Oedipus #3

The Point of View and the Characters are very important to the understanding of the play. The story is told from the viewers point of view, but Oedipus is the main character. This remains steady throughout the play. The reader gets to know the characters well, but not as well as a novel because it is a play and all that is being read are the cues and the speech.

From the characters' words, the reader can determine each of their characteristics and personalities. "No - / god's sake, master, no more questions!" this shows that the Shepherd is a more reserved man and has deep emotions regarding what took place with the baby that he was given.

Oedipus is presented as a ruler that seems high on his horse, but throughout the play, he becomes paranoid with the idea that his prophesized fate has/will come true. he begins to become obsessive with finding his innocence.

By giving the reader the knowledge of Oedipus' fate and writing the play to show Oedipus slowly but surely figuring out the truth, makes for a true tragedy. We watch Oedipus suffer as he struggle to find out that his mother and father aren't truly his mother and father. And, also that he stays away from them to avoid any harm done to them when his actions aren't neccessary because they aren't the parents he would kill.

Sophocles sets us up to sympathize for Oedipus because of his fall from greatness. He has no knowledge of the workings that brought him to the parents that raised him. No blame can be put on him for his life happenings. Sophocles writes this play in the most tragic way.