Oedipus Rex Essay

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Oedipus Rex: Oedipus vs. Jocasta Date: 17/07/2011 In the play Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses a variation of situations to show the theme tragedy and how it relates to each character. The characters Jocasta and Oedipus are both characters of tragedy, but individually they deal with different levels of tragic elements. Oedipus, the main character of the play, portrays numerous elements of tragedy which lead him to his down fall. In comparison to Jocasta, Oedipus shows a lot more of these elements; hubris, hamartia, retribution and catharsis. In his play Oedipus, Sophocles proves, through the flaws and actions of Oedipus and Jocasta that no human can alter their fate and that man’s tragedy is formulated by several conscious acts. A demanding and curious nature can lead to a characters downfall. In this play, Sophocles uses Oedipus as a great example of Hubris; when he tries to deny his fate. "Yea, I am wroth, and will not stint my words, But speak my whole mind. Thou methinks thou art he, Who planned the crime, aye, and performed it too, All save the assassination; and if thou Hadst not been blind, I had been sworn to boot That thou alone didst do the bloody deed". (Sophocles, 345-350). In that quote, Oedipus was determined to make the prophet Teiresias speak which then leads him to falsely accusing the prophet. The whole point of his (Oedipus) quest full of hubris was to find Laius's murderer in order to save Thebes. In comparison, Jocasta (His mother)-full of hubris, but for a just reason-criticizes and distrusts the prophecies. The whole time Jocasta rightly believes that her son is dead and at the same time she wants to believe that the prophecy is incorrect because it seemed very disturbing and painful. Oedipus would be the more tragic character because his hubris had no justification unlike Jocasta who had a good reason to
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