Oedipus The King"Oedipus suffers because he is a good king" Discuss.

Throughout Sophocles’ Oedipus the King Oedipus must choose between his own interests and the interests of others. The decisions that he made as a king show loyalty, devotion and honour which earns him the respect of his people. However, this quality contributes to the psychological, emotional and physical suffering that he would ultimately receive. Other factors that play a role in Oedipus’ suffering were his personal traits and characteristics, his “fatal flaw”. Oedipus was indeed doomed from the start through the overwhelming fate that was prophesied from the very beginning. Each one of these factors played an intricate part in determining the extent of Oedipus’ suffering.

From the outset Oedipus is shown to be a smart and witty man who is seen to be in control of his life. It is shown through his confrontation with the Sphinx that he is not afraid to fight for what he believes to be right. Oedipus is a good person which is the foundation that guides him to be a good ki...