Oedipus (Dryden play) act was concluded. Among all our English plays, there is none more determinedly bloody than Oedipus, in its progress and conclusion. The entrance of the unfortunate king, with his eyes torn from their sockets, is too disgusting for representation. "Oedipus Rex" was originally written by Sophocles in 430 BC, and later on the subject was adapted by Seneca and Corneille. In the preface to "Oedipus, a Tragedy", Dryden refers to these authors and comments on their works. By doing so, he reveals his concept of "Oedipus, a Tragedy", and explains why he thinks that the Latin and French adaptions of
Oedipus at Colonus a city in which proper boundaries and identities are not maintained, allowing the playwright to explore themes like incest, murder, and hubris in a safe setting. While the two other plays about Oedipus often bring up the theme of a person's moral responsibility for their destiny, and whether it is possible to rebel against destiny, "Oedipus at Colonus" shows Oedipus's resolution of the problem. In "Oedipus Rex," he was told by Tiresias, "You bear your fate and I will bear mine," a message repeated by the Chorus, but scorned by Oedipus, who like his father has believed he can escape