Oedipus Rex Essay, Research Paper

Oedipus Rex*Question 1*Dramatic sarcasm plays a big portion in the prowess of Sophocles & # 8217 ; Oedipus, making a particular dramatic tenseness. For illustration, when Oedipus says: And for the adult male that slew him [ Laius ] .. I lay this expletive upon him, that the wretchIn misery and wretchedness may populate. ( 1 ) Since we, the audience, know that Oedipus is the slayer, we see him puting himself up for the autumn. We can besides see sarcasm in Jocasta & # 8217 ; s denial of prognostication: & # 8230 ; the prophetic artTouches our human lucks non at all. ..an prophet one time came to Laius.. His destiny it was, that should he hold a sonBy me, that boy would take his male parent & # 8217 ; s life. ..Apollo failed & # 8230 ; ( 2 ) Subsequently, she counsels Oedipus: Why should we fear, seeing that adult male is ruledBy chance.. No, live at random, live as best one can. ( 3 ) Therefore, we can see Oedipus and Jocasta create their ain calamities, and draw themselves farther into their destinies, even as they deny them. *Question 2*Light and dark seem to play an of import portion in Oedipus Rex. Early in the drama, Oedipus is king and hero of Thebes ; he is & # 8220 ; in the limelight, & # 8221 ; and his universe is bright and chiseled. In fact, Oedipus seems to hold nil but disdain for the darkness: Oedipus: & # 8230 ; You are unsighted, in eyes and ears and encephalon and everything. Tiresias: You & # 8217 ; ll non bury those abuses that you throw At me, when all work forces throw the same at you. OEDIPUS: You live in darkness ; you can make no injury To me, or to any adult male that has eyes. ( 4 ) Subsequently, nevertheless, as grounds of the truth saddle horses, Oedipus comments:

I greatly fear that prophesier was non unsighted & # 8230 ; ( 5 ) Finally, as he begins to accept his destiny, Oedipus recognizes that his bright and fantastic universe has come to an terminal: Ah God! Ah God! This is the truth, at last! O Sun, allow me lay eyes on thee this one time more. ( 6 ) Finally, he recognizes that his destiny is upon him, ineluctable: O cloud of darkness detestable, My enemy indefinable, In barbarous oncoming insurmountable. ( 7 ) Therefore, Oedipus, who began the drama in celebrity and daytime ( and therefore, presumptively, in the good graces of Apollo ) , ends it in opprobrium and darkness ; it is this contrast which makes the drama so absorbing. *Question 5*While there are those who would reason, it seems obvious that Oedipus Rex is meant to be, at least slightly, a deterministic drama. The lone guilty parties here would look to be Laius and Jocasta, who defied the warnings of the Oracle by holding kids in the first topographic point. Once they had a boy, the warnings of the Gods inexorably took topographic point, irrespective of the best attempts of all involved. In fact, the drama serves to demo us the foolishness of disregarding the advice of prophets, visionaries, and holy work forces ; whenever person in the drama ignores the Oracle, or belittles Tiresias, they bring themselves closer to their ain devastation. Therefore, non surprisingly, the drama serves to reenforce the beliefs and traditions of the society from whence it came. *Footnotes* ( 1 ) Types of Play: Plaies and Essays, 6th Ed. ; Barnet, Berman, and Burto ; HarperCollins 1993, P. 53 ( 2 ) Ibid. , P. 59 ( 3 ) Ibid. , p. 63 ( 4 ) Ibid. , p. 54 ( 5 ) Ibid. , P. 60 ( 6 ) Ibid. , P. 66 ( 7 ) Ibid. , P. 67