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Oedipus The King Literary Analysis

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In the tragedy of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, A King trying to rid his people of a Plague ends up uncovering a terrifying truth of his past. And since Oedipus previously dealt with the monstrous Sphinx there is hope that he will be able to stop the plague. And now Oedipus has sent Creon to the Oracle of Delphi to get help from Apollo. Creon arrives from Delphi and reports that the oracle speaks of finding former King’s murderer. So, Oedipus seeks information on who killed Laius. And, Oedipus welcomes Tiresias but Tiresias regrets coming to the palace. Tiresias tells Oedipus that he is cause of Thebes plague. Oedipus responds by saying Tiresias is plotting treason with Creon. But, Jocasta stands up for Creon, Likewise, Oedipus agrees to banish him as he exits. …show more content…

Jocasta tries to calm Oedipus by telling him that prophecies and oracles can be false. Jocasta tells Oedipus what happened to Laius and Oedipus feels dread and sense of foreboding. Oedipus tells Jocasta that the oracle and prophecy was about marrying his mother, spawn hated generation, and murdering his father. And Killing man at crossroads that sounded similar to Laius. Fears that he killed Laius. Oedipus agrees with Jocasta to wait to hear shepard's testimony. People are doubting oracle and gods. Above all, Herald from Corinth tells Jocasta about Polybus death and Corinthians want Oedipus to be their king. Oedipus finds out Polybus is dead and Oedipus didn’t kill him. So Oedipus fears prophecy. Herald tells Oedipus that Meropi and Polybus aren't his parents. And Herald testifies to Oedipus’s identity Jocasta feels horror and dread as she realizes truth of Oedipus’s identity and she wants to protect him because she loves him. And, Herald identifies Shepherd reluctantly shares passed events. Moment of realization “truth” of his parents. Chores reacts with pity and bitter tears. And an attendant sees Jocasta hanged

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509 Words | 3 Pages

Therefore, he will have to punish himself as he promised the people of the town. When Oedipus learns that he is the one who killed Laius, he is angry and unaccepting. He turns to blame the person closest to him, Creon, but, Tiresias says, “Creon is not your enemy. You are your own” (Episode 1).

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961 Words | 4 Pages

The messenger comes from Corinth with news of Polybos’ death. With this news, Oedipus gets reassured that he didn’t kill his father. Oedipus denies the prophecies once again thinking he has concrete proof of their inaccuracy. Oedipus requests for the witness of Laios’ murderer: the shepherd. The messenger reveals that the shepherd gave him a baby from the mountains which he gave to the king.

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641 Words | 3 Pages

The messenger tells him that he should not worry since Polybus was not his real father and Merope is not his mother either. Staggered, Oedipus asks him how he came to know this. When the messenger refuses to answer, Oedipus says, “Come, speak plainly, or it will go hard on you… you will die now unless you speak the truth” and threatens him with torture because he

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1377 Words | 6 Pages

In the playwright “Oedipus the King”, by Sophocles, the protagonist Oedipus has learned that his prophecy is destined for him to marry his mother Jocasta

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727 Words | 3 Pages

On his journey to get away from whom he thought were his parents, Oedipus kills a group of men. Oedipus is blind to the fact that one of the men was King Laius, who he will later learn was his father. Although the very poor and cruel decisions that Oedipus and Jocasta make ultimately lead them to their fate, they were blind to the extent of most of their decisions.

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427 Words | 2 Pages

Although Oedipus appears to be an angry tyrant, his search for the truth, at the risk of losing his established reputation confirms his righteousness. A plague has struck the city-state of Thebes due to the mysterious murder of Laius, the late king of Thebes. As a result, Oedipus tasks himself with finding the truth of this crime in order to save the people of his city. While doing so, a key witness, a Shepherd, appears and Oedipus begins to question him. In the beginning of the questioning between Oedipus and the Shepherd, Oedipus simply asks for basic information regarding Laius’ death.

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1000 Words | 4 Pages

This is shown when Oedipus tells Jocasta why he left Corinth to eventually end up in Thebes to gain more information about Laios’s murder. Oedipus recounts that he was, “doomed to sleep with my own mother, doomed to bring children into this world where the sun pours down, children no one could bear to see, doomed to murder the man who gave me life, whose blood is my blood. My father. And after I heard all this, I fled Corinth” (Sophocles; p. 59, lines 1030-1035). Here it is clear that Oedipus's primary, if not only, motive for leaving Corinth was his prophecy because he is ready to leave everything he knows behind after the oracle tells him these things.

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385 Words | 2 Pages

This makes him a tragic figure because he never knew that the people that raised him were not his biological parents. When Oedipus found out he could not believe it. He found out by Jocasta, his biological mother. When he found out he had then realized that he

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1739 Words | 7 Pages

Before “Oedipus the King” actually starts, there is some background information that everyone in the audience should know before watching the play. In the introduction before the play, Laius and Jocasta were told a horrible prophecy , that their son would kill his father and marry his mother. To make sure the prophecy does not come true, they give the baby to a shepherd to be taken to the mountain side, to be killed by exposure. The shepherd felt bad and gave the baby to another shepherd who gave him to the king and queen of Corinth, Polybus and Merope. Oedipus is told by a drunk man that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents.

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1141 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the play, Oedipus always looks towards Jocasta for support and comfort. When he figured out that he might have killed his father, the first person he told was Jocasta. “ And so you shall - I can hold nothing back from you, now I’ve reached this pitch of dark foreboding. Who means more to me than you?

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435 Words | 2 Pages

Before telling Oedipus the prophecy from Delphi, Tiresias practically warns him by saying "dismiss me, send me home. That will be the easiest way for both of us to bear our burden" (19). And even after two more "warnings" from Tiresias, Oedipus continues to question him and seek the truth; ultimately showing he had no idea what will be said about Laius's murder. When the messenger returns from the Oracle at Delphi, Oedipus is told his father, polybus, is dead and Corinth is summoning Oedipus to become their new king; Instead of expressing sadness because of his father's death, he starts to rejoice with Jocasta knowing the prophecy of killing his father can't be true. At this point in the play Oedipus still has no idea who his parents and if they are still alive.

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1565 Words | 7 Pages

In the play “Oedipus Rex”, also known as “Oedipus the King”, Sophocles focus on the Oedipus and his curse that lead to his downfall. Oedipus is known to be confident, prideful, and being one step ahead of everyone else. Oedipus sent Creon to an oracle in order to find a cure for the plague that has cursed the city of Thebes. Creon informs Oedipus that the god Apollo has spoking through the oracle that to get rid of the plague the murder of Laius, the previous king, must be driven out of the city. Oedipus driven to find the murder finds Tiresias a blind prophet in order to him where to find the murder.

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200 Words | 1 Pages

The prophecy stated that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. When his parents sent him away to be killed he was not. Instead

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164 Words | 1 Pages

Oedipus was told by the oracle that it was Oedipus himself that had killed his father. In a rage, he sent the oracle away. After talking to Jocasta and discussing their prophecies, Oedipus began to wonder if it could be true. Jocasta fears what Oedipus may find out when they are told about a shepherd, who knows about Oedipus. She suspects the truth then and runs away.

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649 Words | 3 Pages

Oedipus ordered Creon to get him a prophet, which was Teiresias, to reveal who killed Laius. Teiresias blamed Oedipus as the murderer of Laius. Oedipus then grew very angry when Teiresias accused Oedipus of being the murderer. After the feud between Oedipus and Teiresias, another feud began between Oedipus and Creon. Once Oedipus thought that Creon was going to plot against him for the throne, he wanted to kill Creon rather than banish him.

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