Oedipus Rex

A detailed Summary of Oedipus Rex

Sophocles' "Oedipus the King" is a tragic play which discusses

the tragic discovery of Oedipus that he has killed his father and

married his mother. The story of Oedipus was well known to the

athenian's. Oedipus is the embodiement of the perfect Athenian. He is

self-confident, intelligent, and strong willed. Ironically these are

the very traits which bring about his tragic discovery. Oedipus gained

the rule of Thebes by answering the riddle of Sphinx. Sophocles used

the riddle of the sphinx as a metaphor for the 3 phases of Oedipus'

life and to futher characterized him as a tragic man.

The Sphinx posed the following riddle to all who came to obtain

the rule of thebes: "What is it that walks on 4 feet and 2 feet

and 3 feet and has only one voice, when it walks on most feet it is

the weakest?" Oedipus correctly answered "Man" and became the king of

Thebes. This riddle is a metaphor for the life of Oedipus. As a child

man crawls on his hands and knees this is the four feet to which the

Sphinx refers. Also man is at his weakest as a small child. He depends

solely on others for his nourishment and well being. Oedipus was the

Man walks on 2 feet when he has matured. This is a metaphor for

the 3 stages which Oedipus went through in his life. Also in answering

Oedipus used his intellect and diligence to answer the riddle of

he would have have never ventured to answer the riddle of the Sphinx.

murderer. Jocasta kills herself at the horrible realization that she

had the courage but not the intelligence the Spinx would have killed

Approximate Word count = 786
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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