In Oedipus Rex, the tragedy that takes place is within the comparison or the beginning of the story to the end. In the beginning of Oedipus Rex, the citizens adore and admire their king for his valiant behavior in solving the riddles of the Sphinx. As the story moves forward, Oedipus is avoiding the prophecy that will inevitably come true, which ultimately leads to his defeat. As a reader, the prophecy slowly but surely pieces itself together throughout the story. This makes the ending all the more tragic. I believe that Oedipus did nothing wrong, he had no idea that Jocasta was his biological mother. Fate plays a major part in creating this shift. The prophecy had to come true, no matter how hard both players of the story attempt to avoid it. The use of dramatic irony enhances the tragedy in this story even more. It is ironic that Oedipus flees Corinth to avoid his so thought 'parents', but the readers know he's only getting closer to Jocasta, his real mom. It is also ironic that Oedipus can contain the answers to the Sphinx's riddles yet have no answer to the riddle of his very own existence. The irony in all this is that Jocasta made sure her son would never find her again, but yet the prophecy came true, and therein lies the tragedy.
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Everybody in this world is susceptible to tragedy. It is a common misconception that only the upper most class of people experience tragedy. Major motion pictures, such as Hercules for example, depict the hero (him and only himself) to experience a major downfall. Although we never hear of any other tragedies, the common man is just as apt to experience adversity as the elite upper-class. "...We never hesitate to attribute to the well-placed and the exalted the very same mental processes as the lowly" (Lines 17-18). Tragedies of the most meaning are the tragedies that are publicized, and we hear about. There is no doubt that these are more likely, so to say, to happen to the wealthier, upper-class, because they have more to lose. These same tragic events are just as likely to happen to the less fortunate, tragedy is inevitable. An experience that brings you to your knees in suffering is challenging and could be a long road to recover. There is some positive in this, believe it or not. In lines 2-6, Miller states, "...Everything we have accepted out of fear or insensitivity or ignorance is shaken before us and examined, and from this total onslaught... from this total examination of the 'unchangeable' environment--comes the terror and fear that is closely associated with tragedy." The expression, "what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger" comes to mind. Something that breaks you down to your roots, and makes you re-evaluate everything you've ever known, in some situations, makes you a stronger human being, someone that has the ability to recognize adversity and conquer it. That is the beautiful thing about tragedy, the ability to rebound. |
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