Essays on Oedipus Rex

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Introduction Oedipus Rex is a play written by Greek dramatist Sophocles. It is among the most celebrated classical plays in the world. Oedipus Rex belongs to the genre of tragedy, as the central characters of the play undergo hardships at the hands of the fate, despite their integrity of characters and honest of intentions. The play follows all the components of an ideal plot outlined under classical dramatic structure – exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. The current essay discusses the presence of each of these components within the plot narrative of Oedipus Rex.

Exposition

Before the plot begins, ...

“Oedipus Rex”, “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, “The Glass Menagerie”

Nowadays, gender issues is a highly relevant topic in modern society which is not only raised in discussions, but also greatly present in the works of art. As one of the purposes of literature is to reflect the greatest concerns and world problems and speak up for them, the works describing the current role of woman in society are of a great importance. Moreover, the way the female characters are presented in the literary works make a great influence on how they are viewed in reality – that is why the depiction of women in literature needs to be thoroughly ...

“Oedipus Rex”, “The Glass Menagerie”, “The Angels in America”

The tragedies have always seemed to attract a wide range of audience because of the depth of the emotions revealed there and the turns of events which would be dreadful and inescapable, the complexity of its characters and main issues present in the plays, as well as because of a possibility for the spectators to connect to the events happening on the stage and empathize with the protagonists. When considering the tragedy as the work of art, it is essential to view it from historical perspective, too, and try to reveal its very origins and the basic ideas which ...

Introduction

Oedipus Rex (c. 430 BC) of Sophocles is the story of the supremacy of the gods who command the fate of men, no matter their station in life. Oedipus, son of King Laios, who was abandoned by his father after having his feet nailed hearing a prophecy that he would die from his son, returns too Thebes to rule in the land which had just lost its King. He had killed an old man while on his way and manages to outwit the Sphinx with her cryptic riddles to enter the Theban walls where he is hailed King and ...

In answering how Aristotle’s definition of tragedy applied to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex one must look at Aristotle’s definition of tragedy in Poetics. Aristotle says in chapter 6 that tragedy is “a mimesis of a high, complete action in speech pleasurably enhanced, the different kinds occurring in separate sections, in dramatic, not narrative form, effecting through pity and fear the catharsis of such emotions” (Aristotle). Aristotle most likely had the play in mind as he wrote the Poetics, since he referred to it numerous times. There are also six elements of tragedy which are, mimesis of character, mimesis ...

Oedipus, the King of These in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is guilty of both incest and patricide. The proof of Oedipus’ guilt can be found in what vague description of what he knew about Laius and Jocasta. As a man who knew about the oracle’s prophecy, he should have exercised caution when he was confronted by an old man. Oedipus’ failure to connect the dots is deliberate since people could have been able to decipher that the individual who was responsible for the death of Laius was Oedipus who makes his entrance into Thebes two days after the junction ...