Reflection on This Week

This week I finally finished reading the tragic play Oedipus Rex. I was not only horrified, but a strong wave of emotions overcame me. I felt a burning feeling of disgust and anger against Oedipus, but I also had compassion for him. It was impossible for me not to feel bad for Oedipus. He lives his life without ever knowing his parents are not his true biological parents. He kills his real father and marries and conceives children with his real mother while being the King of Thebes. His character flaw of Hubris is very present throughout the entire play which makes me and the audience cringe. The ending is the most horrifying part of the play. He literally digs his own eyeballs out with his mom-wife's broaches. He no longer believes he is deserving of the gift of sight, for he hadn't seen what was right in front of him all along. The play turned out to be what I was expecting and was prepared for. Although it was quite disturbing while reading, I enjoyed how I was able to see the fantastic dramatic irony within the play.

After reading and annotating Oedipus Rex, I got a better understanding of dramatic irony and the importance of fate and myth. Throughout the whole play I was on the edge of my seat, even though I already had the knowledge of the ending. I find it interesting how there is a big difference between people's idea of fate nowadays and back then. It used to be a certain set in stone thing that couldn't be changed unless the gods chose to do so. In present times, we think we have the ability to alter our fate and be in charge of our life's path. I think that this week was a great experience to learn how to spot literary devices and things like hubris in literature. I really look forward to creating the tragic hero project now that I have a much better understanding of tragic heroes.