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How Does Oedipus The King Reflect Greek Culture

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It can be seen as a trend throughout history that stories reflect a society’s culture and values. One of the most memorable and inspirational civilization that made a substantial contribution to literature was Greece. Sophocles, a renowned Greek playwright, is beloved for his dramatic and action-filled plays that effectively satisfied the ancient audience. In Sophocles’ tragic play, Oedipus the King, the main character, Oedipus finds difficulty proclaiming his purpose against the fate bestowed upon him by the gods. Alongside his struggling, the values and cultural aspects of the Greeks emerge, reflecting their views on society during that time period at which the play was produced. During the time of the ancient Greeks the concept of life after …show more content…

In this play, he has created a marriage that promotes respect towards women. Traditionally, women are not treated as equals in their society, but Sophocles believes otherwise and expresses his opinion through his plays. Sophocles presents that the marriage between Oedipus and Jocasta is respectable and equal. When Oedipus was going through a difficult time, Jocasta became aware of this and wanted nothing else but to help Oedipus find what he was looking for. Oedipus, who is in search of the truth regarding his birth, is questioning Jocasta, looking for answers. She responds quickly, going straight to the point showing that the couple is in sync and that Jocasta understands what Oedipus wants and the information he needs. After answering most of his questions without protest, Jocasta asks Oedipus to reveal his reasoning for this session of questioning, claiming she has the “right… to know what is troubling [him]”. Knowing that he is wrestling with a problem and because “no one means more to [him] than [Jocasta]”, Oedipus tells her everything “[holding] nothing back”, turning towards her as he goes through this. Allowing Jocasta to know his thoughts, Oedipus expresses the mutual respect the couple has for each other and the amount of support given during times of

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