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The King's Credibility In Oedipus Rex By Sophocles

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Oedipus Rex, a play written by Sophocles, is an Athenian tragedy that takes place in the city of Thebes. The play starts off in the middle of a deadly plague, that is triggered by the death and shame of an unpunished murderer of the former king of Thebes, Laius. When the priests come to seek for help to the new king, Oedipus notes that he has already sent Creon to the oracles in order to get answers from the gods. Furthermore, when the chorus suggest that Oedipus should consult Tiresias, an old prophet, he has also already sent for him. Since Oedipus is in search for his truth, he is a man of unceasing action. In Greek mythology, Oedipus’ trait of being able to decide and act quickly was seen as something honorable. However, because of his liability to act quickly, Oedipus leads himself to his own destruction. …show more content…

Since Creon is more pragmatic and is not willing to take action, Oedipus takes action and threatens Tiresias to speak the truth. Once revealing the truth to Oedipus, he is quick to accuse Tiresias of being a false prophet and the murderer himself. “Know, I suspect you joined to hatch the deed;/Yea, did it--all but slaying with your own hands;/And if you were not blind, I should aver/The act was your work only,” (p. 15). Oedipus is quick to find someone who is culpable and in this situation it happens to be Tiresias. On doing so, Oedipus does not reflect on how his actions are causing him to dishonor the gods. Because Tiresias was a person through whom a god was believed to speak, and Oedipus did not believe Tiresias, Oedipus was seeking for the gods to take revenge on him as a consequence of his own

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