Oedipus Rex/Oedipus the King Themes
Oedipus Rex was written by Sophocles. In this play, various themes are discussed. The major themes are:
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Fate versus free will:
Oedipus could have avoided his tragedy if he had controlled his anger and stubbornness. He murdered Laius because of his anger. Then, he found the truth for being stubborn. So Oedipus' free will influenced the incidents that he wanted to avoid.
Guilt and shame:
Oedipus felt guilt and shame due to his foul acts. He didn't know the person he murdered was his father. Plus, he was also unaware that he married his mother and had illegal children. After knowing the truth, he felt guilt & shame for his actions. The theme of guilt and shame is dominant near the end of the play. Plus, his mother, Jocasta, was also ashamed of her marriage with Oedipus, so she committed suicide in the play.
Sight versus blindness:
Throughout the play, before the revelation of the truth, Oedipus believed that he knew very well what he was doing. He was a proud king. And he also taunted Tieresias for his blindness. But in reality, the prophet was the seer because he knew why the city (Thebes) was suffering from the plague. Therefore, despite his blindness, he knew the real identity of Oedipus that the king was unaware of or couldn't see.
Conclusion:
So, that’s all about Oedipus Rex/Oedipus the King themes. I hope you liked my content. If you have any questions or concerns, let me know via my contact form or email address on the website.