A topic sentence goes at the start of every paragraph. It typically acts as a kind of miniature thesis statement, outlining the purpose of the paragraph to follow. These sentences need not be complex or elaborate.

Now, if one was writing a literary analysis paper on Oedipus the King, naturally, topic sentences would be needed for the body paragraphs. However, the content of these topic sentences would depend upon the main argument presented by the paper. For example, in a paper about Oedipus's fatal flaw—an arrogance that blinds him from the truth—the thesis would claim what his fatal flaw is, and then the topic sentences would each introduce different arguments supporting the thesis statement's claim.

One element of the play that showcases Oedipus's arrogance is his interaction with the high priest of the city at the beginning. He sings his own praises, reminding everyone that he saved the city before and can do it again. A topic sentence illustrating this might appear as follows: "The first sign of Oedipus's arrogance comes during his interaction with the high priest." While this topic sentence does not immediately go into detail about why this is significant, it introduces the argument broadly.

What is a good topic sentence for Oedipus the King?

A topic sentence sets forth the central idea of a paragraph. In order to create a topic sentence, one first needs to develop a thesis for the paper as a whole and then topic sentences for each paragraph within the paper.

There are many different types of papers one could write about Oedipus Rex. One way to approach the play would be to read Aristotle's Poetics to get an idea of how an ancient Greek audience would have responded to the play and then to use Aristotle's comments about tragedy in general or Oedipus in particular as the basis for a paper.

Another type of paper might analyze the role of a specific character. For example, one could examine how Tiresias serves to advance the plot of the play or his role as a religious authority figure. One could also look at the figure of Creon and argue whether one should consider Oedipus's suspicions of him adequately grounded. The character of Oedipus would be another possible topic, especially in an evaluation of the degree to which he was blameworthy or a victim. One might also consider the role of the chorus in the play.

Another potential topic would be the notion of "theodicy," or divine justice, in light of how the curse is passed down through generations.