“Oedipus the King” is a reflection of the shared human experience of suffering throughout all of human history. Oedipus is responsible for his own misery, yet he is unable to free himself from the consequences of his actions. This is a reflection of misery and how one’s suffering can be brought on by our own actions, whether through ignorance or carelessness. The tragedy that came upon Oedipus serves as a demonstration of suffering and illustrates how, depending on the circumstances, this experience can be both inescapable and unavoidable.
Another human experience that is revealed throughout the play is pride. Because of his pride, Oedipus was not able to come to his senses and try to accept his “fate”, as the Chorus was trying to get him to do. Him not being able to accept his fate leads to his own demise. This is a reflection of the human experience of pride and how it can lead us to make decisions that would end up bringing about our own pain.
