Analysis Essay Oedipus the King - 1017 Words

Casual Analysis Essay: Oedipus the King Sophocles play Oedipus the King has endured for over two thousand years. The plays lasting appeal may be attributed to the fact it encompasses all the classical elements of tragedy as put forth by Aristotle in Poetics nearly a century before it was written. According to Aristotle, tragedy needs to be an imitation of life according to the law of probability or necessity. Tragedy is serious, complete, and has magnitude. It must have a beginning, middle, and end and be spoken in language that is fit for noble characters. Furthermore it must be acted, as opposed to epic poetry, which is narrated. Tragedy shows rather than tells. Finally it must result in the purging of pity and fear, or a catharsis. Tragedy is based in the fundamental order of the universe, it creates a cause-and-effect chain that clearly reveals what may happen at any time or place because that is the way the world operates. Tragedy arouses not only pity but also fear, because the audience can envision themselves withi n this cause-and-effect chain. Tragedy as a whole is composed of six elements: plot, character, language, thought, spectacle and melody. Melody and language are the media by which the effect of imitation of action is carried out, spectacle is the manner or way the tragedy is carried out, and plot, character and thought are the means that initiate the action. Oedipus the King possesses all of these elements. Aristotle asserts the plot is the mostShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Oedipus the King Essays1825 Words   |  8 Pages The tale of Oedipus and his prophecy has intrigued not only the citizens of Greece in the ancient times, but also people all over the world for several generations. Most notable about the play was its peculiar structure, causing the audience to think analytically about the outcomes of Oedipus’ actions and how it compares with Aristotle’s beliefs. Another way that the people have examined the drama is by looking at the paradoxes (such as the confrontat ion of Tiresias and Oedipus), symbols (such asRead MoreScript Analysis of Oedipus the King Essay848 Words   |  4 PagesScript Analysis of Oedipus Rex The complete fate of Oedipus Rex, is foreshadowed by Teiresias, the prophet in Scene II: But it will soon be shown that he is a Theban, A revelation that will fail to please. A blind man, Who has his eyes now; a penniless man, who is rich now; And he will go tapping the strange earth with his staff To the children with whom he lives now he will be Brother and father- the very same; to her Who bore him, son and husband- the very same Who came to hisRead MoreAnalysis Of The Play Oedipus Tyrannous By Sophocles 1749 Words   |  7 Pagesabout the play Oedipus Tyrannous by Sophocles, I found this play to be very encapsulating to the very end. I really enjoyed the suspense, as well as the turn of direction that the play took in the end as the plot thickened. In this essay, I will describe why I personally believe that this play was not just a tragic event and the many reasons why I believe that Oedipus can be viewed as a tragic hero by his actions throughout the play. I believe that some of my strengths in this essay will show thatRead MoreCharacter Analysis : Creon s Oedipus The King 1180 Words   |  5 PagesCounty College Character Analysis: Creon In Oedipus the King by Sophocles, a fatal curse is put upon the town of Thebes. Creon, current king and brother of Jocasta, gives the throne to Oedipus because he freed the city from the Sphinx. Creon is asked to seek help from Apollo, the son of Zeus and Leto, and twin brother of Artemis by Oedipus, his brother in law. Creon reveals to Oedipus that the only way to dismantle the curse is to discover who killed Laius, the former king of Thebes, and then toRead MoreSophocles The King And Antigone Essay1566 Words   |  7 Pages Sophocles wrote about kings. Mythological, or at least long dead, the regal protagonists of fraction of Sophocles’ surviving work embody the political realities of the ancients’ time. By examining and analyzing the origins and nature of kingship in Sophocles, one can glean a sliver of insight into a civilization that has all but disappeared. Sophocles’s kings were great human leaders, reaching their position through impressive deeds or standing in the community. Although they wielded great powerRead MoreA Greek Play Created By Sophocles1608 Words   |  7 Pagesplay created by Sophocles around 335 BC, Oedipus the King tells a story about one man’s irony to find the previous’ king’s murderer to seek justice. Oedipus stops at nothing to find the killer. As he questions the citizens, he only finds himself to be the killer. In this essay we explore how one major event can create multiple forms of conflict. The conflicts of Human vs. supernatural, the predestined fate of Oedipus and the gods. Human vs. human, when Oedipus heeds no warnings and stops at nothingRead More Oedipus the King: Does Oedipus Satisfy the Definition of a Good Man?1415 Words   |  6 PagesDoes Oedipus Satisfy the Definition of a Good Man?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a young man, Oedipus learned of his fate to kill his father and marry his mother.   Oedipus flees to a distant land to escape his terrible fate and inadvertently fulfills the prophecy. Unknowingly, Oedipus kills his father and enters the bed of his mother.   Was Oedipus was a good man who happened to suffer an unfortunate fate, or was he a truly bad person, whose fate was only just?   If we accept the Aristotelian views of good and badRead MoreEssay on Inside the Head of Sigmund Freud1568 Words   |  7 Pagesclinical process of psychoanalysis, which treated psychopathology by using the â€Å"talking cure†. The talking cure is best known as a one to one talk between the patient and the doctor. He is also known for his radical and complex theories such as the Oedipus complex, and the Electra complex. His fields include neurology, philosophy, psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Many question his authenticity since there is no proo f or record of Freud holding a degree, more less a doctorateRead MoreHeroism In Oedipus The King And The Odyssey1132 Words   |  5 PagesStobbe Dr. Dutch October 17 Heroism in Oedipus the King and The Odyssey Life is filled with a multitude of challenges and obstacles; in this case, life is often defined in relation to the ability if an individual to overcome and defeat such things. Aspects of heroism are evident in the situations and events that arise in the life of someone. This essay dives into the element of heroism that is evident is the stories: Oedipus the King and The Odyssey. Oedipus the King and The Odyssey share a multitudeRead MoreOedipus Rex, A Symbol Of Fate1517 Words   |  7 PagesThe most famous scene in Sophocles’, Oedipus Rex, is when Oedipus gouges out his eyes. But that’s not the only example of sight and blindness in this play. In Sophocles world, eyes play a big part in society, as the theme of vision invites the audience to look at the action with a double perspective, through own eyes and through the eyes of those on stage ( Mastronarde pp. 179-182). Considering eyes as an essential piece, it places them as a motif of the play. Within Greek literature, scholars focus