The debate whether Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex should be studied in the modern classroom or banned from high schools altogether is a long-standing and debatable issue. While the play deals with several mature themes, the mature reader should be able to appreciate the plot and the questions arisen from it, and is a valid piece of literature to study. Oedipus begins with little backstory, as it is expected the audience is familiar with the eponymous hero—born to the Theban rulers Laïos and Iokastê, Oedipus was sent away for fear of a prophecy claiming he was to kill his father. He was taken in by Polybus and Meropê, whom he considered his real parents until a rash drunkard’s ramblings caused him to doubt his upbringing. The play is set several years after this, in a time where Oedipus, having performed many heroic deeds, is appointed the ruler of Thebes. However, the prophecy resurfaces; Oedipus states, “As, that I should lie with my own mother, breed / Children from whom all men would turn their eyes; / And that I should be my father’s murderer” (Scene 2, Antistrophe 2, 749-51) Remarkably, Oedipus had killed his father in an impulsive move that resulted from a small accident on the road, and had begotten a number of children with the current queen of Thebes—his mother. Upon discovering this truth, Iokastê takes her life while Oedipus chooses to blind himself rather than face reality.

In both literary and psychological studies, Freud’s concept of the Oedipus complex is a prevalent and important idea. Described as “the desire to possess the parent of the opposite sex and eliminate the parent of the same sex”, this slightly disturbing notion originated with Oedipus’ prophecy: to kill his father and bed his mother. The play Oedipus Rex offers far more insight into the psyche of those with this condition than a psychology textbook or article. Moreover, Oedipus is at heart very much a play about human psychology—written by the respected Greek tragedian Sophocles, it examines a number of universal issues: namely, the inevitability of fate; the human lust for power; and the worship of the hero. In the course of the average high school student’s English literature studies, they will likely explore these concepts in a number of other works—Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is primarily a struggle against fate, while contemporary novels such as The Great Gatsby and Lord of the Flies involve modern society’s preoccupation with achieving power by assuming the role of the hero. Oedipus Rex strongly reinforces these concepts and offers the young reader a mature perspective on them due to its concise nature and memorable subject matter.

If one is let teach one’s students about a tribe of violent anarchist children, why may one not speak about a murder and an incestuous relationship? Along with the novel Lolita, Oedipus Rex is among the most controversial of works that may be on a high school reading list, presumably for the adult nature of each. Sexual intercourse is a vital incident in both works, in spite of the fact it is not explicitly described. Other pieces of literature studied in secondary education may allude to the occurrence of or desire for sex—namely, Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter or Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet—but those works appear to use intercourse as a means to reach the aftermath;  a preface, in other words. Oedipus uses sex not only as a way to introduce the story, but as the cause for the downfall of the hero—Oedipus’ realization his wife Iokaste is his mother as well. Upon this realization, the queen took her life while Oedipus blinded himself in hopes he would not be forced to look upon the truth. The nature of the relationship between Oedipus and his mother is admittedly obscene, but as the means through which the hero meets his demise, it is a legitimate part of the play. Whereas other works may use random sexual encounters to entertain the reader, Oedipus uses sex less for the (admittedly large) shock value, and includes it instead to develop the plot, which is no more inappropriate for the high school reader than a bold adulteress or a savage group of schoolchildren.

 However, it appears as if the context of Oedipus is lost on the modern reader; although a story of prophecies and kings would be commonplace in Sophocles’ era, such a tale seems like a fantasy novel in modern society. Whereas today one can choose from a multitude of religions and political stances, the denizens of Ancient Greece were limited to a regional faith and a monarchy. Although one may superficially understand how such a system works, the modern reader neglects to realise the extent to which patriotism and religious fanaticism were involved. In spite of the fact these concepts may not be readily accessible today, Oedipus can easily be viewed as an allegory. Just as an Orwell novel or a Miller play depicts disillusionment with a particular political order, Sophocles’ work can be interpreted as a commentary on the folly of power and the average human’s lack of perspective; after discovering he had foolishly conducted himself in accordance to the prophecy, Oedipus laments, “If I had eyes, / I do not know how I can bear the sight / Of my father…or my mother: for I have sinned against them both…” (Exodos, Antistrophe 2, 1317-20) His self-mutilation strikes the modern reader as a caution to keep perspective and conduct oneself in a just manner.

Being a philosophical play, Oedipus Rex brings forth certain issues and questions that are irrefutably timeless—they are no less poignant in a modern setting than in that of ancient Greece. In true existential form, Oedipus is forced into that eternal dilemma with the self, asking the question: who am I? For so long, he was able to reply, “Polybos of Corinth is my father. / My mother is a Dorian: Meropê. / I grew up chief among the men of Corinth…” (Scene 2, Antistrophe 2, 730-2) However, upon the first suspicions of his uncertain heritage, Oedipus is consumed by his need for a certain identity, refusing to accept the validity of the life he had lived for so long. This struggle for identity proves to be his downfall, as well as that of his wife and mother Iokastê’s. While observing these issues, the modern student may find that that they are undergoing a similar battle with their own self—although it is very unlikely they will have killed their father and slept with their mother as per prophecy, the question “Who am I?” is something everyone asks themselves during their formative years. Being able to relate to the tragic hero of Oedipus on such a personal level is striking and makes one consider their own identity while the character discovers his.

Although Oedipus Rex is a decidedly mature and adult play, it is deserving of a place in the modern classroom for its strong themes and issues raised. The inclusion of sex and fantastic elements such as prophecy and fate make it particularly likeable in the average student’s perspective. Furthermore, some questions and thoughts raised are thought-provoking and identifiable to the young reader. For a piece of literature alive for millennia, Oedipus Rex is a striking play that is effective even today.