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Last week we learned all about tragedy and the different types. This week we looked at actual examples of tragedy, but not until later in the week. We started the week out with a Ted talk, and the video was more along the lines of defining success and failure. Then, we read the story of Oedipus. It is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles, written around 429 B.C. It is a tragic story that involves a very peculiar prophecy that goes like so; a baby born by Laius and Jocasta will grow up to kill his father and bring tragedy to the city and the family. It seems like a pretty avoidable tragedy to most. But Jocasta give the three day old child to a servant and asks the servant to, "do away" with the child. Now, the readers don't know at this point in the book, but the servant actually takes the child to a far away city, where he thinks the child will never come to light. Years later, Oedipus is an adult, and has saved the city of Thebes. He is now hailed as a hero and the greatest of the great. He also just so happens to be married to Jocasta with multiple children. To keep this short and sweet, multiple men come and start to reveal the truth to Oedipus that he is Jocasta's son, and that they have committed every single sin in the book. At first he does not believe this, but soon starts to hunt for the truth, and eventually ends up finding it. When Jocasta has realized what has happened, she kills herself before Oedipus can in a blinding rage. When Oedipus finds his mother/wife dead, he takes the broaches from Jocasta's clothing and gauges out his eyes. He does this so that he no longer has to look at the evil he has committed, and can see nothing but the truth. This is a great example of tragedy. Oedipus was on top of the world, but when the prophecy came true he became the lowest man in the city. The people who once looked up to him now looked at him with disgust and no longer want anything to do with him. He is banished from the land and can no longer see his children. He went from having everything to nothing, creating the perfect tragedy, for a writer at least. This website,http://www.bachelorandmaster.com/globaldrama/oedipus-rex-as-a-classical tragedy.html#.WCXfj9UrLnA goes more into depth on what elements of the story classifies it as a tragedy. I really loved reading the story of Oedipus this week, not only for the fascinating story but how it also taught me more about what a tragedy in writing is, and I feel like that was the point of this week's lesson.
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