As the play begins, Sophocles presents King Oedipus as ruler of Thebes. He was a hero to Thebes because he had rid their city of the cursed Sphinx by solving a riddle. Oedipus is determined to again save Thebes from the devastations of a plague that has come, this time, as a curse because of the death of former King Laius. King Oedipus is married to Queen Jocasta, unknown to him at the time that she is both wif

Oedipus Rex is regarded as a masterpiece and the greatest of all Greek tragedies. King Oedipus was a man of greatness. However, he was guilty in his attempt to raise himself to the level of the Gods and to not accept the restrictions of the humans – to go beyond the limits. The problem raised by this play is: is there justice in a world where, for no reason, the worst happens to the best? (Blackstock 1) Of course Oedipus had faults with his temper and his pride, but with his mistakes in judgment, he seals his guilt (Blackstock 2). Oedipus becomes an object of pity and this becomes the center of his dramatic situation (Howard 12). The ironical movement of the play forces Oedipus’ change from a man of blinded greatness to a humble, yet “sighted” blind man with a truer identity (Cameron 41). The use of irony by Sophocles in Oedipus Rex dominates the play as it highlights the weaknesses in Oedipus’ personality and foreshadows the tragic conclusion (Cameron 41).

Oedipus had saved Thebes from the Sphinx by solving the riddle (Cameron 12). “Who is the two-footed creature, who is also four-footed and three-footed?” the Sphinx asked. Oedipus answered that this was “man”. Sophocles demonstrates in the play that the full answer is that “man” is not enough. The action of the play carries out the old riddle and the answer becomes “Oedipus”. Oedipus is on all four’s as a child crawling; on two legs as the powerful, erect king; and in the end, on three legs as the blind, doomed man with his walking stick. Ironically, Sophocles has made the entire story into the riddle of Oedipus and his search for self-identity (Cameron 12).

Some topics in this essay:
Oedipus Rex, King Oedipus, Jocasta Oedipus, Ironically Sophocles, Apollo Creon, Tiresias Oedipus, Oedipus Thebes, Pytho Oedipus, Sphinx Oedipus, Jocasta Cameron, king oedipus, dramatic irony, oedipus rex, howard 6, howard 5, howard 8, blackstock 2, powerful figure, masterpiece greek tragedies, oedipus king, 9 oedipus, sophocles king oedipus, sphinx solving riddle, regarded masterpiece greek, rex regarded masterpiece,