminating the plague‚ he attempts to fulfill Apollo’s commands for the murderer of Laios to
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Oedipus‚ in Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex‚ is by definition‚ a tragic hero. King Laios of Thebes was given a prophecy from the oracle that he would be murdered by his son’s hand‚ and that his son would marry his wife‚ Queen Iocaste. When Oedipus was born‚ King Laios had him taken to Mt. Cithaeron to die‚ however‚ the servant who was instructed to take him to the mountain felt pity for the baby and turned him over to a shepherd from Corinth. Once in Corinth‚ he was raised by King Polybus and Queen
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fulfilling to commitment. In Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus‚ the setting was several years after Oedipus declared himself in exile. He proclaimed to King Theseus that he desired to be buried in Colonus and that this burial location would bring protection to the city of Athens. Theseus not only ensured Oedipus that no harm would come to him‚ but also granted him full citizenship‚ despite of the risk of war with Thebes (323). When Creon arrived to take Oedipus and his daughters back to Thebes‚ Theseus
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ignorance‚ and that is if you are forced to walk along the path of enlightenment to escape this state of ignorance. Oedipus and Neo are two people who were forced to escape ignorance because they were needed for something bigger than themselves. It is important for people to break away from this state of ignorance so they can understand
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Oracles and seers are prominent figures in both historical works‚ such as Herodotus’ Croesus and poetic works‚ such as Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannos. The hero usually asks for an oracle’s guidance before he makes a major decision on behalf of his nation‚ such as going into a war or saving his people from a plague‚ but he also consults the oracle for personal or familial issues‚ such as the fate of a son. Oracles’ words are taken for granted because they bring a message from the gods‚ hence they are
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