King Oedipus – EssaySophocles' King Oedipus, first performed in 429 BC, the year of Pericles' death, was an ancient Greek tragedy, written in accordance with the notions of Aristotle on classical tragedy as described in his great work on aesthetics, Ars Poetica. The conventions of tragedy used varied widely, from plot events to characterization, and these conventions were exploited by the great Sophocles to arouse strong emotions of pity and fear in ways that accomplished catharsis. The main emotions provoked in King Oedipus are pity and fear. This great play explores the internal conflicts of feeling obligated to help Oedipus but at the same time not being able to do so for fear of the consequences. The most important emotion would be the emotion of fear because it overturns all prejudice. -the existing balance with the compassion and protective instincts of the public. In the case of King Oedipus, any mention of the gods is practically synonymous with at least a hint of fear because at the time (5th century BC) the citizens were all devout believers in God, pious and respectful, showing their respect by being obedient. and readily recognizing the importance of oracles and destiny. An example of when the emotion of fear is provoked is when Jocasta's respect for the gods fades, leading her to dramatically accuse the oracle of being wrong in prophesying that Oedipus would kill his father, scorning the oracle. . This is an example of characterization because it develops Jocasta's character by suggesting that deep down she has been convinced for some time that she has successfully outwitted the gods. This convention contributes to a feeling of fear because the audience would be surprised by Jocasta's reckless impiety. This fear would turn into an overwhelming flow of emotions in the audience. In conclusion, Sophocles' interpretation of the myth of Oedipus the King provides the basis for all accumulation of emotions. a suspense which could only end wonderfully and produce a great and lasting dramatic effect, in the ideal tragic response of catharsis as described by Aristotle in his work Poetics. This catharsis is brought about by the introduction of various emotions, primarily fear and pity, both of which are developed through the audience's interpretation of various plot events and other conventions present in this great tragedy. The hallmark of this brilliant work lies in its magnificent gift of leaving a deep, meaningful and sometimes extremely emotional impression on anyone, whether ancient Athenians or modern-day students of literature in the 21st century who are lucky enough to discover it..