“Oedipus Rex by Sophecles The story of “Oedipus Rex” by Sophecles is constructed so that the audience is invulnerable to the horror that Oedipus must face. Oedipus Rex is a true tragedy and the character betrayed, as Oedipus is a tragic hero. The tragic hero, Oedipus serves to excite pity and fear in the audience.Oedipus Rex is introduced to the audience by the priest, as “Great Oedipus, O’ Powerful King of Thebes.” (Prologue 15) Yet, he is pitied as a tragic hero. Oedipus is doomed by birth because of the actions of his ancestors. When Oedipus was born it was prophesied that he would kill his father and marry his mother. (Line 85) His father naturally feared this and told a Shepard to take the boy out and kill him. The Shepard could not bear the thought of killing an innocent little boy. The Shepard in turn gave the boy to his friends who were unable to have children. When Oedipus was older he learned of the prophecy and left home because he loved his adopted father who he believed to be his real father. A while after departing his home Oedipus came across a carriage, which he believed to be bandits. The carriage in fact was carrying his true father, King Laios of Thebes and his bodyguards. When they almost ran him over Oedipus attacked them killing the bodyguards and his father, and by doing so unwittingly killed his father as prophesized.As Oedipus moves further down the road the Sphinx, who tells him that if he doesn’t answer her question correctly, she will kill him, approaches him. (Prologue 1222) He succeeds in answering the question and out rage she kills herself. Once the people of the Thebes found out that Oedipus was the one that caused the death of the Sphinx, Oedipus was crowned King of Thebes because of the strength and courage that he displayed. In being crowned the King he was given the Queen, Queen Iocaste, who unknown to both of them that she is his natural mothe...
