Oedipus 1

Point of View/Characters: The play Oedipus the King is told in third person limited so far. The reader is able to hear everyone speak, but can't see into anyone's thoughts. From the first section the reader gets a general idea of the characters. Oedipus is shown as being very proud, jealous, and quick to anger. The crowd, even though it is not a single character, is shown to be easily swayed, as long as there is proof to back up what they are being told. The seer Tiresias is shown to look out for himself, and is not very altruistic. The author shows the seer and the king as opposites, to widen the gap between them. The author also makes the reader have mixed feelings about Oedipus. He is shown in the first part to be like a graceful and merciful god, while later is is shown cursing the blind seer and accusing him of conspiring to steal his throne. This makes the reader sympathize with the seer, especially since he is blind.