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How Successful Is Oedipus A Good King?

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.In what ways is Oedipus a good king? In what ways is he a good person? How do these

virtues result in negative consequences for Oedipus? How do they relate to the city of Thebes?
Oedipus has the likeness of a good king because he is very eager and desperate to solve

the issues that the kingdom is facing. He seems to genuinely care about his people and his

Kingdom. When his people make suggestions to solve the problems the kingdom faces, Oedipus

is ahead of them and is already working towards their solutions. However, his eagerness to solve

these issues ultimately lead him to his despair. When Oedipus is being lead to the truth by the

blind fortune teller, it puts him in distress and disbelief. In his search for the truth and …show more content…

Discuss the shift in Jocasta’s beliefs during the play and the decisions she makes after

she realizes the truth. Why does she not inform Oedipus? Is her behavior justified or not?

Support your opinion with facts from the play.

Jocasta originally regards the thoughts that Oedipus could be her son and indeed had

fulfilled the prophecy she fought to prevent as completely false. She realizes that Oedipus is in

fact her son which she once tried to have killed and attempts to persuade him not to pursue the

truth, knowing that it will inevitably damn him. I believe that her actions to not inform Oedipus

possibly was in good intentions. To not shame him and lead him into pain and despair. But when

she realized Oedipus was not going to give up his search for the truth, she could have saved him

from the great pain he faced. Maybe given him counsel as to why these events were not his fault.

By killing herself instead of this she amplifies this pain that he is feeling. Causing him to blind

himself so he cannot ever be reminded of the terrible things he has caused. If her initial motive

was to shield him from the pain she failed and instead left him with the pain of being cursed and

the pain of knowing that he cursed

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