True Character of a Man - 1019 Words

Oedipus is a great King, and an even greater man, as Sophocles presents Oedipus in the play Oedipus the King. Oedipus originally comes to Thebes as a young man avoiding an awful fate and finds himself rescuing the people of Thebes from the Sphinx. Oedipus is wise as he speaks with her and deciphers her riddle, â€Å"What goes on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three at evening?† giving the answer of â€Å"man†. Little did Oedipus know this riddle would be an analogy of his life as King in Thebes. Oedipus is benevolent; Priest and men come to Oedipus to pray he save the city from a plague, Oedipus addresses his people, as his children, and begs them come inside to speak to him and tell him their woes. Oedipus is just and honorable; as he†¦show more content†¦Time and again Oedipus pauses to reflect and take council from his peers, showing his wisdom that he alone is not enough to unravel this affliction to the city. Benevolence is often a trait not associated with a King, but Oedipus is benevolent. Oedipus sees the people of Thebes as his children not simply his subjects. He wishes to speak to them directly and not through messengers and so he addresses them directly. Oedipus swears in every way he is able to help his people with their afflictions, even before he knows what they have come to ask him. Oedipus finds himself sick with worry and sympathy for his people as they suffer, he suffers with them. Oedipus is able to temper this benevolence in place of patience. When the holy prophet Teiresias is brought to Oedipus to share any knowledge or insight on the plague, Oedipus loses his patience but exemplifies his benevolence. Teiresias at first declines to give any advice to Oedipus drawing the ire of the King as he says he will not tell what he knows for it is his misery to bear. Once he does share the information, that Oedipus himself is to blame for the plague of the city, Oedipus’ benevolence prevails. Many Kings o f history and literature may have had the tongue of the man removed, declared treason and death, or even have struck a man for such insolence, but Oedipus simply became angry and sent the prophetShow MoreRelatedWilliam Moliere s Tartuffe As A Threat Of Reason1138 Words   |  5 Pagesaddresses in Tartuffe as he establishes his characters. In satire characters are usually very one dimensional and unchanging. They are simply there to represent an idea. Therefore, rather than using character development, Moliere uses character establishment to shape his story and theme. This is most notably seen in the last two scenes of act one in Tartuffe as he establishes the characters of Orgon, Cleante and Tartuffe. 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