Preview

Oedipus Rex Analysis Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1731 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Oedipus Rex Analysis Essay
The chorus play an important role throughout the play, they not only set up various scenes, but they represent the collective moods and feelings that are supposed to be felt at the time. When the chorus mourns, the audience mourn. They are also the voice of reason, clarity and sense, attributes to which we cannot associate with Oedipus. And so they play a vital role, connecting his actions back to the play. A way to describe the chorus, would be that they're the collective conscious of ‘the people' of Thebes, but they also act as guardians. For although they are seen appealing to Oedipus to help them, they in turn have to help the king, they represent the faith that the city has in him.
The chorus appears mainly in sections of the play in which mood is ambiguous, their comments add to the continuity of speech. This gives us insight into the episodic structure of the play. For we can see that some paragraphs like the accusation of Teiresias and Creon are bound by the soothing comments of the chorus. This structure is evident in that it has separate events separated by the mediation of the chorus. This is essential as it allows us to view the way the mystery unfolds unto Oedipus, thus adding to the dramatic effect.

When the play opens, the city of Thebes is wasting away under a plague that has destroyed their fields and left their women barren. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, has sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to ask the house of Apollo to ask the oracle how to put an end to the plague. Creon returns, bringing good news. Hearing this, Oedipus swears he will find the murderer and expel them from the land. Oedipus asks the people of Thebes if any of them have any knowledge concerning the king's death. The Chorus proposes that Oedipus confer with Teiresias, a blind prophet. Oedipus informs them that he has already sent for Teiresias.
This opening passage, like much of the play, is about the feeling of strength, ego and power, as well as the notion of control. King

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Faith In Oedipus Rex Essay

    • 1492 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Oedipus Rex had many different ironies portrayed throughout the play. Some would say faith played a huge part of the story also. Oedipus rex was a tale of a man that had to overcome adversity through his journey. His parents left him as an infant and never looked backed. As the time went on he got older and wiser. When he got older an oracle told him that he was going to kill his father and impregnate his mother. These were the two main ironies portrayed in the story. The slaughter of Oedipus’ father, the incestual relationship with his mother, and his faith of being able to defy fate played a huge role in Oedipus Rex.…

    • 1492 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The theme seems to be about human pride. Oedipus arrogantly says to the Chorus, “You pray to the Gods? Let me grant your prayers” (Oedipus the King), it clearly shows how he saw himself, someone higher than the Gods.. Throughout the entire work Oedipus thought that he could resolve the plague of Thebes. Even though Oedipus tried to solve the plague, he did not realize that he himself was the problem. He failed to realize that he was the problem. He lacked knowledge, which was another down fall of Oedipus. Oedipus seemed not to know himself, yet he seemed pretty sure of himself. For example, current day the USA is in debt. The government believes they can solve the problem by raising the cost for Americans, or spending more to try to get back more, but they do not realize that doing certain things like that actually hinder America, and fail to see they are the cause of the problem instead of being a part of the solution. The message in Oedipus the King will always relate to human in current day, because no one is perfect, we all have flaws. It can also go to say that pride or ego can blind…

    • 691 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Essay

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages

    rule of thebes: "What is it that walks on 4 feet and 2 feet and 3 feet…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus is being accused by the first man of chorus who says to him ‘’ let…

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Like all Greek tragedies Oedipus is set around only one setting, here it’s outside the Kingdom where the citizens of Thebes and the chorus of the Theban councillors all gather in hope of Oedipus’s wisdom. The stage is set out in a fixed stage, with the kingdom stage left and the entrance of visitors from outside the Kingdom stage right reflecting upon status in the play. At the beginning the citizens all gather from around the palace, each group of citizens seem to be symbolising a significant decade in the past where something incredibly devastating as happened. They show this in their weak movement and aged costumes. However they are complied by a priest who seems to be leading them to the Palace, it’s a very tragic scene as we emotionally feel the negativity of the citizens in the Kingdom, aurally we hear a very obscure in some ways frightening music that adds to the mysteriousness. As well as the darkness and misty setting we visually find ourselves in, symbolising morning.…

    • 1288 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Continuing on his way, Oedipus found Thebes plagued by the Sphinx, who put a riddle to all passersby and destroyed those who could not answer. Oedipus solved the riddle, and the Sphinx killed herself. In reward, he received the throne of Thebes and the hand of the widowed queen, his mother, Jocasta. They had four children: Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone, and Ismene. Later, when the truth became known, Jocasta committed suicide, and Oedipus, after blinding himself, went into exile, leaving his brother-in-law Creon as regent. The central theme in this work is that one cannot control his/her fate, whether the intentions are good or bad. Oedipus, the main character in this play is motivated to find the truth, and his intentions are good. The motivation is always followed by the intentions, just as the truth is followed by goodness. There are three critical parts to Oedipus’s motivation. There is the prophecy, the realization, and the revelation. They will be discussed consecutively.…

    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The ability to see is a much more complex ability than just the physical attribute. Most individuals have the ability to see physically but are blind to the reality of certain circumstances. In the play, “Oedipus the King” by Plato, Oedipus, the tragic hero, is not a blind man but cannot see the reality in the outcome of trying to escape his given fate.…

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Rex

    • 623 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Oedipus Rex is written in a dramatic rather than a narrative form. When watching or reading this tragedy, the audience needs to think about what the author is trying to say through the character. Everything is written in a harder more complex way. When Oedipus talks about what he will do to the murderer or to whomever is hiding the murder, he is being dramatic. He describes everything he is going to do in a specific way. This is dramatic irony because Oedipus is the murder. An excellent quote is “listen to me, act as the crisis demands, and you shall have relief from all these evils” (Sophocles 211).This is an exceptional quote because it shows power and command. When the chorus speaks they talk dramatically so the audience can tell what Thebes is feeling. A quote from the…

    • 623 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Trust In Oedipus Rex

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages

    At the beginning of the passage, the chorus seemingly apologizes in advance to the gods for the things they are about to say, “Destiny guide me always Destiny find me filled with reverence pure in word and deed.” (954-956). This shows that the chorus is making a sort of promise to the gods that they will never stop fearing and believing them. Even if the prophecies debasing Oedipus do not come true, as the chorus is hoping they wont, the god “does not grow old” (962-963). The first stanza is a reclamation and binding of faith forever between the people and the gods.…

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus King Chorus

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The chorus act as the citizens of Thebes in the play. In their prayer to the gods at the beginning they explain the setting in detail " Beyond all telling, the city reeks with death in her streets, death-bringing. Non weeps and her children die, none by to pity mother at ever alter kneel. Golden Athena, come near to your crying! Apollo hear us and heal!" this chant of the chorus, gives us (the audience) a detailed description of the background, as we can see the images of women kneeling to prayer to the gods, death and mourning of the people of Thebes, it gives us insight into everyday Theben life. When Teiresias reveals to us that it is Oedipus that is the cause of the plagues and he alone is the one that brings destruction to Thebes, we are shocked. As we see Oedipus as an intelligent and kind man from the care and kindness that he shows the people of Thebes. So the chorus, seeing this dilemma tries to analyse the information that has been…

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Thebes was the only location mentioned in this play thus making it significant.All the events occurred in front of this palace in Ancient Greece.At the beginning the plague has confounded the civilians causing them to meet outside of Oedipus’s palace.Before Oedipus had conquered the Spinx riddle they were suffering and pleading for the god's Athena,Apollo,and Artemis.The people state that although the war is now over they do suffer still and are in need for an abundance of supplies for the commoners (mainly mothers) (lines 185-190)…

    • 85 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Greek Theatre

    • 324 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The chorus in the play gives the audience a summary of the central theme, tragedy. “Not to be born is best / when all is reckoned in, but once a man has seen the light / the next best thing, by far, is to go back / where he came from” (1388–1391). Irony is integrated within the words of this passage as Oedipus went “back” precisely“where he came from”—Jocasta’s womb…

    • 324 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Chorus in Greek tragedy was a large group (it is suggested between 12 and 30) of people who sang or chanted songs and poems that helped set the scene of the play, bring the audience up to date with the events preceding the play and inform the audience of any political or social consequences of events within the play. As Greek drama progressed, the writers of tragedies began to use the Chorus more as a character in its own right, with feelings and opinions. The Chorus were witnesses to the tragedy, but also often encouraged the tragedy to happen, incensing the characters and prompting them to act .…

    • 3350 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The chorus in Antigone is composed of Theban men who were summoned by the newly crowned king Creon. Its interaction was mainly with Creon. Sophocles has shown a relation between the chorus and Creon, both being old and wise men of Thebes. They are introduced rejoicing the victory of Thebes over Argos. As the play develops they get actively involved commenting on every action and decision of the main actors. Its support wavers from Creon to Antigone during the course of the play.…

    • 1410 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Oedipus Rex

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In this section, the chorus is talking about the life of Oedipus. They are explaining of how he was the greatest of men, and how he solved the famous riddle; however, after realizing that he killed Laius, he was left a miserable man, who was banished from his kingdom. Oedipus himself thought that he was the happiest and most powerful man; however, his actions and fate decided that he would die a miserable person.…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays