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 Rex unconditional. Given our modern conception of fate and fatalism, readers of the play have a tendency to view Oedipus as a mere puppet controlled by greater forces, a man crushed by the gods and fate for no good reason. This, however, is not an entirely accurate reading. While it is a mythological truism that oracles exist to be fulfilled, oracles do not cause the events that lead up to the outcome. In his landmark essay "On Misunderstanding the "Oedipus Rex"", E.R. Dodds draws a comparison with Jesus's prophecy at the Last Supper that Peter would deny him three times. Jesus