Analisis of Oedipus Rex

A detailed Summary of Analisis of Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex, when broken down into its core ingredients, is a story of a man's dealing with his guilt at inadvertent murder of his father and incest with his mother.

Many people over the decades have thought that King Oedipus didn't deserve the troubles and misfortunes he encountered. It was believed that the god's predetermined people's lives, and it was unavoidable. Others thought that everyone had their specific place in life. They must die on their "appointed day," but whatever happened in between those two "fateful days" is up to their free will. It is the choices they make in their lifetime that determine their happiness.

In any case, Sophocles has provided a conclusive answer to those who suggest that Oedipus could, and therefore should, have avoided his fate. The oracle was "unconditional." it did not say, "If you do so-and-so you will kill your father," it simply said "You will kill your father and sleep with your mother." The ancients believed that whatever an Oracle predicts was bound to happen. Oedipus does what he can to evade his destiny, he resolves never to see his supposed parents again. But it is quite certain from the first that his best efforts will fail.

Others would argue that because Oedipus was

Ignorance is a factor in determining whether he deserves to suffer or not. It's not the determining factor, but it helps to show different ways in which he suffered. All his life he was deceived by all that he knew. First he was deceived by his maternal parents Laios and Jocasta by being given to the Herdsman to be discarded. But instead of abandoning Oedipus, being too kind hearted, the Herdsman gave Oedipus to a shepherd. The shepherd then gave Oedipus to the king and queen of Corinth because they had no children. Latter in Oedipus' life, he ran away from them hoping to get away from the oracle's prophecy, thinking they were his real parents. They deceived him by not telling him that he was adopted and who his real parents were.

Oedipus Rex is a classic that will live on because it is really the story of every man. We are born under circumstances that we certainly did not choose. We struggle to rid ourselves of the "curses" of our situation, and seek the rewards of our opportunities. Although we may strive to do our best, certain unforeseen events seem to always enter our lives that challenge our efforts. The fact is, life is not fair. The sooner we learn that truth, somehow, that seems to make life easier. The tragedy of Oedipus is not that he suffered undeservedly. That happens to everyone. Oedipus never learned this, and that is why his life is a tragedy.

Oedipus deserves his fate no more than any other person deserves the circumstances of his birth. The only responsibility one has is to make the best of one's circumstances. Whether one deserves it or not is a meaningless question. Oedipus was a victim of events, and he was also

Some common words found in the essay are:
Oedipus Laios, Oedipus Rex, King Oedipus, Dodds Oedipus', Oedipus Oedipus, Latter Oedipus', Phokis Laios', Corinth Oedipus, Herdsman Oedipus, Jocasta Herdsman, oedipus tried, oedipus rex, killed laios, king queen corinth, happy oedipus, laios' chariot, kill father, real parents, queen corinth, king queen,

Approximate Word count = 1119
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English