The play Oedipus the king, written by Sophocles, was written in the era of classical Greek tragedy. It involves a king, who promises a lot to his people, yet through trying fight his destiny, meets an ironic fate. The main character, Oedipus, is a protagonist. He has very little control over what his fate will decide for him. Oedipus is constructed as a character which impacts us deeply, not because we admire his character, but the way in which the reader is positioned to feel involved in his struggle.
The way in which Oedipus is constructed relates a lot to the context of the time. These themes such as fate and destiny, allow us to know more about the context of the time period, but also helps us to understand what Oedipus is going through. Fate is defined as, “a power beyond human control that is believed to determine course of events, a person’s destiny”. Fate is referred to a lot in the play Oedipus the King. The word fate isn’t often used, but words involving the fate of the city, and the fate of its people are often used. The way in which Oedipus talks about his authority, and the way he puts himself above the gods, automatically shows that he is trying to decide his own fat
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He has said he is a champion, and this leads to his denial. This one truth, which holds Oedipus’s destiny in its hands, isn’t revealed to the very end. Throughout the play, the dramatic irony when he talks about, on line 121 “that hes never SEEN the man himself”. There is hints from the very beginning about the fate of Oedipus, and no matter in what form, they are creating a picture about what is going to happen to Oedipus in the end. We always know what the truth is about Oedipus before he even finds out. This is perhaps one of the strongest quotes from the play, as is talks about dramatic irony and hints Oedipus’s fate. This is a play on dramatic irony as hes talking about himself, yet he doesn’t know it. The way which Oedipus is denying his own fate, makes us feel involved, as we know that he will eventually meet a fate which he would never imagine. The God’s determine the fate of every mortal human in Greek mythology. The reader is positioned to feel helpless, which can lead to us feeling for Oedipus and his struggles. In the prologue on line 155 “and Apollo’s champion”. The most powerful quote perhaps being on lines 480-486 “What rock of Cothaeron wont scream back and echo?, that day you learn the truth about your marriage, the wedding march that sang you into your halls, the lusty voyage home to the fatal harbour! And a crowd of other horrors youd never dream will level you with yourself and your children”.
Some of the most prevalent parts in the story in which the audience feels apart of the protagonists struggle, is when Oedipus is cursing the prophet.
Approximate Word count =
1338
Approximate Pages =
5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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