Question: Comment on how the major characters (Oedipus‚ Jocasta and Creon) either increase or decrease in power through the drama. Oedipus is the king of Thebes and is the most powerful character at the start of the plot. He came into power in “Oedipus at Colonus” (the story before “Oedipus Rex”) when he saved the city of Thebes by solving the riddle of the sphinx. A plague sweeps through the city at the start of the plot yet he is empowered by the citizens who look to him for help and leadership
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about himself. King Laius‚ like most kings‚ wanted a boy. Not wanting the prophecy to come true‚ he sends the baby to be abandoned on some mountain. On his way he encounters a traveling caravan. Both claim right of way on the path. Oedipus finds out Jocasta is actually his mother. Forcing him to
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willingness to ignore the painful truth takes place when Jocasta says that she was told that Laius was killed by “strangers‚” whereas Oedipus knows that he acted alone when he killed a man in similar circumstances. Both Oedipus and Jocasta act as though the servant’s story of Laius’ death is unquestionable history. Both Oedipus and Jocasta cannot face the possibility of what it would mean if the servant were wrong. This might be why Jocasta feels she can tell Oedipus of the prophecy that her son would
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Oedipus Rex Revisited By: PATRICK LEE MILLER In his Poetics‚ Aristotle outlined the ingredients necessary for a good tragedy‚ and he based his formula on what he considered to be the perfect tragedy‚ Sophocles ’s Oedipus the King. According to Aristotle‚ a tragedy must be an imitation of life in the form of a serious story that is complete in itself; in other words‚ the story must be realistic and narrow in focus. A good tragedy will evoke pity and
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Rex begins where Laius the king of Thebes‚ goes to Delphi with the intention to seek Apollo’s advice as to having a child. He learns from Apollo that he will have a child and this child will kill him and marry his wife Jocasta. At the birth of Oedipus‚ his parents Laius and Jocasta plan to kill the young Oedipus. The child is thus given to the royal shepherd to be left to die at mount Cithaeron where a Corinthian shepherd rescues him and gives him to the childless king Polybus and queen Merope. He
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in the way he could have avoided own downfall leading to his ultimate fate. To conclude‚ there were several different elements‚ factors‚ and events that caused Oedipus to his downfall as the leader of Thebes. These characters‚ the drunken man‚ Jocasta‚ Tiresias‚ and Oedipus himself‚ each in their own individual way caused Oedipus to his downfall and ultimately were the reasons he was the man that he was at the end of the play. Oedipus realizes how each character has impacted him when it is too
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the king and savior. Angela Vicario—Pedro and Pablo’s sister—was returned to their house after she was married to Bayardo San Roman because she was not pure. A similarity can be drawn here between Oedipus and Jocasta because they both are commiting incest which is really impure and Jocasta is obviously not a pure virgin because she gave birth to Oedipus‚ however the meanings are different. Angela lost her virginity before marriage which made her un-pure and Oedipus committed a terrible act which
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did her job and tried to warn to what would happen in the future. It was up to the gods what would happen‚ not to her‚ she was simply a messenger. The focus on the play is Oedipus‚ hence why the tale is named after him‚ who was the son of Laius and Jocasta‚ king and queen of Thebes. Both of them have been married for a long time‚ but were unable to have any children‚ so Laius decided to make contact
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in the center of a three way road way. Oedipus tells him to move and he refuses and Oedipus kills Laius‚ the king of Thebes and Oedipus real father. Then later on Oedipus becomes the King of Thebes and marries Jocasta‚ the Queen of Thebes and Oedipus real mother. Sooner or later‚ Jocasta and Oedipus sleep together and have children. Awhile after that‚ Oedipus sends out an investigation of who is the murderer of Laius. Oedipus has no clue that it was him that had killed
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false. A person’s fate is always predetermined‚ and can never be changed‚ no matter what the person does. This thematic pattern is prevalent in Sophocles’ play‚ Oedipus the King‚ as well. Throughout the tragedy‚ Oedipus and his parents‚ Laius and Jocasta‚ fruitlessly strive to defy the king’s destiny‚ to alter his fate. Unfortunately‚ when they all finally realize that their efforts have failed to change any aspect of Oedipus’ prognosticated future‚ and that the prophecy has been fulfilled‚ their
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