The Themes Conveyed By Oedipus - 1310 Words

(Davis, 1) Title: The Themes Conveyed By Oedipus Prompt: Playwrights employ their characters to embody themes they wish to promote (about life, love, disappointments) throughout the dramas they write. Choose ONE character, examine the theme(s) the character carries, and show how Sophocles uses that character to make clear the ideas he wishes to convey. Work: Oedipus Rex (Davis, 2) The play starts with an important piece of cultural information in the form of the quote â€Å"I thought it wrong, my children, to hear the truth from others, messengers. Here I am myself—you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus† (1, Fagels). This quote shows how the story of Oedipus did not originate with Shophicles but is deeply enrooted in ancient Greek culture by oral repetition of the classic myth. The most apparent character carried themes are those carried by the protagonist Oedipus. Throughout the play Oedipus shows that one must maintain ignorance to also be happy and that one’s fate will also prevail. Both these themes are deeply rooted into Greek culture. Oedipus takes up the task in the beginning of the play to find his predecessor killer as requested by the people of Thebes in the chorus lines â€Å"You who set our beloved land—storm-tossed, shattered—straight on course. Now again, good helmsman, steer us through the storm† (8, Fagles). This formidable task takes Oedipus down a path that sheds light on his dark past. This task starts with Oedipus condemning theShow MoreRelatedOedipus As A Tragic Hero1445 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough not all who wander or deviate from the path are lost, some clearly are. When Oedipus, the eponymous character of Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex, first learns that he is destined to kill his father and marry his mother, he abandons his home intent on never returning in order to avoid meeting his fate. 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