... done. Once this takes place, the plots move swiftly to the conclusions. The major conflict occurred when Tiersias tells Oedipus that Oedipus is responsible for the plague and Oedipus refuses to believe it. When Creon returns from the oracle with the news that the plague in Thebes will end when the murder of Laius, the king before Oedipus, is discovered and driven out is the rising action. The climax occurs when Oedipus learns, quite contrary to his expectations ... , that he is the man who killed ... ...

• Word Count: 578
• Approx Pages: 2

... with his family. Killing your father unknowingly would be unthinkable today and for that same person to marry their mother unknowingly; this would be the ultimate tragedy. Whereas for an audience in Athens, the tragedy of Oedipus the King would stem from his loss of power and how he starts to grow weak. He is first portrayed as a strong noble figure only ... prevalent, therefore the audience would sympathize with Oedipus's downfall and the horrific imagery given by the chorus was just the perfect climax for the audience. I believe that even Sophocles looked upon violence as the second tr...

• Word Count: 1654
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate