Oedipus Rex Report

English 12 AP: Oedipus Rex Book Report

Title: Oedipus Rex        Genre: Drama, Greek Tragedy

Author: Sophocles       Published: 429 BC

1. Main Characters 

a) Oedipus- The protagonist and King Of Thebes, Oedipus is both intelligent and clever. His determination can also be seen as stubbornness, however it makes him a respected and admirable character. The way Oedipus denies his destiny shows that he is prideful and connects back to his being stubborn and naive. Oedipus has killed his own father and unknowingly marries his mother, which he later spends the entire storyline of the play trying to change his fate. He explores the topic of freewill and predestination by challenging his destiny, told to him by an oracle at Delphi. Oedipus is seen as a prime example of a character who is tragically flawed in that his actions are what brings his downfall, but courageous because he tried to challenge the inevitable for the chance to make things better. The idea of his fears becoming a reality ends up making him gouge his own eyes out in a moment of despair. This was symbolic because it represented his blindness to his fate and how it had caused literal blindness to the rest of the world. The sense of hopelessness and inconsolable pain is felt through Oedipus, making his character more relatable. His struggle to change something that seems definite shows the determination he had, however, his hubris was ultimately what caused his downfall.

b) Creon- Creon represents order and rational. More reserved, unlike Oedipus, Creon is also a logical thinker. This contrast between the two characters was very important in showing the difference between being driven by emotion and being driven by logic. Even with accusations from Oedipus for wanting his power, Creon responds calmly and offers a logical explanation as to why there is no benefit he would receive from Oedipus’ crown. Creon is trustworthy, as Oedipus comes to him in the end of the play to ask him to take care of his children as he is exiled of Thebes at his own demand. Here Creon complies and agrees to care of the children, showing he is merciful and loyal, making him all the more rational and logical.  (Daisy Velazco)

2. Minor Characters 

c) Shepard- The shepard played a role in Oedipus’ journey because he saved his life as an infant. Former servant to Oedipus’ father, King Laius, the shepard saw the King’s death. When confronted by Oedipus as he searched for the answer as to how he came to be, the shepard refuses to give information. Oedipus uses threats to get information out of him and he eventually tells him the truth. This shows Oedipus’ violent and aggressive nature and the way he did everything and anything to find the truth. By using a vulnerable shepard as the withholder of information, Sophocles shows the nature of Oedipus as he uses that weakness to his advantage.

d) Tiresias- The blind soothsayer of Thebes who hesitates to tell Oedipus the truth about himself and his fate, however gives into Oedipus’ threats and accusations and hints that he had something to do with his father’s death. The way Tiresias doesn't reveal information crucial to the saving of Thebes connects with the ironic nature of the play. Having the conflicting thoughts of not revealing prophecies as a prophet who can save Thebes,  he shows the different aspects to the irony of main ideas which are fate versus free-will. Also, his literal blindness represents the way people refuse to believe the truth about themselves when they hear it out loud.        

e) Jocasta- Having originally sent her child, Oedipus, to die on the mountainside to avoid the death of her husband, King Laius, Jocasta shows the skepticism and doubt of prophets and their foretellings. Believing her son and husband is dead, she marries her son unknowingly. She desperately wants peace as she figures out what happened. Jocasta appears in the final scenes of “Oedipus the King” as she attempts to make amends between Oedipus and Creon. She wants to protect Oedipus from knowing his fate, however, doesn't succeed. Although she committed errors unknowingly, the guilt she feels is still strong and she ends up hanging herself with bed sheets.

f) Chorus- The Chorus reacts to the story plot and serves as a way to foreshadow events or go into further detail with them. They want peace and stability and Sophocles made the Chorus a part of the play by having them interact with the characters, even offering advice to them about how they should handle their issues. They reveals the tragic end to Oedipus’ story and tells the audience of his final fate shows emotions of the story and characters.   (Daisy Velazco)

1. Setting 

• Thebes: Distant Past – Thebes was a doomed city where most of the play takes place. The time is the distant past which shows the Greek emphasis on logical and objective analysis. The setting also presents the irony of Oedipus meeting his demise in the place where he was conceived. This teaches that one’s source of power can also be their greatest weakness. Regardless of the power Oedipus attained in the City of Thebes, fate used the city to prove that only it is all-powerful and unchangeable, regardless of the power or intellect one may have

• Palace: Distant Past – The palace was where Oedipus’s father lived and where Oedipus was conceived. Oedipus was fighting fate throughout the story in his reluctance to believe the prophecies were about him. Also, his ignorance when his own investigations into his father’s death pointed to him as the culprit shows a reluctance to accept one’s fate.. The palace is where Oedipus was conceived and where he met his demise which shows the ironic nature of fate and how fate in unavoidable no matter where one is. (Tyler Ferrari)

1. Contextual Level 

     Oedipus Rex, like many other Greek dramas, was written and takes place in the time of ancient Greece. This time was one of greatness for the Greeks. They were considered the, “premier warriors of their classical world” (Ancient Military). This power not only came from strong men; it came from strong minds. This mind was  represented in Oedipus Rex by Oedipus’s cunning intellect, which was represented in his solving of the riddle when he defeated the Sphinx. This love for knowledge by the Greeks is also associated with a strong belief in fate and the gods. The fearing of the gods by the Greeks shows that the Greeks knew that they did not have all the answers to why the universe worked the way it did, so they subscribed to this idea of a higher power so that they can have some form of explanation for things they could not control, like fate. This acceptance is shown in their culture by dedicating entire festivals to the gods and including gods in their plays (Mythography). Oedipus’s rejection of fate and eventually tragic demise was used by Sophocles to show the tragedy that one could succumb to if they were to ignore the gods. This further emphasizes the importance of logical thought in relation to obedience to the gods. Oedipus’s rejection of the gods is a rejection of fate and divine rule, which is something Sophocles wanted to convey to the viewer. (Tyler Ferrari)