Oedipus Rex Research Paper

905 Words4 Pages
“Revealed at last, brother and father both/ to the children he embraces, to his mother/ son and husband both” (Sophocles 281). Announced by Tiresias, he reveals Oedipus’s tragic life story in the book of Oedipus Rex the King written by Sophocles. Sophocles’ book is a Greek theatre that tells a story about the tragedy of Oedipus Rex. Specifically, the city of Thebes is in danger because of the both prophecy and Oedipus’s actions that causes the city to be infected with a plaque that is going around killing many people. In Oedipus Rex the King, Sophocles establishes a relationship between prophecy and Oedipus’s actions that both leads to Oedipus’s tragic death. To begin with, Sophocles establishes a relationship between prophecy and Oedipus’s…show more content…
Tiresias explains to Oedipus the prophecy says “he sowed the loins/ his father sowed, he spilled his father’s blood” (Sophocles 281). Therefore, the quote establishes the relationship between prophecy and Oedipus’s actions because the prophecy says the man had killed his own father. The prophecy connects with Oedipus’s actions because he was the one who killed Laius, but he killed him not knowing it was his own father. Due to Oedipus not believing the words Tiresias spoke, Tiresias stated, “and if you find that I’ve lied/ from this day onward call the prophet blind” (Sophocles 281). Tiresias says the prophecy says the murderer of king Laius will become blind. Furthermore, the quote establishes the relationship between prophecy and Oedipus’s actions because the prophecy connects to when Oedipus had stabbed his eyes because once the truth all came together, he couldn’t stand to see his children that were also his siblings and all the wrongs he has done. As a consequence, Oedipus blinded himself because he was so devastated. Overall, this proves that Sophocles creates a connection with both prophecy and Oedipus’s actions and they both are visioning things that are going to happen and they
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