Oedipus Rex †a Christ Figure Essays - 1020 Words

Oedipus Rex – a Christ Figure Sophocles’ famous tragedy, Oedipus Rex, perhaps â€Å"the most important and influential drama ever written† (â€Å"Sophocles† 717), presents in the person of Oedipus the model of a good ruler, a humanely intelligent and vigorously active leader, a man who earlier saved his adopted city Thebes from disaster. Is Oedipus an alter Christus besides? The numerous parallels between the figure of the king Oedipus and the figure of Christ in the Scriptures prompts the reader to ask the above question. For example, in the opening lines of the drama, Oedipus greets the crowd of suppliants (including old men, boys and children) waiting at his palace doors with the words: â€Å"My children,†¦show more content†¦In Mark 2:24: the Jewish priests, representing the people, came to Jesus: â€Å"And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ In Mark 8:11: â€Å"The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, to test him.† Mark 10:2: â€Å"And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ Pharisees played such an important role as the representatives of the Jewish people that they are mentioned more than 12 times in the gospel of Mark alone. In Oedipus Rex the people come to seek help from their king because they are afflicted: â€Å"Armed with his blazing torch the God of Plague /Hath swooped upon our city emptying /The house of Cadmus, and the murky realm /Of Pluto is full fed with groans and tears.† Likewise in the Scriptures the people come to Jesus because they are afflicted with various ills. In Luke 17:12: â€Å"And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance. . . .† Luke 7:22 mentions in summary form some of the people who have come to Jesus for help: â€Å"And he answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blindShow MoreRelatedHow to Read Literature Like a Professor1408 Words   |  6 Pagesordinary and the monstrous. -Sex: Evil, lust, seduction, temptation, danger. Evil has been related to sex ever since the serpent tempted Eve. -Exploitation: using other people to get what we want, placing our desires above others. 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In the both play, Oedipus Rex and MasterRead More The Effective Use of Imagery in Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea2796 Words   |  12 Pageswhile the most obvious are Santiago-as-Christ, others exist as well. Arvin Wells, for example, provides a Santiago-as-Cain analogy: Repeatedly, [Santiago] addresses the fish as brother. . . Yet, at the same time, he is relentlessly determined to capture and kill the marlin, as Cain killed his brother (59). Wells furnishes another provocative analogy by equating the fish as Christ and Santiago as the crucifier. During the battle, Santiago exclaims, Christ . . . I did not know he was so big .Read MoreHow to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes3608 Words   |  15 Pagesor overwhelmed by it anyway. iv. Job: facing disasters not of the character’s making and not the character’s fault, suffers as a result, but remains steadfast v. The Flood: rain as a form of destruction; rainbow as a promise of restoration vi. Christ figures (a later chapter): in 20th century, often used ironically vii. The Apocalypse—Four Horseman of the Apocalypse usher in the end of the world. viii. Biblical names often draw a connection between literary character and Biblical charcter. 8. HanseldeeRead MoreHumanities Test4641 Words   |  19 Pagesdellearte specialize in? 6.   What is satire? a literary genre or form, although in practice it is also found in the graphic and performing arts, or a literary technique that attacks foolishness by making fun of it. 7. ( T or F ) The prophecies in Oedipus Rex turn out to be wrong. True 8. One actor on stage, speaking his private thoughts aloud is an example of: Soliloquy 10. Satire does what: 11.   Only the opening sentence survives of : Aristotles essay on comedy pg 236 12.   ( T or F ) SatireRead MoreRay Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4514443 Words   |  18 PagesDimmesdale is the most famous person in Boston. He is a man of God and is loved by the people. In contrast, Hester Prynne was shunned by the community for the sin of adultery. Chapter 14 – Yes, She’s a Christ Figure, Too Mayor Orden from The Moon is Down is a good match for Foster’s criteria of a Christ figure. He is the Mayor of a small town that gets invaded. However, he does not view this as a defeat. He is humble and does not view himself above the people; he lets them make their own decisions. HeRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesï » ¿ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of