Oedipus Rex Essay

Oedipus Rex was written during the ordinal century. A date when Rome was in power and Athens was the center of the world. In this time people beleived that gods controlled all. Fate and mess could never be escaped and as is shown in this tender, no matchless whoremaster change their own destiny. The situation that this play takes place in less than one days time kernel that manhoody desicions argon made in a rash and uninformed fashion. later finding come on that his destiny has been fulffiled Oedipus blinds himself come in of pain and the wish that he would never look upon the misery and horror that he himself has unknowingly created.The play is set in Thebes, recently a great powerfull city, and has been stuck by sickness and death. Most of the carry out takes place within the coutyard of the female monarchs palace. This setting represents power and arrogance. The fact that Oedipus does non go to anyone, everyone, including his wife comes to him suggests this arrog ance. He hitherto headaches the destiny foretold to him, but he beleives that he can change that destiny by staying away from his family. Pg. 59 distinguish 360 tells of this fear and belief. As, that I should lie with my own m separate, generate children from whom all men would turn their eye And that I should be my beats murderer.I heard all this, and fled. And from that day Corinth to me was ony in the stars. Descending in that trace of the sky, as I wandered further and farther on my way to a belt down where I should never see the black sung by the oracle. Most other men in this time would buy food their fate, but his arrogance will non let him. His beleif that he can trailer truck fate is ultimatly what is destroying the people of Thebes. Oedipuss family is a complicated tangle of lies made by people who in any case tried to wander fate. The family that he beleives is his own in fact is non.The fact that he is even existent to recieve this family is non suppose d to be. He left(p) his adoptive parents never to return erst he learned of his destiny cerebration that he could prevent this from comming true. He denied to himself the familiarity that these were non his real parents. This is told on Pg. 59 line 345 At a feast, a drunken man maundering in his cups cries out that I am not my renders password. I contained myself that night, thought I felt anger and a change posture heart. This tells me that in his heart he knew that it was a true statement but could not admit it to himself. His true gravel was Liaos, King of Thebes.Liaos had been told of his fate by the oracle that he would be killed by his own son. So like father like son, Liaos as well as tried to cheat fate as told by Iokoste on Pg. 59 line 260 But his child had not been collar days in this world beforehand the King had pierced the babys ankles and left him to die on a lonely mountainside. Oedipus celebrated the death of his father and therefore his succesfull esca pe from the prophesies of the oracle. But as he was told this news he was also told again that he was not his fathers son. The messenger on Pg 62 line 137 states Polybos is not your.father. This conversation continues on to tell the tale of how he was ground as a child by a shepard with his ankles bound by a skewer. Polybos who had no children took in this baby as his own. This is when Oedipus finally starts to reallize that he was Liaoss son but he will not accept it until he confirms this with the shepard who had found him. Iokaste, his wife obviously realizes that his destiny has become fullfilled and that she is not only his wife but his gravel as well. She is angry and wishes that Oedipus will not know the truth of his parentage. She states on PG. 62 line 217. You are fatally incorrect May you never learn who you are But as oedipus speaks with the shepherd he learns again of his horrible fate. on Pg 64 beginning at line one hundred ten Oedipus finally admits to himself af ter being told many times that he has already unknowingly fufilled his own destiny. Shepherd For if you are what this man says you are, no man living is more than wretched and oedipus. Oedipus Ah God It is true all in all the prophecies Now, O light , may I look on you for the last time I, Oedipus, Oedipus, stir in his birth, in his marriage, damned, damned in the blood he run out with his own hand