Literary Analysis of Oedipus Rex The King by Sophocles

            It is revealed that Oedipus is a member of the ruling/higher class, which fulfills one of the characteristics of a tragic hero. However, the truth behind his birth destroys him. In the scene where the Old Man is brought before Oedipus for questioning, the truth is uncovered. Long ago when Oedipus was only a child, he was sent away from his home to the Old Man because of a prophecy that Oedipus would one day kill his father and marry his mother. During the questioning, the Old Man is unaware that Oedipus is the baby boy who was sent him and when the Old Man says he received the boy from Laius, who was the former King of Thebes, it is now known that Oedipus is of royal descent.
            Oedipus is set apart from other common people because of his royalty and terrible destiny, but mainly it's his prophesied doom. Because Oedipus is of royal descent he is a natural born leader and is of higher status than other people, which makes him unlike others, giving him heightened powers. His ill-fated destiny sets him even further apart from others. In the play Oedipus describes his fate while he is speaking to the Messenger when he says, "Why, Loxias declared that I should one day marry my own mother, and with my own hands shed my father's blood." That is a fate which sounds more like a curse; therefore, Oedipus is set apart from common men.
            Oedipus's fate is a combination of several factors. To try and change his own fate, which was given to him by the oracle, Oedipus tries to keep himself away from his parents. However that does absolutely nothing for him. His fate was affected by an outside source when the old man saved his life while he was just a baby. Another factor that affected Oedipus's fate was the will of the gods, for they gave him the prophecy in the first place.
            As the play progresses, Oedipus becomes more and more alone, for he drives his family and friends away from himself. He does this by refusing to believe what others are telling him. Throughout the play Oedipus speaks with numerous people who tell him of his unknown past and of his ill-fated prophecy, but out of stubbornness he casts them away because he does not like what they are telling him. Oedipus continues to do this, for he has become obsessed with the prophecy and he vows to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Jocasta, Oedipus's wife and unknowingly also his mother, advises him not to seek the truth of who his original birth parents were. Despite her pleads, Oedipus continues his search and Jocasta leaves the scene shouting, "O woe, woe, unhappy! This is all I have to say to thee, and no word more, for ever!" Jocasta therefore must have realized Oedipus was her son because she committed suicide in her bed chamber, in order to prevent even more suffering.
            Oedipus is revered as an intelligent man by the people of Thebes and is asked for help when the city is in crisis. Oedipus shows his brightness even before he is King by solving the riddle of the Sphinx that pestered Thebes. So, knowing of Oedipus's knowledge, the priest comes to him and asks for his help in ridding the Thebes of the plague. " thou art named, and known, our life's establisher. Thee therefore, Oedipus, the mightiest head among us all, all we thy supplicants implore to find some way to succour us, whether thou knowest it through some voice from heaven, or, haply of some man." Oedipus offeres his help and devotes himself to finding Laius's murderer, in order to cure to city.
            Oedipus does learn through suffering throughout the story. He learns that destiny has been set in stone by the gods. No matter what he does, he cannot prevent his life from spiraling out of his control and eventually hitting rock bottom. As the play progresses he learns more about his past. Every time he learns something new about his past, he sees that his life becomes more and more corrupted. For instance, when he was talking to the old man he learns that his prophecy had come true. Jocasta realizes as well and kills herself.
            Oedipus's tragic flaw is simple yet devastating at the same time. In the closing scenes of the play his flaw utterly destroys him and reduces him to nothing. The major flaw of Oedipus is that he is uneducated and blind to his past, which in hand works with the prophecy given to him by the Oracle. Oedipus knew of his prophecy all along and he also thought he knew who his parents were, but unfortunately he was wrong. Oedipus believed he could withhold from fulfilling his prophecy by distancing himself from his parents, who he believed to be Polybus and Merope, but they had merely adopted Oedipus at a young age and never told him about his past. Because of this, Oedipus was able to inadvertently kill his father Laius when he encountered him at the three crossroads and later marry his mother Jocasta. Once Oedipus realizes he has fulfilled his prophecy he gouges his eyes out and becomes blind. This is a metaphor to Oedipus because it represents how he was blind to his past, which brought about his defeat.
            In the end of Oedipus Rex, as Oedipus is faced with defeat he does not welcome it with nobility nor courage. In fact he does the complete opposite by moping around and wishing he were dead. Oedipus lost all hope when he mutilated his eyes as seen when the Senator asks why he had done so and Oedipus replies "What was there left for sight? What, that could give happiness? Lead me to exile straight; Lead me, O my friends, the worst of murderers, of mortals most accurst, Yea and to Gods chief object of their hate." From that quote it sounds as if Oedipus is cursing his life, which is not very honorable for a king. Another instance where Oedipus acted poorly out of defeat was when he was speaking to the Senator near the end of the play. Oedipus tells the Senator "May he perish whoe'er 'twas drew me out of the cruel gyve that bound my feet, on the lea! He who saved me alive, who rescued me from fate, shewing no kindness to me!" Oedipus curses the man who found him as a baby and saved his life.
            The first stage a tragic hero experiences is a great achievement. This great achievement gives the tragic hero notability and recognition among people as an important figure. For Oedipus, his great achievement helped gain him the title of King of Thebes, which he well deserved. A quote from the play describing his heroic action goes as follows, "Whose coming to our Cadmean town released the toll we paid, of a hard Sorceress, and that, without instruction or advice of our imparting; but of Heaven it came thou art named, and known, our life's establisher." The hard Sorceress mentioned in the quote is the Sphinx that held the city of Thebes under siege until Oedipus came along and solved its riddle. Oedipus saved the city as well as its inhabitants and was crowned king.
            After Oedipus has been crowned king for his remarkable achievement, he becomes complacent with his life and forgets about the needs of his people. It is until he exits the royal palace and is greeted by the Priest of Zeus along with the inhabitants of Thebes that he realizes the extent of his cities ill condition. Even when his city is dwindling, Oedipus still reveres himself as something that is greater than life. In the opening scene while he is speaking to the Thebians before the royal palace he tells them, "I myself have come hither, Oedipus, known far and wide by name." Oedipus's newfound cockiness demonstrates he has become complacent with his extravagant lifestyle.
            After Creon returns from his journey to Pytho, he tells Oedipus how he must resolve the cities crisis. Creon informs Oedipus of the king who ruled before him, Laius, and that he was killed in vain. The only way to save the city is to expel his murderer from Thebes, so Oedipus promises the citizens he will find the man that killed King Laius when he says, "So shall you see me, as of right, with you, venging this country and the Gods together. Why, 'tis not for my neighbors' sake, but for mine, I shall dispel this plague spot; for the man, whoever it may be, who murdered him." Oedipus's pride drives his curiosity throughout his quest to find the truth in Laius's death.
            Oedipus’s relentless drive to uncover who King Laius's murderer is eventually destroys him but he is unaware that lies ahead of him. After interrogating person after person, Oedipus learns the truth and that he was Laius's killer. Therefore if one half of his evil prophecy has come true, the other half is sure to come true as well. As a matter of fact it had come true as Jocasta realizes she has married her lost son. Knowing this, she storms out of the room where Oedipus and her are speaking to the messenger, and slays herself. Oedipus is now in a world of misery because he has killed his father, married his mother, and his mother had killed herself, so he punishes himself by stabbing out his eyes. To add even more grief to his situation he must be banished from Thebes and Creon takes both of his daughters from him.
            The final stage a tragic hero encounters is a perception of what has caused them to fail. All throughout his life, Oedipus was aware of the prophecy given to him by the Oracle. He felt that he could prevent it from becoming true by sub staining from who he thought to be his parents. In all actuality Oedipus's life was out of his control and was completely subject to the will of the gods in the end. In addition to the will of the gods, Oedipus's flaw also contributes to his demise. Towards the end of the play Oedipus sees that in the end, he would be completely helpless no matter what he did to change his fate.