Oedipus Rough Draft

Alex Phan

The uniqueness of the story of Oedipus the King lies in the fact that it is not told but uncovered. The Story of Oedipus the king has been passed around all over the global for centuries. Sophocles portrays the main character, Oedipus as an excellent person that has bad judgment and frailty. Oedipus makes a few bad decisions and is condemned to profound his suffering due to his pride. Oedipus the protagonist of Oedipus the King the play is an excellent example of a tragic hero. Oedipus goes through harsh times from the time he was born too the time he dies. He started his life in a new world with parents willing enough to pierce his ankles together and abandoned on Mount Cithaeron. Oedipus was born to royalty but his parents were told that their son Oedipus was destined to murder his father and sleep with his mother which led them to abandon him. The topic tells how Oedipus was born to a horrifying situation that he couldnt avoid as the topic states. Oedipus also suffers that he found out that he married/slept with his mother. Oedipus destiny told by the oracle said Oedipus would marry his mother and sleep with her. Oedipus suffers enough through his life and ends up with his mom which is a bit odd. Oedipus doesnt know himself anymore after finding out all the horrific things that has happen to him so he blinds himself. Oedipus finds out that Jocasta is his mother; hes so disgusted that he planned to kill her but his planned was stopped due to Jocasta hanging herself. Oedipus lack of knowledge about his life led to him not knowing his identity caused him to blind himself (Doc A). Basically Oedipus has a rough time in his life and can never escape his fate given by the oracle. Oedipus had good and bad deeds he did in his life time. He saved Thebes with an excellent deed by solving the riddles given by the sphinx. Oedipus puts his life on the line to save Thebes from the sphinx. By saving Thebes from the Sphinx it shows that Oedipus does a good deed for his town. Oedipus also did some wrongful things to hurt people such as making fun of Tiresias blindness. Oedipus is mad at Tiresias for blaming things on Oedipus which makes him mad which led Oedipus on threating Tiresias. This show Oedipus bad temper side the bad side of him that shows a bad deeds in him. Oedipus tried hard to avoid the oracles story so he wouldnt kill his father and sleep with his mother. Oedipus oracle was to be done by killing his father and sleeping with his mother. This shows a good side of Oedipus because he tries so hard to avoid this oracle he leaves town to stay away from his parents. Basically Oedipus has a good and bad side he usually decides if he does something right or wrong it all depends on him. Oedipus also had bad temper if noting were to go his way or anyone to agree with him. He threatened to kill the herdsman for not telling him where he found him as a baby. The herdsman wouldnt tell Oedipus where he found Oedipus as a baby so Oedipus gets mad and threatens him. This shows a huge bad side in Oedipus bad temper because he cant handle bad news. This relates to the topic because threatens or harms people for nothing that go his ways or people that dont follow his rules. Oedipus accused Creon for killing Laius

when he didnt know that he killed Laius. Oedipus jumps to conclusions and blames Creon for killing Laius. Same goes here Oedipus blames something he doesnt know about or if someone that doesnt agree with him he goes mad. Oedipus found out that he slept his mother he wanted to kill her. Oedipus doesnt like how this turned out he wanted to end it by killing his mother. This shows Oedipus bad side instead of talking it out or a better solution he jumps in to action and wants to kill his mother without any second thoughts. Basically Oedipus gets to a very bad temper very quickly that everyone around him gets hurt or accused of something that they didnt do but it was because of Oedipus that got them in to trouble. Oedipus the king is a good example of a tragic hero. Oedipus also had the audience have pity in him and fear that that audience wouldnt want. Some examples are he killed his father and slept with his mother. The audience would fear to do what Oedipus did to his father and mother. Oedipus had a good heart also he took responsibility for his actions. Some excellent examples are he gave the crown to Creon for killing Laius and Banished himself from Thebes. So thats why Oedipus the protagonist of Oedipus the King the play is an excellent example of a tragic hero.