Literary style analysis of Oedipus by Thomas Blackburn

There are many levels of pain, some of which are discomfort, grief, and agony. In his poem "Oedipus", Thomas Blackburn uses diction, imagery, and organization to create a tone of suffering that truly exemplifies pain at its greatest, as well as a tone of feebleness and impotence. <Tab/>From the beginning of the poem, Blackburn's diction suggests Oedipus's immorality and wretchedness. For example, Oedipus's shadow is "monstrous", representing his horrific past …

…the end, Blackburn constantly provides support for the tones of suffering and weakness. Through diction such as "helpless", imagery of Oedipus's demise in the desert, and organization that created emphasis on certain clues, the tone and message is easily identified. Oedipus was truly a tragic story involving the fall of a king to a blind and powerless child, with the sad, horrific, and painful understanding of truth and fate integrated to create a dramatic play.