Sophocles' Oedipus Rex

The first 200 words of this essay...

In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, Oedipus has the courage to leave the comfort of his royal home in Corinth and starts his journey for his personal truth. He does not remain idle in his life. He refuses to accept what he is told; he wants to find out the truth for himself. This is his personality, and it is this that takes him from Corinth to Delphi and finally to Thebes. In the end, the truth devastates Oedipus and his family, but he does complete what he has set out for. On his journey, he learns of his true identity and he also gains wisdom from his suffering. Many men would not have ventured outside the security of their royal lives. They would rather remain blissfully ignorant. Oedipus is of a different character and nature. Oedipus has the courage and takes the initiative to find his true identity, gains wisdom and is therefore considered a better man.

In the beginning of the play, Oedipus is revered and respected as a great king. He is admired as the savior of Thebes. The superficial view is that he has everything: wealth, power, family. But in reality, Oedipus is lost; he has