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Oedipus Rex Sophocles was a play writer who began writing at a very young age; by the end of his life the number of plays totaled over 120. Sophocles died in 406 BC and seven of his plays have survived in their entirety. One of the seven plays that has made the journey from past to present is Oedipus Rex. Thought to be one of Sophocles greatest works, Oedipus Rex is filled with many moral themes that …

…as the encounter with the monster, both created fear about his down fall. Finally, Oedipus' downfall created a great sense of pity for the audience. First, by blinding himself, as opposed to committing suicide, Oedipus achieved a kind of surrogate death that intensified his suffering. The intense suffering that Oedipus went though created great pity in the eyes of many readers. Oedipus Rex, answered many questions about sin, guilt, and destiny that were a mystery.