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Sophocles 'Oedipus The King'

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Sophocles 'Oedipus The King'
The Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles is a play about a Greek emperor who was brought to ruin and had no one to blame other then his character. This Greek emperor embodied all traits' a ruler in his position would be blessed to have. Oedipus was a compassionate honest man who cared for the people he lead. Even as wonderful of a leader as he was, Oedipus was brought to his ruin because of his anger, impatience and blindness of fate.

In the first part of Oedipus the King, Oedipus sent his brother-in-law Creon to the temple of Phoebus to ask the Lord Apollo for help with his kingdom. As Creon takes longer than expected to return, the reader comes to realize that Oedipus is an impatient man. "Already, when I think what day this is, I wonder …show more content…
He got more than he gave. Abruptly – struck once by the staff in this my hand – he tumbled out, head first, from the middle of the carriage. (810-815)

If Oedipus had not reacted in such extreme anger to this road rage incident the outcome would have been much different. More so than his anger, Oedipus was primarily brought to ruin by his blindness to fate.

The only thing missing from the prophecy was that Oedipus was to marry his mother. Although Jocasta, Oedipus's wife, was old enough to be his mother Oedipus was sure that he knew who his mother was. Soon enough the reader comes to realizes that Oedipus was in fact adopted, and the woman who raised him not his biological mother. Jocasta realizes that once the truth is revealed about Oedipus's biological mother, their lives would be ruined forever. Jocasta begs Oedipus to stop searching for the truth, but his hubris pride is too strong. JOCASTA: No, listen to me! Please! Don't do this thing! OEDIPUS: I will not listen; I will search out the truth. JOCASTA: My thinking is for you – it would be best. OEDIPUS: This best of yours is starting to annoy me.
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