Oedipus the King
Themes in Sophocles's Oedipus the King Sophocles's Oedipus the King is a classic Greek tragic play. There are many themes in this play. They cover almost everything from fate and destiny to betrayal and incest. The main theme of the play is, as it is in most Greek literary works, that one cannot escape one's fate. It is usually the method by which you try to escape that leads you directly to it. The being of the play depicts a scene of somber and restless citizens waiting for the king to find a way to rid their fine city of plague, famine, and death. Oedipus listens to his "children" speak and does feel for them. He has already sent Creon to Apollo to plead for help from the gods. Creon arrives almost simultaneously as Oedipus states this. Creon arrives with news that "the gods command them to expel from the land of Thebes an old defilement they are sheltering. It is a deathly thing, beyond cure. They must not let it feed upon them longer"(1258). This defilement is referring to when Thebes's former king was murdered, they must find the murderer and kill him at once. Oedipus declares this person or these people to be found and executed at once. However, first they must find the killer. The crime happened so long a
Creon tells Oedipus that King Laios was killed by a band of highwaymen on his way to pilgrimage. In his rage Oedipus lashed out and killed everyone there. He knows that Oedipus committed these crimes. So in turn the murders went unsolved. The dramatic irony is that we know that the prophecy has come true. From that day until the moment he speaks of his visit to Delphi he has not returned to Corinth. As he traveled farther and farther he came to the place where three highways meet, where they say that King Laios was !killed. go, that they wonder where they will find clues. He is still in fear of his mother though. After inquiring into the matter, they come to find that there is one remaining witness. This is the theme of incest throughout the play. Later in the story we find out that he is cursing himself. After some time, they told him that it was not true. The messenger questions Oedipus about this, and is baffled by his response; speaking of his parents as if they were really his parents.
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Acceptance Essays
