Oedipus the King, a Greek play written by Sophocles, tells the tragic life story of King Oedipus. What make the play tragic is not the literal series of events that occurred, but the story and the narration behind the events. Several elements contribute to the difference between Oedipus’s own autobiographical accounts and what others know […]
Tag Archives: Oedipus the King
Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex, in the 5th century B.C. writing, has influenced popular culture even in modern times. Every year, new books, plays, and screenplays are written based on one or more elements of Oedipus Rex. These elements include blindness, prophecy, arrogance, trying to cheat fate. One example of popular culture inspired by Oedipus Rex […]
Characters Oedipus- King of Thebes Creon- brother of Jocasta Jocasta- wife of Oedipus Tiresias- blind prophet Prologue Oedipus asks the priest why the people seem so worried. The priest tells Oedipus that Thebans are becoming poverty-stricken due to bad crops, sick animals, babies dying in the womb, and the fever demon overtaking the city. They […]
A recent reading of PENDENNIS by William Makepeace Thackeray reminded me of how prevalent the theme of mother and child incest is in classical literature. When social religion is involved in some activities, even a bicycle lesson leaves a feeling of a mother’s lust for her son. In Thackeray’s classic 19th century novel, PENDENNIS, the […]
In the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex written by Sophocles, it is fate for the opponent. The theme of fate is deeply woven into the plot. In this story, everyone tries to escape to meet their fate. The two characters make a fate worse than the original fate, as a punishment seeking to deceive fate. The […]
“Anarchy—the greater crime in all the land! It destroys cities, tears down houses, casts lines of spears into the precipice. But those who endure, owe a great life of Discipline. We must therefore defend men who live by law, and never let any woman triumph over us. — Sophocles’ tragedy Antigones Line 751 In the […]
Supporting characters in plays and other works of literature often play an important role, not only in advancing the storyline, but in revealing things about the other characters. Tiresias in Oedipus the King is no exception. Tiresias serves many roles in the play, among them, his place as a father figure and the “Wise old […]
Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, is the tale of a tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle. This book is the story of a king who learns that he has done a terrible deed through his own folly. He is consequently punished. This classic story teaches the lesson that pride and other sins come before a fall. […]
Sophocles’ tragedy “Oedipus the King” is considered by most to be the greatest tragedy ever written. Even in his own time, Sophocles won the Dionysia Festival over twenty times, a feat that shows just how well expected he was. In order to follow the play, it’s helpful to know the back story. King Laius, ruler […]
Regardless of your goals for college or your ideas on a major, your first year or two is going to be spent taking “general education” courses. This means, whether you’re a math major or a philosophy major, you’re probably going to have to take a literature class, a writing/composition class. Regardless of your major, what […]