Final answer:
The moment in "Oedipus Rex" that epitomizes the loss of identity is when Oedipus discovers his true parentage, a revelation that shatters his self-perception and results in his downfall.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example from "Oedipus Rex" that represents the theme of the loss of identity is A. Oedipus discovering his true parentage. This moment underscores the protagonist's devastating realization that his sense of self is built on falsehoods. Upon learning that he has fulfilled a horrifying prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother, Oedipus is faced with the dissolution of his perceived identity as a just king and noble man. This leads to the dramatic resolution of the play, where he blinds himself and Jocasta, his wife and mother, takes her own life. The catastrophic loss of his personal and social identity defines the essence of tragedy in this Sophoclean play.
Oedipus' identity crisis is deepened by the juxtaposition of his previous interaction with the Sphinx, which initially affirmed his intelligence and heroic status. The truth reveals the illusion of control he thought he had over his destiny, epitomized by the Sphinx's riddle that he once solved. The discovery of his actual lineage is a stark and painful moment that completely strips Oedipus of his royal and personal identity, triggering a series of events that leads to his downfall and self-inflicted exile.