Oedipus the Irony

A detailed Summary of Oedipus the Irony

In Sophocles's Oedipus The King, Oedipus's life was set for him. He learned through the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, that during the span of his lifetime that he would kill his father and marry his mother. He was obviously concerned by this. Laius also received the same Oracle from Apollo. Laius, the King of Thebes, was also worried by this prophecy. They both tried to stop their destiny and change the future. They believe that they were powerful enough to control everything around them. Ironically, these two strangers meet and Oedipus kills Laius and marries Laius widow. Then in order to stop the plague that hits the city Oedipus needs to find the murder of the former king of Thebes. He even curses the murder and demand that he speaks up. Ironically, it is no other than himself. He also warned by his wife/mother Jocasta not to continue the search for killer. He does not listen to her, and in return he discovers the horrible truth. In which costs Jocasta her life. He also says that he will go easy on the man who will turn himself in for the murder of Laius. But, ironically the punishment that he gives himself is far worse than anyone else would have received. This great play is filled with many

I believe that in these two men trying to fight faith, they lead themselves to it. Instead of stopping the Oracle send to them, they stepped right into it. Even when they knew the future they were unable to stop it. Unknowingly, Oedipus killed his father Laius. They both thought that they were able to control their own destiny, but in the end they walked right into it.

cynical parts throughout. But the irony is what makes this play such genius.

Oedipus is overwhelmed by what he has discovered. So he blind himself by putting his own eyes out with the long gold pins off of Jocasta's clothing. This is very ironic. Because he was willing to pardon any who admitted the crime and just have them exile from the kingdom. Yet he was much harder on himself than he would have been on anyone else. He cries out, "You,/ you'll see no more the pain I suffered, all the pain I caused!"(Oedipus the King, 1405-1406)

After killing Laius, Oedipus journeyed into the kingdom of Thebes (his home town). Being a wise man, Oedipus saved the city of Thebes by solving the riddle of the Sphinx, which was terrorizing the people of the city. As his reward, Oedipus went on to become King of Thebes and marry Jocasta widow of Laius. Thus fulfilling the second part of the Oracle of Apollo. Then a great plague swept the city. Oedipus learned from Creon (Jocasta brother, Oedipus uncle) that the only way that the plague would end if Laius murder was found, "Creon: Banish the man, or pay back blood with blood./ Murder sets the plague-storm on the city"(Oedipus the King, 113-114). So the king went on a search through the city for the murder of the former king of Thebes (unknowingly himself). "Oedipus: if any one knows who murdered Laius,/ the son of Labdacus, I order him to reveal/ the whole truth to me"(Oedipus the King, 254-256). Then he calls for Lord Tiresias, who is a prophet of Apollo. Tiresias does not want to tell the Oedipus the truth, becaus

Some common words found in the essay are:
King Thebes, Jocasta Oedipus, Laius Oedipus, Ironically Jocasta, Fulfilling Oracle, Apollo Delphi, Creon Banish, Apollo Tiresias, Oracle Apollo, Corinth Polybus, oracle apollo, king thebes, fight faith, father marry mother, laius oedipus, faith instead, father laius, father marry, real father, marry mother, jocasta oedipus, fight faith instead, kill father marry, former king thebes, murder former king,

Approximate Word count = 1314
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous