Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex was a fascinating play to read. It unfolded in a similar manner to a modern-day mystery story, but with gods and fate playing a role. I found the entire process of searching for the murderer to be incredibly ironic, since it is Oedipus that both initiates the search and ends up being the murderer. His character is likable, and it seems as if he is undeserving of his fate. His entire life, he has tried to be a good son, a good ruler, and a good husband, yet in the end he turns into a poor, blind beggar for the rest of his days. His only mistake was to try and avoid his fate of murdering his father and marrying his mother, yet for that one mistake he is punished heavily. I really liked the whole dramatic end scene where the chorus is narrating Oedipus' actions inside the house as he finds Jocasta dead and stabs his eyes out. The fact that the whole violent scene is never actually shown makes it much more ominous. The very end, too, where he is lamenting the fate of his daughters and then has to say goodbye to them forever is very sad. That seems to be the only point of the story: sending the message that trying to avoid one's fate will lead to ruin. I can definitely see this play as comprising part of a general campaign by the leaders of Athens to keep the populace subjugated, since the whole story is about knowing your place and accepting everything that happens to you or else facing the consequences.