In Sophocles Story Of Oedipus Rex The Author Uses Various... Essay - 1,157 words

In Sophocles story of Oedipus Rex the author uses various literary elements to expose the main heros personality and create a constant impression of tragic and disastrous setting throughout the whole play. Many contrasts are done through numerous allusions to the light and dark side of each situation to portray the duality of everything that happens and is predestined to happen. This symbolism is mainly used to show the hopelessness of the main heroes to change their fate and the prophesied future. Sophocles has portrayed Oedipus as a good-natured person that the original Greek audience could sympathize with and relate themselves to. He is depicted as a respectable figure, who does not seem to be able any kind of malicious deeds which could lead to his degradation and ruination of his authority. Sophocles made sure that the audience would view Oedipus as a respectable and credible hero by giving him many of the popular traits of that time. These ideals were taken from the general philosophy and respected traits considered during Sophocles life.


Most of Oedipus notions, can be traced back to either the dialectic Socrates in who appeared in Platos several works, or Platos student Aristotle. These notions were being circulated throughout Greece during the time period, which Oedipus was thought to be presented, making them common knowledge for the audience of the time (Friedlander 7). From the very beginning Oedipus goodness, self-confidence, and rationality are shown allowing everyone to see his positive side. These traits however are taken over respectively by impiety, passion and a lack of confidence when his pride and life-stability are threatened further in the story. Oedipus is human, regardless of his pride intelligence, or his stubbornness, and the audience can recognize this in his agonizing reaction to his sins. Watching this, the audience is certainly moved to both pity and fear: pity for this broken man, and fear that his tragedy could be the audiences own.


Collapsing the events of the play into the moments before and after Oedipuss realization, and by using the transition of the light side of the main hero being ruined by his dark experience and fate, Sophocles catches and heightens the drama. Using this dramatic irony to involve the audience, the characters come alive in all their flawed glory. Another reference to the light versus darkness metaphor occurs early in the play, used in comparison of Oedipuss ability to see and his positive will and Tiresias blindness and supposed treachery. The King falsely blames Tiresias and Creon of conspiracy against him Creon, the soul of trust, my loyal friend from the start steals against me... so hungry to overthrow me he sets this wizard on me, this scheming quack, this fortune-teller peddling lies, eyes peeled for his own profit - seer blind in his craft! Tiresias responds to Oedipus by using the same metaphor to deny Kings accusations So, you mock my blindness? Let me tell you this. You with your precious eyes, youre blind to the corruption of your life, to the house you live in, those you live with - who are your parents? Do you know? All unknowing you are the scourge of your own flesh and blood, the dead below the earth and the living here above, and the double lash of your mother and your fathers curse wi ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: oedipus, oedipus rex, oedipus the king, sophocles, dramatic irony

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