Реферат: Oedipus The King Essay Research Paper Even

Oedipus was just trying to find himself. He grew up thinking that his

parents were Polybus and Merope, the king and queen of Corinth, until some guy

who had a few too many at a banquet told him they weren?t. This sparked

Oedipus? curiosity and he went to the oracle of Apollo to find out the truth.

However, the oracle only told him he?d kill his dad and marry his mom. Upon

hearing this, he surely wasn?t going home in the hope of preventing this from

happening. So he decided to start anew and on his way he ran into an old man and

his servants who tried to run him off the road. He killed them in self-defense,

except for one. Little did Oedipus know he had just killed his real father who had

abandoned him at birth.

Oedipus continued his journey and came to Thebes, where he defeated the

Sphinx, winning the new position of king and husband to Jocasta, his real mother.

The prophecy of Apollo had come true, without anyone knowing. Poor Oedipus

had no idea what he was doing. He was just trying to live his life. He had no

control over the situation, and if he had known who his biological parents were,

I?m sure he never would?ve killed and/or married them.

I pictured Oedipus as tall and muscular with curly brown hair, always

dressed in a stereotypical toga, reminiscent of the times.

Oedipus was a round character because he was just, innocent, and

good-hearted, yet he was extremely stubborn and headstrong. He was also a

developing character because he changed throughout the course of the story. In

the beginning and middle, he adamantly refused to believe he could possibly be

the terrible man he?s accused of. Yet, in the end he finally does come to realize

the truth about his past.

The central theme in Oedipus the King was, ?Don?t try to control your

fate.? This theme not only applied to Oedipus, but also to Laius. When Laius

heard of his son?s disgraceful future and the costly effect it had on him, he tried to

alter his own fate. As a result of Laius? meddling, Jocasta and himself were

unhappy because they had no son and in the end, the prophecy came true.