text: what are some of the downward spiral of events in the novel oedipus rex? examples: when he pokes his eyes out and another is when he yells at tiresias there are three more that i can't seem to remember oedipus rex / oedipus the king - sophocles  i have found 10 summaries for you to look at, via the link below.   these links will give you a summary of the book, character analysis, plot and much more, so that you will be able to answer literary questions.  http://www.antistudy.com/search.php?title=oedipus+rex  http://www.freebooknotes.com/book.php3?id=497  oedipus: oedipus is the central figure and tragic hero of sophocles' play.  though he is initially the majestic king of thebes, he soon becomes a dejected man, humbled by his horrible fate.  as the oracle predicts, oedipus kills his father and sleeps with his mother.  when oedipus learns what he has done, he chooses exile, leaving creon to be king.  http://www.freebooknotes.com/page.php?link=http://www.novelguide.com/oedipustheking/index.html&book=497  oedipus king of thebes. as a young man, he saved the city of thebes by solving the riddle of the sphinx and destroying the monster. he now sets about finding the murderer of the former king laius to save thebes from plague.  http://www.cliffsnotes.com/wileycda/litnote/id-100,pagenum-9.html  the shepherd arrives and tells oedipus that he was a servant of laios and that laios gave him his child to kill because of the prophecy that his son would kill him.  since the shepherd felt sorry for the child, he did not kill him, but gave him to the other shepherd.  after this, oedipus finds out that the prophecy came true.  iocaste commits suicide, and oedipus gouges out his eyes.  then he says bye to his children, and leaves the city.   http://summarycentral.tripod.com/oedipusrex.htm  good luck.  kevin, liverpool, england.