The play "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles attempts to portray Oedipus (King of Thebes) as an extremely powerful and dignified man. Throughout the play, the classic story of Oedipus comes to life and the audience comes to see that no matter how bad Oedipus' life seems to get, he steadily maintains his nobility and trustworthiness. Sophocles lets the reader know that Oedipus' fate has been predetermined: that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Although Oedipus does not know this, the reader does, thus making Oedipus out to be not just a king but a person as well. Throughout the play, the audience sees Oedipus' power, strength, and dignity. Although Oedipus' attitude changes throughout the play, we still see him as an extremely noble and trustworthy man. The audience sees Oedipus' change of character three times throughout the play. At the beginning of the play, Oedipus is a great king with extreme strength, later we see him as more of a tyrant opposed to a king, and lastly Oedipus' demeanor changes once again to a fearful and humiliated man who maintains his dignity even at his greatest defeat. In the end, however, Oedipus indeed proves himself to stay dignified.
             Oedipus first shows us to be a confident and powerful hero when he solves the riddle of the Sphinx, who has Thebes under lock and key. Despite the fact that the Sphinx threatened anyone to death who answered the riddle incorrectly, Oedipus was determined, and here was when we see his bravery. After correctly solving the riddle the Sphinx frees the city of Thebes and Oedipus becomes famously known for his bravery leading him to become King of Thebes, as the people state,
             "You cut us loose from the bloody tribute we had
             paid that harsh, brutal singer. We taught you nothing,
             no skill, no extra knowledge, still you triumphed" (44-47).
             Clearly, at the beginning of the play, the citizens have enormous respect and love for Oedipus. They endear the political pow...