Oedipus Draft One Essay

Submitted By Melissa-Munoz
Words: 739
Pages: 3
Open Document
The proper balance between the common good and the interest of an individual is a delicate one. Humans tend to allow common good to trump the individual interest when those interests interfere with what one believes is right for society. In a free society however, common good should be impose upon the individuals interest only to the extent where citizens allow it, without feeling that the restrictions and laws imposed are unreasonable upon their lives. In the Greek tragedy Oedipus the Tyrant, Oedipus realizes that the answer to his quest, of finding out who the murder of the last king of Thebes is and expelling the polluting presence either by execution or exile, may end up in his own demise but he continues either way because he feels that as a King it is his duty to resolve the curse enacted upon the people of Thebes and punish whoever committed the crime. Such compassion and selflessness for his people is not a usual characteristic of mankind, therefore a balance between ones interest and common good must be found in a society.
In the play Oedipus is classified as a tyrant who rules outside of conventional order; at first he is concerned with himself but through hardships he learns to care about the people at heart. When the play opens, the hardships that Thebes is experiencing are explained, Oedipus being the great ruler he is, is swift upon deciding what he must do, solve the mystery of the kings death and exile the murderer. Oedipus begins his quest to solving this mystery with the help of his brother in law Creon; at first we see Oedipus great effort in looking for the murderer, he fails to realize how close he is to knowing who committed the crime. The plot develops often refers to his upbringing throughout the play and mentions how he has earned his privileges through his merits. Noting has been handed down to him. Because of his nobility the Corinthians and Thebans admire him as a their hero. Oedipus does not realize Laius is his father because he believes Polybus is his true father. -As the play evolves, Oedipus finds that Polybus has died, he feels relieved because the burden of his fate is over since his father has died. On the contrary his troubles are just beginning when the prophet Teiresias reveals, that he is the land’s pollution. He explains to Oedipus that Polybus is not his real father. Oedipus’ predetermined fate and growing pride, both stem from his noble birth, unfortunately led to his demise as a ruler and his eventual banishment from Thebes. -Oedipus was so wise that he was able to solve the riddle of the Sphinx and people proclaimed him king. He used his knowledge and did not expect
Show More

Related Documents: Oedipus Draft One Essay

Oedipus vs. Hamlet: a Character Comparison Essay example

paper is the rough draft version. There are grammatical errors and other such errors in it. Oedipus vs. Hamlet: A Character Comparison After reading Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Shakespeare's Hamlet, it is quiet clear that Oedipus is by far the more admirable character of the two. Aside from Oedipus' history and life experience, his superior character traits are also displayed in the way he handles several incidents throughout the play. One of the primary reasons Oedipus' is more admirable…

Words 1074 - Pages 5

Essay about high school

literary period and choose texts. You must choose one text that we read this year, and you must choose a text that you read in a previous year. The Beginnings 12th grade options (choose one): Oedipus the King or “The Allegory of the Cave” Other option(s): The Odyssey The Middle Ages 12th grade options (choose one): excerpt from Dante’s Inferno, Everyman You must read (unless you took honors in 9th grade, which means you’ve already read them) one of the following short texts (see me for copies):…

Words 973 - Pages 4

Essay On Macbeth As A Tragic Hero

Literature has seen many tragic heroes throughout time. From Medea to Oedipus, and then to Macbeth, all three of these famous literary characters have one thing in common: the possession of a tragic flaw that leads to their downfall. While some people may believe that tragic heroes only exist in literature, when taking a deep enough look into the lives of famous political figures, one can see that people such as Bill Clinton and many others can fall into this category as well. The Tragedy of Macbeth…

Words 1405 - Pages 6

second sex Essay

English translation in 1953 by H.M. Parshley (New York: Knopf) Vintage Books paperback edition 1989 Introduction and Conclusion C.S. 204 AMERICAN UNIERSITY OF BEIRUT 1 THE SECOND SEX (Introduction and Conclusion) INTRODUCTION BOOK ONE: Part I Part II Part III FACTS AND MYTHS DESTINY HISTORY MYTHS BOOK TWO: Part IV Part V Part VI Part VI WOMAN'S LIFE TODAY THE FORMATIVE YEARS SITUATION JUSTIFICATIONS TOWARD LIBERATION CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION FOR A LONG…

Words 13788 - Pages 56