... Oedipus, "You were better off dead than alive and blind." The use of irony in Oedipus Rex reveals much about the character of Oedipus. We see that Oedipus truly is the 'public' man and can only possess one sight, that of the 'public' world. This public persona proved to be the end of him when he decreed his own fate to the people of Thebes. The 'private' sight, the inward sight, which Teiresias accuses ... , this does not mean that the fate controls the actions of the man. The Prophesy must be looked at as being out of time, seeing the past, the present and the future all at once. Althou...

• Word Count: 2522
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

... deal from Sophocles" writing of the true tragedy, Oedipus. Hamlet exemplifies partial decomposition of catharsis whereas Miss Julie epitomises an almost total collapse of the cathartic effect. It is assumed that the higher the status of the tragic hero, the easier for the 1990's audience to identify the character's tragic flaw. The "identity" refers to the ability to relate to the situation or idea. The higher social status of the protagonist in Oedipus and Hamlet ... his love and his mother died and eventually caused his own death. Furthermore his mother's death caused him to be enligh...

• Word Count: 3952
• Approx Pages: 16
• Grade Level: High School

... with another prophecy, "Unhappy man! Those jeers you hurl at me before long all those men will hurl at you- (1264). Carter 3 At the end of the story, this prophecy coming true proves that Tiresias has psychic abilities. Oedipus jeer he threw at Tiresias does come back to him. When Oedipus becomes ... to his father, his seed-fellow and killer- (1266). His prediction came true. Oedipus and everyone in Thebes thought he was from a different land when in fact he was Theban born. Tiresias knew he killed his father before he became king, married his mother (Joscosta), and even had children ....

• Word Count: 2789
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School