In Oedipus the King, Iocasta says that Laius was slain at a place where three roads meet. ... After realizing that the prophecy had came true, Iocasta begs him to let the mystery go unsolved for once: "O, I beseech you, do not! ... Even though he had control over his actions, his future was destined by fate. Therefore, free will has no say in one's life, because people live for the future. If one cannot determine his future, why work for it? ...

• Word Count: 1264
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

At the beginning of Oedipus the King, Oedipus is highly confident, and with good reason. He has saved Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx and becomes the king of the city virtually overnight. ... Creon holds the same unquestioned supremacy that Oedipus once held, Oedipus now holds nothing but his shame. ... In Greek mythology the gods are rarely wrong in their predictions of the future. ... Sophocles plays describe how once good men turn bad when given too much power....

• Word Count: 1256
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Little known to him, hearing his future leads him closer to his fate. ... Oedipus believes Apollo's words about his future and leaves Corinth in hopes to change the future, but Sophocles shows how trying to outsmart fate will only lead one to it. ... He trusts Apollo's words and must find the murderer of King Laius in order to rid the city of the plague. ... Once he left Corinth, Oedipus believed he outsmarted his own destiny. ... He begins to doubt the power of Gods in foreseeing one's future. ...

• Word Count: 1473
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Once Sophocles is provided with these three elements from the Archon, he along with the lead actor will select two more males to perform in his play. ... In context and in performance, the tragic heroine of Antigone is in fact Antigone, niece of King Kreon, sister of Ismene, and fiancé of Haimon. ... At the end of the play, Antigone hangs herself in her cell, Haimon stabs himself in his own misery, and King Kreon is left alone. ... She believes she can commit any act and experience no consequences because she is a queen, but as stated by King Kreon in Scene 2, Antigone is not immune ...

• Word Count: 1410
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

No one would doubt Oedipus as a glorious king, especially the King of Suffering. ... They try to shove him off to make the way for the king. ... Oedipus's straightforwardness solved Sphinx's twisted riddle with a direct answer "human" and once again, here comes the riddle of Laois's death. ... With his strong belief in Apollo's prophecy of his dark future, Oedipus makes a wise decision to flee Corinth, leaving his dearest parents and home behind. ... His determination and compassion for Thebans once again hurt Oedipus deep in the heart. ...

• Word Count: 1352
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Oedipus knew that is was his duty as king to be the one who avenged the murder of King Laios and cleanse the city of Thebes of its retched plague. ... Oedipus sought the advice of Tiresias, a blind seer that could see the future, because he believed that Tiresias could use his powers to tell him who Laios' murderer was. ... At first, Oedipus accused Creon of being in allegiance with Tiresias and was plotting to take over his thrown as king of Thebes. ... Suddenly, a messenger from Corinth arrived to bring news of the unfortunate death of the Corinthian King Polybos. ... Once they finally...

• Word Count: 1488
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses dramatic irony to display how ignorance can help perpetuate order and how pride can quickly tear down that order. ... As a result, he eventually serves a long and successful tenure as the king of Geatland. ... This level of truth is shown in Oedipus the King, the idea that information can lead to disaster is unmistakable; Oedipus loses everything because of his pursuit of the Laius' killer. ... Yelling at Tiresias after he refuses to tell Oedipus what the future holds, Oedipus demands that he be told the truth saying, "You won't talk? ... Out with ...

• Word Count: 1371
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography

In Aeschylus's Agamemnon, the title character is a returning king who behaves arrogantly and thoughtlessly. ... Jason in Euripides's Medea deserts his family for a new marriage which he hopes will further his station, but his old wife kills his new wife and his children, ending his hopes for a shining future. ... He isn't acting like a very good king, and his people aren't impressed by him. ... No king, no matter how hard he tries, can be a perfect ruler. ... She immediately begins plotting against the lives of her husband, his bride, and his father-in-law the king. ...

• Word Count: 1999
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

Medea bore two children with Jason and looked to having a future with him. ... A future with Jason was not to be. ... "After a painful search I found one cure: I acted at once. ... He was given to the king and queen of Corinth where he was raised to adulthood. ... The servant is sent for at once. ...

• Word Count: 2458
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

When Oedipus was the prince of Corinth he attended a banquet and heard that he was not the son of the king and queen. ... The oracle told him that he would sleep with his mother and kill his father in the future but never directly told him whether or not the king and queen were his parents. ... In the opening of "Oedipus Rex," as king of his land, Oedipus accepts the challenge of saving the people of his country from a plague. ... We had a leader, once, over this land, Called Laius- The man is dead; and now we are clearly bidden to bring to account certain his murders." ... He was only see...

• Word Count: 1938
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

When the king denies her brother a proper burial and makes it illegal for anyone to bury him in Sophocles' Antigone, Antigone decides it is up to her to take justice into her own hands and give him a proper burial. ... Once again, it is important not to interpret that as a weakness in Hwang's writing, but as another perspective on how to tell the reader about the secrets. ... "To Laius, King of Thebes, an oracle foretold that the child born to him by his queen Jocasta would slay his father and wed his mother. ...

• Word Count: 2132
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School