Character Analysis

Oedipus is a great ruler in the city of Thebes. His name, means "swollen foot" because he was taken from the house of Laius as a baby and left in the mountains with his feet pinned and bound together. He is a victim of fate and consequence. On his way to Thebes, he unknowingly killed his father and, again unknowingly, married Jocasta his mother. Besides the injuries to his feet, Sophocles, the man who wrote Oedipus the King, does not make mention of how Oedipus looks. In ancient Greek theatre, the actors wore masks to portray their characters and different emotions.

Oedipus, the king of Thebes, is the protagonist of the play. Oedipus is born with a terrible prophecy to kill his own father and marry his mother. In attempting to deny his fate, Oedipus runs away from who he is and yet ironically ends up in the homeland of his origins, ruling as king and marrying his mother. When he finally realizes the truth of the prophecy, Oedipus must accept his punishment and his limitations as a man.

Oedipus the King goes through an unfortunate but necessary character change. From a prideful, heroic king at the beginning of the play who wants to save his city from the plague that curses it, to a tyrant in denial towards the middle, who condemns his friends and accuses them of crimes for which Thebes is paying. Then, in the end he is finally whittled down to a fearful, condemned man who is humbled by his tragic fate as he realizes he has killed his biologic Father and has married his own mother.

The awful fate with which Oedipus is born is his greatest enemy. Despite attempting to flee his fate, Oedipus ends up doing exactly what it predicts and then having to confront the consequences of these actions. Oedipus’ destiny is a condition he suffers from his own character defects: his temper and impulsive nature and his pride (hubris) as well as his erroneous judgment (hamartia). All contribute to his eventual downfall. These character defects are governed by his fate and in turn aid his fate to take its course towards his destruction. In the end he blinds himself for committing the act he has tried to run from his whole life.

Oedipus cares for his subjects whom he rules over in the city Thebes."I do pity you children. Don't think I'm unaware. I know what need brings you: this sickness ravages all of you. Yet, sick as you are, not one of you suffers a sickness like mine. Yours is a private grief, you feel only what touches you.But my heart grieves for you, for myself, and for our city." (Lines 68-74)

In the beginning Oedipus announces himself in a way that shows how prideful he is of his very name and presence and rightfully so. He did save the city from ruin. To have others tell me these things wouldn't be right, my sons. So I have come out myself.My name is Oedipus-the famous-as everyone calls me." (Lines 7-11)

Oedipus was a victim of fate. He was cursed by Apollo from birth as a punishment fr his father's deeds. His destiny was to grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. He was doomed to a life of anguish for no fault of his own. When he realizes what he has done, he is pitied, not hated, for he was a victim and had done nothing wrong. He blinds himself and hat he says after makes the audience feel even worse for him. " Whom could I look at? Or love?Whose greeting could I answer with fondness, friends? Take me quickly from this place. I am the most ruined, the most cursed, the most god-hated man that ever lived." (lines 1524-1529)

Odysseus is a strong and courageous warrior, beloved husband, and father. He is favored by the goddess Athena, who often sends him divine aid, but an enemy of Poseidon, who hinders Odysseus' return home at every opportunity he can. Homer mentions Odysseus bathing several times in his poem. He describes him as looking immortal after his bath. Like other Greek heroes, he is tall, handsome, and strong.

Odysseus is clearly the protagonist in this story, which is about his journey. Poseidon keeps him from home for ten long years. During that time he is faced with many antagonist characters, as well as antagonistic situations. He returns home and slays the suitors who intend to marry Penelope, his wife,and who also want to kill his son so they may have all Odysseus' wealth. His story has a happy ending, for Odysseus anyways, and he is a Hero in Ithaca once again.

Odysseus would be considered a static character, like most Homeric characters. Poseidon hinders his journey home for ten years, but he has one main goal, to return home; he always stays on track. Odysseus always uses his resourcefulness to get him out of all the situations he finds himself in throughout his journey. When he meets the cyclopes, who proceeds to eat his companions, he ties his men to sheep so the cyclops will not see them escape when the sheep are let out of the cave. When is meets the Phaeacians, he is clever enough to use the power of words so they will help him. In the end when he is going to kill all of the suitors who have come for his wife, he disguises himself as a beggar so he knows what he's up against.

Odysseus conflict is an external struggle. The god of the sea, Poseidon, keeps Odysseus wandering for ten weary years, forcing him to arrive in Ithaca in a pitiable condition, with trouble waiting for him at home. He has punished Odysseus for blinding his one-eyed giant son, Polyphemus. Through the eventful course of these ten years, Odysseus is pitted against varied forces - the Cicones, the Lotus-Eaters, the Cyclops, the Laestrygonians, the goddess Circe, the Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis, sea storms raised by gods, Calypso's temptation of immortal love, and, finally, the suitors at Ithaca. 

Odysseus is described as having Godlike strength. He is clearly superior to all the suitors who have come to win the hand of Penelope, Odysseus' wife. Only he is strong enough to string his bow, which is how she tests her suitors. None of them can string it; they are not as strong as Odysseus. "It's not just myself I am sorry for,But for all of us-and not for the marriage either. That hurts, but there are plenty of other women, Some here in Ithaca, some in other cities. No, it's that we fall so short of Odysseus' Godlike strength. We can't even string his bow!" (Book XXI Lines 256-261)

Odysseus further hinders his journey home by arrogantly calling his name to the cyclopes after blinding him. Little did Odysseus know the cyclopes was Poseidon's son. "Cyclops, if anyone, any mortal manAsks you how you got your eye put out,Tell him tat Odysseus the marauder did it,Son of Laertes, whose home is on Ithica." (Book lX lines 500-503)

Odysseus shows his cunningness when he fools the blinded cyclops so that he and his men can escape his cave. "Trying to come up with the best plan I could To get us all out from the jaws of death.I wove all sorts of wiles, as a man willWhen his life is on the line. My best ideaHad to do with the sheep that were there, big,Thick fleeced beauties with wool dark as violets. Working silently, I bound them together With willow branches the cyclops slept on. I bound them in threes. Each middle sheep Carried a man underneath, protected by The two on either side: three sheep to a man."(Book lX Lines 419-429)