Oedipus the King by Sophocles (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of Oedipus the King by Sophocles. It provides a thorough exploration of the play’s plot, characters and main themes, including incest and fate. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 22-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Sophocles
• Presentation of Oedipus the King
• Summary of Oedipus the King
• Character study
  • Oedipus
  • Jocasta and Creon
  • The chorus, Teiresias and the other characters
• Analysis of Oedipus the King
  • An investigation
  • Order and transgression
  • A tragic itinerary

About Oedipus the King

Oedipus the King was first performed sometime before 425 BC. It tells the story of Oedipus, King of Thebes, who is cursed with a destiny that he can neither avoid nor accept: he is fated to one day murder his father and marry his mother.

Oedipus the King is one of Sophocles’ most famous tragedies, and addresses a range of themes typical of the genre, including fate, free will and tragedy.

About Sophocles

Sophocles is one the most famous ancient Greek playwrights. Although he wrote an incredible amount of tragedies throughout his life, only seven have survived until the present day, among which are Antigone and Oedipus the King. He competed in a number of dramatic competitions in Athens, winning more than half of those he took part in.

Sophocles is known for having played down the importance of the chorus in his plays and spending more time on the thoughts and psyche of his characters. One of the ways he did this was by introducing a third character, which allowed for greater character interaction and conflict. All of his plays deal with the tale of the mythological character Oedipus, who killed his parents without knowing who they were.