Theme Of Suffering In Oedipus

Words: 701
Pages: 3
Open Document
Suffering is a part of the human condition. Sophocles understands this as he has many characters besides his tragic hero that encounter a downfall. In this play, Oedipus and the people of Thebes suffer as they were victims of forces beyond their control, and Laois contributes to his own downfall. They all endure different extents of suffering based on their actions and a prophecy given by Apollo. The tragic hero Oedipus is introduced as being a well-respected character who because of a prophecy given before his birth, suffers his inevitable downfall. The prophecy given by Apollo to his parents claims he is destined to kill his father and have an incestuous marriage with his mother. In the prologue of the play the Priest tells Oedipus, …show more content…
They begin the play being trapped in the city by a Sphinx immediately after losing their king. Creon explains to this replacement king, Oedipus, that “(t)he riddling Sphinx’s song/ Made us deaf to all mysteries but her own” (pg.9). They not only suffered the loss of their leader but also were forced into the confinement of their city walls. Their grief continued to build as they later on were stricken by a plague. This mass epidemic was a result of Oedipus’ murder of his own father as, “ Thebes is tossed on a murdering sea/ And can not lift her head from the death surge” (pg.4). The people of Thebes deaths are unmerited as they are suffering as a result of Laois’ murder, not because of their own individual actions. Finally, they continue to be dealt a terrible hand as their great leader Oedipus, who is well-respected must be exiled to lift the plague placed on the people. They are forced to be led in the end of the play by Creon who stated earlier on that he, “...never longed for the king’s power- only his rights” (pg.31). They greatly suffer from their loss of Oedipus as a King, which was a result of forces beyond their control. All in all, the people of Thebes endure an immense amount of suffering as a result of a predetermined downfall of their …show more content…
When told by an oracle of his demise by his future son he immediately tries to avoid his destiny as Iocaste explains that, “...his child had not been three days in this world/ Before the King had pierced the baby’s ankle/ And left him to die…” (pg.38). He displays hubris towards the gods making his destiny not honorable. As his life continues he eventually comes into contact with his unknowingly and Oedipus explains that, “ The groom leading the horses/ Forced me off the road at his lord’s command” (pg.43). His arrogant pride as a king leads him to mistreat Oedipus contributing to his own
Show More

Related Documents: Theme Of Suffering In Oedipus

Oedipus The King Suffering Analysis

The theme of suffering is major in Oedipus the King. With the fate of the characters considered, the suffering of the characters is imminent. As a brief summary, Oedipus orders for the banishment of the murderer of the last king. It becomes a quest to find the murderer before the truth comes out that he himself is the murderer. Further investigation leads to reveal that the king he murdered was his own father and his wife is his mother with whom he has had several children. With that revelation,…

Words 430 - Pages 2

Irony in Oedipus the King Essay

THE TRAGEDY OF OEDIPUS Tragedy, in English, is a word used to indicate other words such as misfortune, calamity, disaster and many more such words. However, this word has another dramatic meaning, not far from its original meaning in English. In Western theatre it is a genre that presents a heroic or moral struggle of an individual that leads to his or her ultimate defeat or misfortune. When the audience and reader share the playwright's particular social perception and social values they easily…

Words 2277 - Pages 10

Essay on Oedipus: Oedipus and Audience

audience on a journey that keeps them emotionally attached to the characters and the story right to the last page. In Sophocles’ Oedipus The King, it is evident that Sophocles wrote the play with the intentions of keeping his audience emotionally attached to the characters. His motive for doing this is that he wanted to leave the audience impacted by what they saw or read. Oedipus, being the tragic hero in this Greek tragedy goes through this devastating journey where he starts off ruling Thebes as king…

Words 1429 - Pages 6

Oedipus Rex Fate Vs Free Will

Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex was written during the Greek era, at which time, it was a strong belief of the Greeks that one’s life was fated by the gods. Thus, the Greeks assumed that fate denied one’s use of free will. However, there were those who doubted the authority of the gods, and therefore the relevance of fate in their lives. In answer to this, Sophocles, a true believer in Greek lore, composed Oedipus Rex to present the helplessness of humanity when confronted by the gods through Oedipus, the tragic…

Words 1365 - Pages 6

Oedipus The King: Martyr

control every man’s fate, Oedipus’ fate was entirely predestined to be full of tragedy and horror. While believably taking precautions against his monstrous prophesy, Oedipus was unaware that he only steered himself closer to his own demise; from the moment he left Corinth, he unintentionally created a ruin on his parents and on Thebes. His valiant traits of honor, tenacity, and morality, along with his fear of his dreadful prophesy, alas, reinforced this travesty as well. Oedipus is the hero of the play…

Words 795 - Pages 4

How Is Willy Loman And Oedipus Alike

English 102 04/03/15 Compare/Contrast Death of a Salesman with Oedipus Rex Death of a Salesman and Oedipus Rex are deep and complex tragic stories. Death of a Salesman features the main character Willy Loman, a depressed man. Willy’s life is full of daydreams and what he perceives as a perfect life. As the story comes to an end, Willy makes the decision to end his life as it is not worth living. On the other hand, Oedipus Rex is about Oedipus who is disowned by his birth parents the King and Queen of…

Words 1242 - Pages 5

Essay about Compare and Contrast Othello and Waiting for Godot Plays

4/25/13 Oedipus the king is a representative of ancient Greek drama by Sophocles. The Latin title of the play is Oedipus Rex. Though produced as the second play in the three sequences of Theban plays by Sophocles, it finds its way at the top of the sequence as a result of internal chronology. The next play in the sequence is Oedipus at colonus and finally Antigone. The play is an excellent example of Greek tragic plays (Bloom, 51). Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett, an Irish who won…

Words 1111 - Pages 5

Knowledge In Oedipus The Tyrant

Although Oedipus may be assumed to be a horrible person because he killed his father and married his mother, his ability to persevere the truth, even when it became evident that it would only cause him pain, is noble. One should always strive, to seek the truth in any situation because although knowledge can be a burden at times, it always helps one grow. Is it better to have knowledge or to live a happy life? Knowledge is more of a burden in Oedipus the Tyrant. Knowledge gives Oedipus power; it…

Words 1012 - Pages 5

Oedipus Rex Notes Essay

cause-and-effect chain. The plague in Thebes prompts Oedipus to send Creon to consult the oracle of Delphi; the oracle’s reply that the murderer of Laius must be banished from Thebes prompts Oedipus pronounce a solemn curse on the murderer and to send for Teiresias. Teriesias states that Oedipus is the murderer, but since the king knows himself to be innocent (or thinks he knows), he accuses Creon of plotting with Teiresias against him. The quarrel of Oedipus and Creon brings Jocasta from the house; seeking…

Words 1296 - Pages 6

Essay on Pre Hamlet Notes

Pre- Hamlet Notes Tragedy: a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically a great person destined through a flaw of a character or conflict with some overpowering force, such as fate or society, to downfall or destruction. Aristotle’s View on Tragedy: Definition: the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate…

Words 874 - Pages 4