As in Oedipus the King, a major theme in Othello is man's inability to reliably distinguish between what seems to be and what; however, this shared theme of "uncertain vision" is treated somewhat differently in Othello than it is in Oedipus the King. ... However, the entire play actually concentrates on Oedipus discovering what actually happened. ... In Oedipus this is manifested through his desire to find out the truth. ... It may have been wrong but avoiding the truth would have saved Oedipus the family and the state. ... In his essay "On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex", E.R. ...

• Word Count: 1353
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Baffled by the reluctance of the people to heal, Oedipus, who became the king after he solved the riddle of the Sphinx, sends his brother-in-law, Creon, at first a good natured, and rational being, to find the cure for the city's current disaster. Creon informs Oedipus that in order to save Thebes, he must solve the murder of the previous king, Lauis, who was killed at crossroads years ago. ... This shows that Oedipus is growing impatient. Destined to find more information, he calls for the servant who escaped the attack on Lauis, so that hopefully he'll clarify the previous king&#x...

• Word Count: 1098
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In Robert Fagles' translation of the play "Oedipus the King", Sophocles explores many important themes of Greek tragedy such as fate and free will, wisdom and knowledge, determination and power through the effective use of his language, symbols and motifs and setting. ... Firstly, the story is one that introduces the main character, Oedipus, very positively. ... This is evident on pages 12-13 when Oedipus says, "I am ready to help, I'll do anything." This immediately portrays Oedipus as a character who readers are appealed to due to his attributes that are conveye...

• Word Count: 511
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In Oedipus the King, the major reversal occurs when the messenger comes to cheer Oedipus and free him from his alarms about his mother. But, by revealing who he is, he only confirms Oedipus's worst fears, thus creating the opposite effect from the one intended. Additionally, he argues that through recognition, the hero discovers some truth about his or her identity (as in Sophocles's Oedipus the King) or actions that accompany the reversal of the situation in the plot. In the example of Oedipus the King, Oedipus's realization that he is, in fact, his father's murderer and h...

• Word Count: 1068
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate