King Oedipus is a tragedy but it is necessary to state that what a tragedy was for the Greeks was very different to our current understanding of tragedy. It arose from a long tradition of choral singing and told stories of myths and legends of Greek gods and heroes which had been handed down from generation to generation.

They emphasized the relationship of these legendary men and women and their relationship between themselves and the gods. This meant they offered a certain cultural view of morality and life. It showed these heroes struggling with fate which often had a disastrous outcome. The tragic hero is not a perfect man but neither is he a bad man. He is undone by a fatal weakness, often pride.

Oedipus seems to be a victim of his own fate as well as his inherent lack of humility. He is a man of great achievements but at the same time he is arrogant and this leads to his unfortunate behaviour – involving the killing of Laius and marrying Jocasta.

He is headstrong and he does not realise that the search for the truth of his origins can only lead him to an unfortunate conclusion and he pays for this fault. In a Greek tragedy we see the eternal psychic (and moral) forces are in collision with one another.

It is interesting to note that the whole story takes place in one place, the palace of Thebes, in a single day and is concerned with a single theme, the pride and fall of one man. This follows the classical unities, time, place and theme - essential in making a great tragedy.

The summary notes for King Oedipus cover the following key aspects from the text in detail:

• Genre
• Structure
• Historical Issues
• Style
• Background Notes
• Summary
• Character Profiles
• Themes and Issues
• Sample Examination Questions
• Final Examination Tips

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