Mythology in Oedipus Rex Essays - 3980 Words

Mythology in Oedipus Rex E. T. Owen in â€Å"Drama in Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus† comments on the mythological beginnings of Oedipus Rex: Professor Goodell says: â€Å"Given an old myth to be dramatized, Sophocles’ primary question was, ‘Just what sort of people were they, must they have been, who naturally did and suffered what the tales say they did and suffered?† That was his method of analysis (38). The Greek Sophoclean tragedy Oedipus Rex is based on a myth from the Homeric epic Odysseus. With his tragic flaw the protagonist, Oedipus, lives out the main episodes of the Homeric myth. In his essay â€Å"Sophoclean Tragedy† Friedrich Nietzsche searches out the mythology in this drama, and finds that the†¦show more content†¦From this we can deduce that the myth used by Sophocles in Oedipus Rex had to be older than the seventh century BC because Homer employed it at that time. C. M. Bowra in â€Å"Sophocles’ Use of Mythology† gives the rationale behind the Attic dramatists’ preference for myths in their plays: Myth provided the framework of drama, which illustrated in a highly concrete and cogent way some important crisis or problem, and that is why Greek tragedy can be called symbolical. The old stories are indeed told again for their own sake, and there is no lack of dramatic tension and human interest, but they also exemplify some far-reaching problem, which is admirably presented in this individual shape(31). The Homeric myth provides the story of the fall of a man from prosperity to adversity. Sophocles takes the myth and dramatizes it in such a way that every word and action makes an impact on the audience. The audience can see the error that beset Oedipus, and see his living state of mind as reflected in themselves; they empathize with him in his moral decline. Aristotle’s analysis admits that the tragic flaw in Oedipus could be either a moral misjudgment or an intellectual error on the part of the king. In his essay â€Å"On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex,† E. R. Dodds takes the reader back to Aristotle in his consideration of this question of the flaw: I shall take Aristotle as my starting point. . . .Show MoreRelatedGreek Mythology And Mythology Of The Iliad, Oedipus Rex And Others1294 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen shaped by mythology and religion. The impacts of ancient cultures in particular are felt worldwide through a variety of mediums. Others have referenced ancient cultures for a long time, in hopes of better understanding them. Examples of this have been seen throughout the world, especially in Greek culture. The ancient Greeks had a rich culture, which they used often in their works; examples of this are seen in the Iliad, Oedipus Rex and others. The existence of Greek mythology and narrativesRead More Mythology in Oedipus Rex Essay examples4094 Words   |  17 PagesMythology in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In â€Å"The Oedipus Legend† Bernard M. W. Knox talks of the advantages accruing to Sophocles as a user of myths in his dramas:    The myths he used gave to his plays, without any effort on his part, some of those larger dimensions of authority which the modern dramatist must create out of nothing if his play is to be more than a passing entertainment. The myths had the authority of history, for myth is in one of its aspects the only history of anRead MoreOedipus The King, Fate And Destiny1201 Words   |  5 PagesSophocles is the author of the famous play, â€Å"Oedipus the King†. In case you did not know, Sophocles is from Greece. In Greek mythology there are three goddesses who preside over the birth and life of humans. Each person s destiny was thought of as a thread spun, measured, and cut by the three Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. In the story â€Å"Oedipus the King† fate and destiny was the main theme. On Google the definition of destiny is the events that will necessarily happen to a particular personRead MoreThe Tragic Hero of Oedipus Rex Essay1383 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tragi c Hero of Oedipus Rex According to the ancient Greeks and Aristotle the hero is a person who possesses superior qualities of mind and body, and who proves his superiority by doing great deeds of valor, strength, or intellect. In Sophocles Oedipus Rex the main character Oedipus possesses these characteristics of a true hero, which in turn lead to his self-destruction. In the beginning of the play Oedipuss great intellect is made known by the chorus who see him as someone who hasRead MoreOedipus and Christianity Essay652 Words   |  3 Pagesdeal in the story Oedipus Rex. Even though the gods knew what he was going to do, he still had the free will to do so. This is quite similar to the beliefs of the Christian religion. Christians are accustomed to the idea that God is all knowing, yet we as humans have the gift of free will and that makes us responsible for our own actions. It seems to be similar in the tale of Oedipus Rex and in Greek mythology as a whole. The ideas of this story within the bounds of Greek mythology seem to coincideRead More tragoed The Tragic Figure of Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)923 Words   |  4 PagesThe Tragic Figure of Oedipus Rex  Ã‚     Ã‚   Sophocles is perhaps one of the greatest tragedians ever. Sophocles said that a man should never consider himself fortunate unless he can look back on his life and remember that life without pain. For Oedipus Rex, looking back is impossible to do without pain. This pain stems from his prideful life. Oedipus is aware that he alone is responsible for his actions. Oedipus freely chooses to pursue and accept his own lifes destruction. Even though fate victimizesRead MoreOedipus Rex, by Sophocles822 Words   |  4 Pagesrelates to Oedipus’s situation from Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Sophocles‘ Oedipus Rex tells the story of a monarch named Oedipus whowho becomes the unfortunate victim of circumstances beyond his control. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus‘ downfall is not a result of excessive hubris or his actions, but rather his parents’ disgraceful actions and uncontrollable aspects of fate. Oedipus’ parents actions and decisions are a major element in Oedipus’ tragic downfall. Before Oedipus is born, Laius and Jocasta, theRead More The Role of Teiresias in Sophocles Oedipus Rex Essay1410 Words   |  6 PagesSophoclesOedipus Rex (the King) Teiresias uses his psychic abilities to foreshadow the anguish and destruction that Oedipus will encounter after he learns the truths of his life. Teiresias is also responsible for further developing the theme of blindness by using his own physical blindness to reveal to Oedipus his mental blindness. Lastly, Teiresias is ultimately responsible for imposing dramatic irony because of his great knowledge of the truth of Oedipus. In the play, Oedipus Rex, by SophoclesRead MoreT. S. Eliots Poetic Devices Essay1038 Words   |  5 Pagesuses the same poetic devices to express emotion and give an added depth to his poetry and act like a trademark in his works. One of the devices used throughout is his personification of nature. The second device he often uses is allusions to Greek mythology, Greek plays, and the Christian bible. Finally, the last device he often uses is imagery of death. Throughout the poems mentioned above this is especially apparent as it makes them all seem identifiab le to his style. T. S. Eliot often personifiesRead More Oedipus the King: Unrealistic or Realistic Essay2008 Words   |  9 PagesOedipus Rex – Unrealistic or Realistic  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Let’s explore the traces of realsim and its opposite in Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex.    The first obvious question is: How can this drama possibly be considered realistic since it relies so heavily on predetermination and fate in the life of the protagonist, Oedipus? As Jocasta recounts to Oedipus:    An oracle Once came to Laius (I will not say Twas from the Delphic god himself, but from His ministers)