Oedipus Rex

Name of Student
Name of Supervisor
Subject Code
DateOedipus Rex
The play Oedipus Rex has been constructed on the basis of a Theban myth. Sophocles produced this masterpiece of classical tragedy in 429 BC with other two tragedies together as a trilogy. Most of the critics and playwrights since classical times have been epitomizing this tragedy to be a perfect instance of assembling all the elements of drama described by Aristotle. In this essay, the dramatic sequence of Oedipus Rex will be adjudged by a cosmic jury. The jury indicts King Oedipus and queen Jocasta for the catastrophe in this play. In fact, fate is the antagonist who executed its evil plans through King Oedipus. As the play reaches its ending, it becomes somewhat horrific and instead of generating cathartic feeling among the audience it makes them petrified. However, the cause of nemesis of Oedipus is his ignorance of past that heavily affects his present finally dooming his future.
The situation of King Oedipus can be perceived from two points of view. Firstly, time or fate or destiny keeps toying with the life of Oedipus without his knowledge. Every decision he made to escape his fatal destiny leads him towards it. In fact, according the Theban myth, Oedipus is predestined since the sinful act of kidnapping and raping Chrysippus by the Oedipus’s father Laius in his youth. This not only doomed Laius and Oedipus but also their following generations. Prophesies have been the driving forces of this play. …