Oedipus_Rex

Oedipus Rex The basic theme of Oedipus Rex is the irony of fate. No mortal man, no matter how powerful and wealthy, can be pronounced happy until he is dead; for no man, however wise, knows what tomorrow will bring. This is the burden of the last complete choral song and of the last lines of the play (which are sometimes called spurious). Oedipus confesses that he killed a man at the crossroads in anger. He has angry clashes with Teiresias and Creon. Oedipus is guilty of pride and temper, injustice as a ruler and an unorthodox attitude toward seers and oracles. However (l.1329), after the catastrophe, although Oedipus cites Apollo as the author of his misfortune, he does not charge the god with cruelty or injustice. Dramatic irony, the irony of fate, is the most important element in the play. It begins with the first appearance of Oepidus in his kingly robes and with his first words,”I myself have come hither, Oedipus, famous among all men.” The pitiful townspeople have appealed for aid to the one who is in reality the cause of their misfortune. Teiresias is the blind man who sees, Oedipus the seeing man who is blind. Oedipus welcomes the information Creon brought him oedipus, rex, man, king, play, irony, however, teiresias, raised, prince, murderer, mother, misfortune, men, lines, leader, last, laius, killed, injustice, great, first, father, fate, creon, come, called, born, blind, being, because, apollo, among, about, zeal, yet, wretched