ipl-logo

Oedipus Rex Rhetorical Analysis

1656 Words7 Pages

When the king of a large, important city is accused of performing an assassination, it is not surprising that the townspeople are overwhelmed with emotions. In an instance like this, the majority of people go through something similar to the grieving process, in which there are several stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. When King Oedipus of the city of Thebes in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is accused of murdering their former king, Laius, the Thebans are astonished and lost. Through the incorporation of imagery, diction, and other forms of figurative language, Sophocles conveys the gradual shifting of the civilian’s feelings on what has happened and how it contributes to their perception of fate. The people undergo …show more content…

They say that Tiresias is a “skilled prophet” (Sophocles 179) who “shatters [them] with terror” (Sophocles 179). By calling him “skilled”, the people believe in the skills of Tiresias, but shudder at the thought of his prediction that Oedipus is the killer. With regards to Tiresias prediction, they say “I can’t accept him, can’t deny him, don’t know what to say” (Sophocles 179). They recognize the skills of Tiresias, but are confused because they trust their king. This leaves them speechless. While they were boasting before about how they would find and hunt down the killer, they are now confused. This may be questioning whether this is really a matter of free will or if it is out of their hands. In addition, Sophocles unites the chorus by using the word “I” instead of viewing them as multiple people like before. By doing this, it shows that everyone is extremely confused and unsure of what to believe. Their belief in the skill of Tiresias as well as their belief that Oedipus is trustworthy leads them to come to no conclusion and take no action. This course of action is completely different from the first two sections of the ode. Instead of telling the gods to help them or wanting them to kill the murderer, they become unsure of what to do and are unable to exercise their free

Show More
Related

  • Brief Summary Of Killings By Andre Dubus

    492 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Killings”, Andre Dubus’ short story, revolves around a father who seeks vengeance against his son’s killer. The story is about the murders committed by Richard Strout and Matt Fowler in their attempt to get retribution and ease the pain in their hearts. The circle of killings is first caused by the murder of Matt Fowler’s son, Frank, by Richard, which leads to the retaliatory killing of Richard, by Matt. This infinite, unforgiving circle of killings and attempts at retribution is what Dubus portrays in a nonjudgmental view. The readers are left to see how the act of killing affects Richard and Matt and decide how much their retribution costs them.

    Read More

  • Oedipus The King Dialectical Journal

    224 Words  | 1 Pages

    For the meaningful coincidence,I remember in the book page 32 to 33, there is a paragraph. When Kafka meets Sakura on the bus, both of them agree that "even chance meetings . . . are the results of karma" and we know the things in life are fated by our previous lives, even in the smallest events there's no such thing as coincidence. So far as i know in this book, it’s talk about a 15 year old boy who ran away from home escaped a terrible to the prediction of the Oedipus complex, and maki, aging and illiterate idiot who never fully recover from the pain of the war.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Appeal In Oedipus The King

    299 Words  | 2 Pages

    The use of rhetorical appeal in Oedipus the Colonus is prominent, as it paves the way for the plot of the story. In this portion of the play Oedipus tries to appeal to the audience’s emotions by forcing them to empathize with his past horrors and misfortunes. Oedipus states” I have suffered terribly, Theseus, wrongs on wrongs, no end”(ll. 670-671). Thus, evoking sadness and extreme grief those reading or watching the play.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    833 Words  | 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar, Mark Antony uses rhetorical devices such as paralipsis, rhetorical questions, and verbal irony in his speech to the plebeians in order to plot them against the conspirators. During his speech to the plebians, Antony uses paralipsis in order to kindle curiosity and interest in the audience. Antony mentions to the plebians that he had Caesar’s will with him but tells them, “Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how much Caesar loved you” (3.2.152-153). By drawing attention to Caesar’s will, something Antony desperately wants to show the plebeians, but then dismissing the idea of reading it, Antony uses a type of verbal irony called paralipsis. Antony is aware that the contents

    Read More

  • Oedipus Rex Critical Lens Essay

    498 Words  | 2 Pages

    Critical Lens As said by Benjamin Disraeli in Contarini Fleming, “Circumstances are beyond the control of man; but his conduct is in his own power.” Although this quote originates from 1832, centuries before Oedipus the King was published, its logic can still be applied to Sophocles’ play. Disraeli is saying that no one can help the circumstances they are born in, but everyone has the capability to live how they want. At face-value, this may seem true; in the end everyone has the ability to make a decision. Yet, it is their circumstances that drive the choices people make.

    Read More

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Oedipus The King, By David Grene

    458 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Oedipus the king” translated by David Grene, a dialogue between different characters in which the idea of tone, attitude, and diction is amplified throughout this text using many rhetorical strategies and shifts supporting more emphasis to the text which brings it to life, as it also provides the tools for the audience to live through the text, and live through it’s reality. In the beginning as Oedipus mentions “I pity you, children” in a way it conveys not the the idea of sympathy, but the idea of sharing pain or close emotional feeling; providing the idea that words are often very good vehicles of communication. Oedipus uses children as a hook to grab people’s attention providing a patronizing yet audacious tone. As the text goes on Oedipus questions the priest “Why do you sit here with suppliant crowns?”

    Read More

  • Act Of Vengeance Analysis

    2126 Words  | 9 Pages

    Vengeance has been an ongoing problem for many centuries. In the long run, with the new generation, they have been following the same pattern to get revenge, without knowing the reasons why. If no one is willing to stop and think it over, to evaluate if it’s worth the risk, then the act of vengeance will be ongoing at the cost of many lives. Many people do not realize that having to avenge the death of a loved one will take so much time and patience in their lives. In the short story, “An Act of Vengeance,” by Isabel Allende, the issue involves a young girl who gets raped by Tadeo Cespedes, whom also killed her father on the same day.

    Read More

  • Othello Rhetoric Analysis

    1095 Words  | 5 Pages

    With the laws of Venice miles behind them, the characters of Othello seem to have entered a Hobbesian state of nature where anything is permissible so long as it furthers the individual interest. Indeed, upon arriving in Cyprus, the majority of the characters have lives that are “poor, nasty, brutish, and short” (Hobbes 76). Othello is the perfect illustration of the dangers of rhetoric. Iago exemplified the type of rhetoric that made the Greek demagogues threatening.

    Read More

  • Mood Messengers In Oedipus Rex

    1252 Words  | 6 Pages

    This blindness towards doom is made even more ironic by the fact that he was made king by his knowledge and insight. Oedipus was known as the person who solved the famous riddle of the Sphinx, a monster which terrorized the citizens. As the play proceed, we can see how much of a contrast between the two groups of character there is, even the messengers knows stuff that the king doesn’t. Sentences like “My son, it is clear that you don’t know what you are doing” (Sophocles 55) salutes to the ignorance of the supposedly “wise” king. Using words like “son”, Sophocles gives an sign that even the messenger It illustrates the flaws that exist in Oedipus, amplifies it by comparing him to other who are supposedly

    Read More

  • Oedipus Rex Argumentative Essay

    1378 Words  | 6 Pages

    1. Oedipus is a hero, but he represents most men at the same time. He has human characteristics and feelings, such as his curiosity towards the knowledge Teiresias possesses and his horror when he realizes his horrible actions. “If you know something about our pain tell us…Speak then! Tell us what will emerge.”

    Read More

  • Oedipus Rex Response Essay

    496 Words  | 2 Pages

    Oedipus Rex by Sophocles was the harder book to comprehend and finish my essay response because of the diction and the structure Sophocles put into it. The english language has changed drastically since 1949 which is the date 1984 by George Orwell was published. This can most likely be blamed on the development of “slang” terminology and other environmental impacts including a person’s education.

    Read More

  • Oedipus Rex Tragic Hero Essay

    409 Words  | 2 Pages

    Critic Northrop Frye claims that tragic heroes “seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them… Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning.” A perfect example of this assertion would be King Oedipus in the classical tragic play “Oedipus Rex,” written by Sophocles, where Oedipus, himself, becomes the victim of his doomed fate. As someone who was born and raised of royal blood, he becomes too proud and ignorant, believing that he was too powerful for his fate. Using the metaphor “great trees [are] more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass,” Frye compares the heroic but unfortunate Oedipus to the great trees as they both are apt to experience victimization of tragic situations

    Read More

  • Oedipus Rex Self Discovery Essay

    796 Words  | 4 Pages

    Brilliantly conceived and written, Oedipus Rex is a drama of self-discovery. Achieved by amazing compression and force by limiting the dramatic action to the day on which Oedipus learns the truth of his birth and his destiny is quite the thriller. The fact that the audience knows the dark secret that Oedipus unwittingly slew his true father and married his mother does nothing to destroy the suspense. Oedipus’s search for the truth has all the tautness of a detective tale, and yet because audiences already know the truth they are aware of all the ironies in which Oedipus is enmeshed. That knowledge enables them to fear the final revelation at the same time that they pity the man whose past is gradually and relentlessly uncovered to him.

    Read More

  • Contextual Criticism In Oedipus The King

    965 Words  | 4 Pages

    Contextual criticism is used in text to gain a better understanding, along with more knowledge of the text. In “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles and “The Night Face up” by Julio Cortazar. Criticizing these texts contextual for their content will help the reader have intelligent and knowledgeable interpretation of the stories. Using historical events, life experience and looking at the dominant culture we can find the context of certain passages enhances and creates a more accurate reading experience. This validates that contextual criticism is vital to a accurate and more intelligent interpretation of a text.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Hubris In Oedipus Rex

    1286 Words  | 6 Pages

    Oedipus Rex Henry Rollins once stated, “Weakness is what brings ignorance, cruelty, and pride, all these things that will keep a society chained to the ground, one foot nailed to the floor.” In Sophocles play Oedipus Rex, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, weakness is his fate. Throughout the play, Oedipus is trying to outrun his fate because he feels the gods are subordinate to his powerful figure. Oedipus is seen as a god throughout Thebes because he defeated the mighty Sphinx, who was once haunting over the city. After defeating the Sphinx, Oedipus took over as king by killing his father and coupling his mother as his hubris blinded him from reality.

    Read More

More about Oedipus Rex Rhetorical Analysis

Open Document