The origins of Oedipus the king

A description of how the characters either defied or abides by the cultural expectations of their time.
Describing the conditions endured by characters in a literary work from another point in history. How is this similar to (or different from) the conditions that would have been endured by a character living in a different point in history (such as the present day) Feminism vs. Patriarchy: this essay should answer the question, “how did gender roles affect the lives of a character (s)?" A comparison may be made between the work of fiction (i.e. the play) and the cultural and society expectations of the real life {i.e. Ancient Athens)