Oedipus Rex Research Paper

Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles is a well known Greek tragedy, that is read by millions around the world. Oedipus flaws lead to his status as a character, and as a king. His flaws also led to his downfall as the king of Thebes. Oedipus has many flaws, the major ones are how he was very arrogant, selfish, and having a very bad temper. These flaws led Oedipus to be seen as a static character. His bad temper led him to kill his biological father, he was on his way to Thebes when he was run off the road. The carriage with King Laius ran Oedipus off the road, he overreacted and brutally murdered King Laius and his men. Oedipus was leaving Corinth, due to an oracle that was given to him by the Greek god Apollo at Delphi. He gets to Thebes and

He did not realize his flaws like arrogance, having a bad temper, and selfishness. Once Tiresias gets it through Oedipus’s thick skull that he was the one who killed King Laius, he takes one of the brooches from Jocasta’s dress and stabs his eyes out. After he blinds himself physically he feels pity for his two daughters, saying that no one will ever love them because they are the product of incest, he also says that his sons will make due because they are strong men. His downfall was that he was way to arrogant to put two and two together, and realize that he was the murderer whom need to either be exiled or killed, the prophecy that Jocasta and Laius got was the same that Oedipus got. After Oedipus is exiled Creon takes his place and becomes King of Thebes.

Oedipus’s inner blindness caused him to have a downfall as a king, his flaws such as arrogance, bad temper, and being very selfish caused him to be labeled as a static character. If Oedipus had not overreacted that one day where the three roads meet at Delphi, and killed King Laius and his men he would not have had to marry his biological mother, stab his own eyes out, nor would he have had to be