As in any great tragedy, the story of Oedipus is rife with heartbreaking irony. In "Oedipus the King," Sophocles provides the reader with an interesting contrast between the truth as defined by the gods and their oracles and the truth as defined by Oedipus himself. ... The attempt to protect Oedipus from himself having failed, Tiresias finally gives in to the threats on his life and reveals the identity of the king's murderer to Oedipus. ... Blinded to all but his need to know the truth for certain, no matter how horrible, Oedipus admits, "I'm desperately afraid" (727). ...

• Word Count: 1443
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

As Thebes's King, Oedipus has to solve this plague. ... Oedipus was the only child of Laios and Iocaste, king and queen of Thebes. ... The city, which was recently missing a king, made Oedipus the king since he saved them from the plague. ... Oedipus said that he had sent Creon, his wife's brother to find out how to solve the problem. ... The oracle at Delphi says that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother but never tells Oedipus how to end this tragedy. ...

• Word Count: 1308
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

As Thebes's King, Oedipus has to solve this plague. ... Oedipus was the only child of Laios and Iocaste, king and queen of Thebes. ... The city, which was recently missing a king, made Oedipus the king since he saved them from the plague. ... Oedipus said that he had sent Creon, his wife's brother to find out how to solve the problem. ... The oracle at Delphi says that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother but never tells Oedipus how to end this tragedy. ...

• Word Count: 1308
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

As Thebes's King, Oedipus has to solve this plague. ... Oedipus was the only child of Laios and Iocaste, king and queen of Thebes. ... The city, which was recently missing a king, made Oedipus the king since he saved them from the plague. ... Oedipus said that he had sent Creon, his wife's brother to find out how to solve the problem. ... The oracle at Delphi says that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother but never tells Oedipus how to end this tragedy. ...

• Word Count: 1308
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The Greek tragedy of Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, owes much of its impact to the audience's previous knowledge of the characters and their fate. ... In line 141, Oedipus tells Kreon, "Whoever killed King Laios might "who knows? ... Later when discovering the story of his birth, Oedipus asks, "How could I not be glad to know my birth?... It is also ironic that Oedipus be "enthroned in the place of the dead king,"" as in line 713, by saving the city and coincidentally, by inheritance. ... For example, how the creation of the atomic bomb led to a global arms race. ...

• Word Count: 1490
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School