The Many Traits Of Oedipus Rex Essay

, Research Paper

Oedipus Rex

A Man of Many Traits

All characters in pieces of English literature portray their ain character traits which makes them and the narrative what they are. In Sophocle s renowned drama Oedipus Rex there is no exclusion when it comes to the chief character Oedipus. From the beginning until the terminal Oedipus piousness, assurance, and ground are portrayed leting everyone to see his positive side. These traits nevertheless are taken over severally by impiousness, passion and a deficiency of assurance. These negative traits tend to demo when his pride is being threatened.

Oedipus places himself on a changeless degree with the Gods yet for the most portion he holds extreme regard for them. He non merely believes this himself but besides is placed near to the Gods by other people such as priests and the people of Thebes. As to the adult male surest in mortal ways and wisest in the manner of Gods. ( 37-38 ) Although he holds himself on a changeless degree with the Supreme beings he does so out of regard for himself and the Gods. Merely when his pride is threaten does he admit himself as being better so Gods. A Gods touch, it seems enabled you to assist us. ( 42 ) By this no one means any discourtesy to the Gods yet they do see Oedipus as being close to them. Oedipus is seen to hold saved their town from the Sphinx, became king and now is determined to revenge Laois decease. This puts him at a degree of high regard among his people.

Oedipus is non merely a adult male of assurance, he is a adult male of ground for the most portion. It is honest to believe and move with ground instead so passion and Oedipus does so to a certain extent. When Oedipus hears of the awful expletive laid on his metropolis, he swears to work out it. The first clip that he is confronted about the slaying he reacts with rigorous ground and avoids reasoning at all costs. I was non kiping, you are non waking me. ( 67 ) Oedipus is seting clear thought into the instance and is patching the parts together rationally. Then one time more I must convey what is dark to light. ( 135 ) The chief concer of Oedipus at this clip is that his metropolis be healed. His would wish to work out the slaying of Laios and have the metropolis back to normal with him being in power. Oedipus continues to move moderately until his pride is threatened and the guilt is turned in his favour.

Oedipus holds a high sum of assurance in himself. This nevertheless is non a bad thing yet it is a good trait for Oedipus. He realizes his topographic point in society and is non ashamed of it. I Oedipus who bear the celebrated name. ( 9 ) When Kreon and Oedipus begin to reason, Oedipus reveals his assurance by saying that already knows what Kreon has planned and that it is against him. ( 509-510 ) Although this could be seen as a province of passion, it clearly states that Oedipus is so confident in himself that he can keep himself above Kreon regardless of the negative result.

Oedipus, the simple adult male, who knows nothing- I thought

it out myself, no birds helped me! And this is the adult male

you think you can destruct / ( 385-387 )

Oedipus clearly takes his assurance to a really high degree when he states that he is such a good adult male that non even the birds had to assist him work out the Sphinx. He sees himself as a adult male who can non be defeated. This is the trait that makes him such a strong King yet such a weak one at the same clip.

When Oedipus pride is threatened, irrespective of whom does it, it causes Oedipus positive traits to be devoured by negative 1s. His piousness is taken over by impiousness, his ground by passion, and his assurance turns around to demo a deficiency of assurance in himself. At the point when Oedipus realizes that he may be in the incorrect his pride is hurt. This causes him to turn to be the negative Oedipus. He demonstrates minutes of impiousness, passion, and deficiency of assurance in himself.

Oedipus pride is really high. He holds a really big sum of pride in himself and for these grounds he places himself above the Gods. His impious nature is revealed from the start when he states that although he is non a God he can carry through their responsibilities. Is this your supplication? It may be answered. ( 205 ) When it comes to the conundrum of the Sphinx, Oedipus once more places himself on a degree higher so the Gods. Kreon threatens Oedipus pride by saying that he is no good and that he will shortly recognize this. Oedipus so merely states that he has the ability to work out the sphinx without the God s aid. I thought it out myself, no birds helped me! ( 385-387 ) Nitrogen

ot merely did he disrespect the Gods, he challenged Kreon to see who is a more capable adult male. Although Oedipus is a really good leader, his impious nature leads him to be a lesser adult male. After Oedipus learns the truth he so blames the Gods for following through with his destiny. He about begs an reply from them by inquiring so what they have done to him. ( 1282 ) The Gods see him as disrespectful. His pride and certitude cause him to move impious and disrespectful.

Oedipus carries so much pride in himself that when it becomes hurt or threatened he tends to believe and move out of passion instead so ground. No, I will non travel on. Fury as you please. ( 330 ) Oedipus begins traveling against Teiresias and starts an statement, it is easy to state who is moving out of ground or passion and it is decidedly clear that Oedipus is moving out of passion. Not merely is Teiresias following to the Gods, he is a adult male of ground and Oedipus in his right province would cognize non to be so rash towards him. Through Kreon showing his positions towards Oedipus and the slaying, Oedipus pride is non merely ache but besides threatened. He begins moving out of passion. Although Oedipus is moving out of passion, Kreon remains sensible, which aggravates Oedipus even more. When Oedipus is told to Reason it out ( 553 ) it sets him off and Kreon is left the lone sensible 1.

You do incorrect

When you take good work forces for bad, bad work forces for good.

A true friend thrown aside-why, life itself is non more

Cherished! ( 580-583 )

When Oedipus pride is eventually demolished by the truth of what happened, he acts out of passion runing down Iokasta to be murdered. Although she was non to fault, Oedipus was non believing moderately and was moving out of passion instead so ground. From one to another of us he went, imploring a blade, runing the married woman who was non his married woman ( 1222, 1223 ) There is no uncertainty that Oedipus ground is controlled by the province of his pride. When his pride is integral, Oedipus remains sensible, yet when it is threatened he becomes a adult male who acts entirely out of passion. His ground disappears and his good traits turn to negative 1s.

Oedipus assurance is a trait that decidedly makes the adult male. He figures that he has overcome an figure of obstructions and has every right to be confident in himself. However when his pride is being threatened he begins to lose his assurance in himself. He realizes that he is non a kid of fortune. ( 37 ) At the clip that Oedipus realizes the truth he besides realizes that the pride he held in himself was faithlessly. This set him off and the deficiency of assurance in himself was evident.

Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his matrimony

damned, Damned in the blood he shed with his

ain manus. ( 1139-1140 )

He went from believing that he was the all mighty King Oedipus to recognizing that he is nil more than damned. He has no assurance in himself and he sees himself as nil more so a waste of tegument.

Why did you shelter me? When I was cast upon

you, why did I non decease? Then I should ne’er hold

Shown the universe my deplorable birth.

Oedipus realized all the incorrect he had committed when he was informed of the truth. He lost all assurance in himself and realized how roseola he had been. Oedipus was decidedly ashamed in himself.

From the beginning of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus piousness, ground and assurance are portrayed leting everyone to see his positive side. However as Oedipus pride is hurt or threatened his negative traits severally take over. His piousness becomes impiousness, his ground turns to passion and his assurance leads to a deficiency of assurance in himself. Oedipus begins as a well-respected adult male yet his pride seems to do all of his negative traits. Pride prevented him to believe what the truth may be which led him to move impious every bit good as out of passion. He lost his sense of ego worth and became the thing he hated the most. Overall Oedipus had the possible to be great leader and if it wasn T for him necessitating the sense of pride so he would hold realized the truth a batch Oklahoman and accepted it. Although he began by moving in a positive mode, the positive actions prevented him to believe and caused his ruin. Oedipus, being the tragic hero that he is falls into bad luck because of such defects in his character. However these traits made Oedipus what he is and hence at some point in his life he was a great adult male.

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