Oedipus the King

To be honest, I probably would have never given this book a glance, which is why I am very happy that I had to read it in school. At first I thought it would be boring and difficult to understand, and even though I had heard what the story was about before I began reading it, I only had a minor interest in it.

However, once I began to read I became absorbed in the tale it told. Even though I already knew the horrible fate that Oedipus would meet, I had to read it to the very end. Bernard Knox has done a fantastic job in translating this story into a more modern version that can easily be understood by high school students, and this, coupled with the unfortunate tale of Oedipus the King, allowed me to gain a greater interest in this famous work of literature.

Oedipus the King (also called Oedipus Rex) by Sophocles is an amazing play, that is very well-known tragedy. It was written in 429 B.C., and unlike Shakespeare's plays, it is extremely easy to understand. It was interesting throughout, and motivated me to read the other plays by Sophocles.

Oedipus Rex is about Oedipus, whose life is full of misfortunes. At a young age, Oedipus goes to the Oracle, and discovers that his fate is to murder his father and to marry his mother. To avoid such a fate, Oedipus runs away from home. Where will Oedipus go? Can Oedipus avoid his fate?

This is a great play that you can relate to many other pieces of literature, because of the themes of fate and blindness. Since Oedipus the King is the first of the three plays, I recommend reading Oedipus at Colonus, and then Antigone.

Main Characters:
Oedipus
Jocasta: queen of Thebes
Laius: king of Thebes
Tiresias: the blind prophet
Creon: Jocasta's brother
Chorus: the Theban elders
Priest of Apollo
Messenger from Corinth

ummmmmmm this book was very......weird it was extremely hard to follow and is not meant for gr. 9. I think this book should be saved for a later date and only read this book if you are forced!