Analyse Sophocles’s “Oedipus The King” in relation to plot and character .

Plot is the sequence of interconnected events and the cause within the story of a play,
novel and other narrative literary works. In a play, plot can be linear which follows a
chronological order, episodic that usually contain multiple smaller stories or flashback
and presents events out of sequence. “Sophocles’s Oedipus the King” follows a linear
plot structure. Plot also have common elements like exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action and resolution.

Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, is a Greek tragedy that follows the doomed
journey of Oedipus, the King of Thebes, as he seeks to uncover the truth about his past.
The play is structured in a way that maintains dramatic irony throughout, the audience
knows Oedipus’s fate from the beginning, but he remains unaware until the tragic
revelation. The story is driven by fate, prophecy, and Oedipus’s determination to find the
truth, which ultimately leads to his downfall. The play follows the elements of plot as
follows:

The play opens with Thebes suffering from a deadly plague. Crops are failing, livestock
are dying, and women are unable to bear children. The citizens, desperate for a
solution, gather at the palace to seek help from their king, Oedipus, who had once
saved them before by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. Oedipus presents himself as a
leader who deeply cares for his people, promising to find a cure for the city’s suffering.

To address the crisis, Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle
of Delphi for divine guidance. Creon soon returns with an answer: the plague is a
punishment from the gods for the unresolved murder of King Laius, the previous ruler of
Thebes. The only way to lift the curse is to find and punish the murderer.
Oedipus, full of confidence and righteousness, immediately takes on the role of
investigator, vowing to find the killer and bring justice to Thebes. He publicly curses the
murderer, not realizing that he is cursing himself. This moment foreshadows his tragic
downfall.

Oedipus starts his search for the murderer by calling for Tiresias, the blind prophet.
Tiresias, however, is reluctant to speak. At first, he refuses to reveal what he knows,
warning that the truth will only bring pain. Oedipus, growing impatient and suspicious,
accuses Tiresias of being involved in the crime.

In response, Tiresias reveals a shocking accusation that Oedipus himself is the

To comfort Oedipus, Jocasta tells him that prophecies are unreliable, giving an example:
A prophecy once claimed that King Laius would be killed by his own son, but Laius was
killed by bandits at a crossroads. This detail, which Jocasta presents to dismiss
prophecies, actually plants the first major seed of doubt in Oedipus’s mind.Oedipus
suddenly recalls killing a man at a crossroads many years ago. His certainty begins to
waver, and he starts to fear that he might be the murderer of Laius. He decides to
investigate further, hoping to find evidence that will either confirm or refute his growing
suspicions.

A messenger from Corinth arrives with news that King Polybus, Oedipus’s supposed
father, has died. At first, this seems to contradict the prophecy, since Oedipus was told
he would kill his father. However, this relief is short-lived. The messenger reveals that
Polybus and his wife, Merope, were not Oedipus’s biological parents.

The messenger explains that many years ago, Oedipus was found as a baby in the
mountains, with his feet bound, and was given to Polybus and Merope to raise as their
own.Oedipus, now desperate to uncover his true identity, demands to speak to the only
person who might know the full story: an old shepherd who once served King Laius.

When the shepherd arrives, he is reluctant to speak, but Oedipus forces him to confess.
Finally, the terrible truth is revealed,Oedipus is the son of King Laius and Jocasta.Laius
ordered the baby to be abandoned in the mountains because of a prophecy that he
would one day be killed by his own son.The shepherd, unable to leave the baby to die,
gave him to another man, who brought him to Corinth.Oedipus unknowingly fulfilled the
prophecy—he killed his own father and married his mother.This revelation is the turning
point of the play. Everything Oedipus has sought to uncover leads to his own tragic
realization, he has been the cause of Thebes’ suffering all along.

Jocasta, upon realizing the truth, is overcome with horror and shame. She runs into the
palace and kills herself, unable to bear the weight of the revelation.Oedipus follows and
finds Jocasta’s lifeless body. In an act of extreme self-punishment, he takes the golden
brooches from her dress and stabs them into his own eyes, blinding himself. This is a
deeply symbolic moment, throughout the play, Oedipus, who had physical sight, was
blind to the truth, while Tiresias, the physically blind prophet, saw everything clearly. By
blinding himself, Oedipus is finally accepting the truth he had refused to see.

Oedipus emerges from the palace, covered in blood, and addresses the people of
Thebes one last time. He accepts full responsibility for his fate and begs Creon to exile
him, fulfilling another prophecy that was made.Creon, now the ruler of Thebes, initially
hesitates to grant Oedipus’s request for exile, preferring to wait for guidance from the
gods. However, Oedipus insists that he must leave Thebes to end the plague and fulfill
his destiny.

Before leaving, Oedipus makes one final plea: he asks Creon to take care of his
daughters, Antigone and Ismene. He knows they will suffer because of his sins, and he
fears for their future.The play ends with Oedipus walking away, blind and broken, into
exile. The Chorus delivers the final lines, reinforcing the play’s central theme, no man
should be considered truly happy until he has reached the end of his life without
suffering.

The plot of Oedipus the King is structured in a way that builds suspense and tension
through dramatic irony, as the audience knows Oedipus’s fate from the start while he
remains unaware. Some of the key structural elements include: A gradual build-up of
clues that lead to the final revelation, foreshadowing through Tiresias’s warning and
Jocasta’s stories, symbolism especially in sight and blindness, representing knowledge
and ignorance.

A character in a play is a person, animal, or figure that takes part in the story and
contributes to the plot through dialogue and actions. Characters can be categorized
into different roles, such as: Protagonist , the main character Oedipus in Oedipus the
King. Antagonist , a character who opposes the protagonist, for example, Fate or
Tiresias, depending on interpretation. Foil Character , a character who contrasts with
the protagonist to highlight traits. For example, Creon, who is more level-headed
compared to Oedipus. Minor Characters, Supporting figures who help develop the plot,
for instance, Jocasta, the Messenger, and the Shepherd .

Characters drive the narrative forward and help reveal the play’s themes, conflicts, and
emotional depth. The actions, way of thinking, their words and what other people say
about them brings about character traits. A character trait is a quality, attribute, or
personality characteristic that defines a character in a play, story, or real life. These
traits shape how a character thinks, speaks, and acts throughout the narrative. Types of
character traits include, personality traits, moral traits, intellectual traits and emotional
traits. We can describe the character in the play in the following ways:

Oedipus, the King of Thebes, is a deeply complex character whose strengths and
weaknesses shape his fate. Some of his traits are as follows : Determined, Oedipus is
relentless in his pursuit of truth. He refuses to give up until he discovers the murderer of
Laius, even when it leads to his own downfall.Intelligent, his past success in solving the
riddle of the Sphinx showcases his sharp mind, but he fails to see the deeper truth
about himself.Proud, Oedipus exhibits excessive pride, believing he can outsmart fate.
This arrogance blinds him to the warnings of others.Hot-tempered, he reacts angrily
when questioned or accused, as seen in his confrontation with Tiresias and
Creon.Responsible, despite his tragic realization, Oedipus accepts full responsibility for
his actions by blinding himself and choosing exile.

Jocasta, Oedipus’s wife and mother, is a pivotal figure in the play, embodying both
wisdom and denial. Her traits includes: Loving, she genuinely cares for Oedipus and
tries to ease his worries. Skeptical, unlike Oedipus, she doubts the power of prophecy,
believing she and Laius had already defied fate. Fearful, when she begins to suspect the
truth, she tries to stop Oedipus from continuing his search .Tragic, her inability to
escape fate leads to despair, and she ultimately takes her own life.

Tiresias serves as a voice of truth, despite being physically blind. His character traits
include:Wise, he understands the deeper truths that others fail to see.Honest, even
when faced with Oedipus’s anger, he speaks only the truth.Mysterious, his cryptic way
of revealing information adds to the tension in the play.Patient, he endures Oedipus’s
insults, knowing that the truth will eventually be revealed.
Creon, Oedipus’s brother-in-law, is a calm and rational leader.

His character traits include: Logical, he relies on reason rather than emotion when
making decisions. Loyal, he serves Thebes and remains devoted to his duties.
Diplomatic,he refuses to engage in unnecessary conflict, even when Oedipus accuses
him of treason. Compassionate, he shows kindness in the end by taking care of
Oedipus’s children.

The shepherd holds the key to Oedipus’s true identity. His Key character traits:Loyal, He
initially tries to protect Oedipus by keeping the truth hidden. Fearful, He is hesitant to
speak, knowing the consequences of revealing the past. Regretful, He shows remorse
for his role in the tragic fate of Oedipus.

Each character in Oedipus the King has distinct traits that shape their actions and
ultimately drive the tragedy forward. Oedipus’s determination and pride, Jocasta’s fear,
Tiresias’s wisdom, Creon’s rationality, and the shepherd’s reluctance all contribute to
the unfolding of fate. Their interactions highlight Sophocles’s central themes of truth,
fate, and human blindness to destiny.