Significance of the Women in Oedipus Rex Essay - 2638 Words

Significance of the Women in Oedipus Rex Michael J. O’Brien in the Introduction to Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex, maintains that there is â€Å"a good deal of evidence to support this view† that the fifth century playwright was the â€Å"educator of his people† and a â€Å"teacher†. Sophocles in his tragedy, Oedipus Rex, teaches about â€Å"morally desirable attitudes and behavior,† (4) and uses three women to help convey these principles of living. This essay will explore the role of women in the drama, the attitude toward women therein, the involvement of women in plot development, and other aspects of women in Oedipus Rex. At the outset of Oedipus Rex no female characters are present; the reader sees a king†¦show more content†¦Not for some far-off kinsman, but myself, Shall I expel this poison in the blood; For whoso slew that king might have a mind To strike me too with his assassin hand. Oedipus, in his public proclamation regarding punishment for the killer of King Laius, shows more lenient treatment toward the guilty party if he confesses his crime: â€Å"I summon him to make clean shrift to me./And if he shrinks, let him reflect that thus /Confessing he shall scape the capital charge†. Oedipus, in his cross-examination of the holy man Teiresias, shows his mastery to be more human and less godlike: â€Å"Monster! thy silence would incense a flint. /Will nothing loose thy tongue? Can nothing melt thee, /Or shake thy dogged taciturnity?† The king is confronted with Teiresias’ accusation, â€Å"Thou art the man, /Thou the accursed polluter of this land,† and then another even more condemning accusation, â€Å"I say thou livest with thy nearest kin /In infamy, unwitting in thy shame.† But Creon’s mastery of the situation prevents his even glimpsing the truth; rather he suspects treachery, and thus accuses his brother-in-law, w ho appears in order to defend himself: â€Å"Friends, countrymen, I learn King Oedipus/ Hath laid against me a most grievous charge, /And come to you protesting.† TemperamentallyShow MoreRelatedComparing The Tragedy Of Sophocles And Henrik Ibsen1147 Words   |  5 Pageschained to what society told them to do. Oedipus Rex was a tragedy written by Sophocles around 429 BC. His tragedy portrayed Oedipus, a king who was strong, powerful and almighty just as a king should be - in common stories. Ibsen wrote a contemporary tragedy called A Doll’s House. Here he presented Nora, a housewife whose sole purpose in life was to grow up, get married and have kids. Though centuries apart these tragedies both convey the same problem. Both Oedipus’ and Nora’s worlds, though differentRead MoreMWD Oedipus Rex1701 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Title: Oedipus Rex Author: Sophocles Date of Publication: around 430 B.C. Genre: Dramatic Tragedy Biographical information about the author: Born at Colonus, son of Sophilus. Sophocles was a playwright and served as a priest. He had a son with Nicartrata, who was also a playwright. And he also had a son with Theoris. Wrote 123plays but only 7 survived: Ajar, Antigone, Trachinian women, Oedipus Tyrannoss, Electras, Philocetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. Also increased the number of chorus fromRead MoreLiterature: Compare and Contrast - Literary Devices5483 Words   |  22 Pagesliterary works by authors of all ages, writing non-fiction and fictional stories, poetry, and essays. The act of analyzing two different authors by both comparing their work and isolating their contrasting elements, can be difficult, yet rewarding. Oedipus Rex (Sophocles), written in 429 B.C., offers the authors use of Greek Mythology, oracles, Greek gods, deception, and murder. Throughout the series of events, the reader is given clues to the true identity of the murderer resulting in a traumatic climaxRead MoreThe Gods vs. Man Essay1966 Words   |  8 PagesGod. That one word has a lot of weight to it, doesnt it? It had even more significance to the Greeks. It was something they feared and respected. Throughout history men have always wanted to be like the gods. It is something that is seen over and over, mans universal struggle to be like the gods. Is it mans fault that he wants to be like the gods? Or is it the gods fault? The story Oedipus Rex by Sophocles shows that mans arrogance and fallible personality is the causeRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Susan Glaspells Trifles1788 Words   |  7 Pagesweight and significance than first seems to be the case. Just as Glaspells play ultimately reveals a sympathetic nature in Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, the evidence that the men investigators fail to observe, because they are blind to the things that have importance to a woman, reveals the identity of the murderer and are, therefore, not really trifles, after all. Thus, the title of the play has a double-meaning: it refers, satirically, to the way trifling way some men perceive women, and it alsoRead MoreSignificance of the Women in Sophocles Antigone Essay2507 Words   |  11 PagesSignificance of the Women in Antigone  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Michael J. O’Brien in the Introduction to Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex, maintains that there is â€Å"a good deal of evidence to support this view† that the fifth century playwright was the â€Å"educator of his people† and a â€Å"teacher† (4). Sophocles in his tragedy Antigone teaches about â€Å"morally desirable attitudes and behavior,† (4) and uses a woman as heroine and another woman in a supporting role to do most of the instructingRead MoreEssay on Analysis of Buried Child by Sam Shepard1506 Words   |  7 Pagesnearly 60 years of age, Shepard is one of the most famous playwrights in America. In Shepard’s Buried Child, there are many twists and turns that have the reader wondering and wanting more. Buried Child can be similar to classic plays such as Oedipus Rex, where Shepard includes the theme of incest. He has also included many symbolic objects and Native American symbols of renewal with the large quantity of vegetables in the backyard of the family’s house. There are seven main characters inRead MoreRay Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4514443 Words   |  18 Pagescentury. Antigone and Ismene are the daughters of Oedipus. Her brothers Polynices and Eteocles fought each other for the thrown after Oedipus passed away. They both die in battle, but Creon, the new king brands Polynices a traitor and refuses to let anyone bury his body. Burying his body is punishable by death. However, Antigone thinks that they should respect the dead and buries her brother’s body. Ismene refuses to help her because they are only women and cannot stand against men if they are caughtRead MoreShe Stoops to Conquer Suggested Essays1898 Words   |  8 PagesExplain the meaning and significance of the title She Stoops to Conquer. Even without reading the play, the irony of the title is obvious, since the she in question is lowering herself in order to prove herself superior. In context of the play, the title could be argued to refer both to Kates plan to trap Marlow and to Goldsmiths purpose of using â€Å"low comedy† to convince his audience to embrace it. The former is a good description of the irony of Kates plan: in order to convince herself sheRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesï » ¿ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of