According to Webster's Dictionary, fate is defined as "A power that supposedly predetermines what is to happen" (257). In the play "Oedipus Rex" each character is touched by fate directly or indirectly. The author of the play Sophocles pens the story of a man who was destine from birth to be both martyr and hero, he could never be one without the other.
Another view of "Oedipus Rex" is that some critics view him as a "tyrant" and not a hero because he did not come into power by natural succession, but through more sinister means, which are revealed later in the play. Also renowned authors such as Sigmund Freud in his paper "On Dreams" believe that Sophocles meant to portray Oedipus as a tyrant ."... Oedipus frequent outburst of temper, his seeming inability to moderate his emotions, and his restless suspicion of those around him (bordering on paranoia) as evidence that Sophocles intended to portray him as a tyrant"(311).
Oedipus is portrayed as loyal, intelligent and courageous in the eyes of his kingdom, because he rescued them from the "fate" of the Sphinx. He's believed to be gifted and/or favored by the gods. In the beginning of the play subjects of the kingdom come pleading that he rescue them once again from another plague that has inflicted the city, just as he had done in the past. Oedipus is confident that he can rid his people of the plague, proving yet again that he is their salvation, cure and hero. "You freed us from the Sphinx, you came to Thebes and cut us loose from the bloody tribute we had paid that harsh, brutal singer...So now again, Oedipus, king we bend to you, your power.... find us strength rescue!"(Sophocles 600).
It's in Oedipus's nature to come to aid of his people, but he is unaware ...
... middle of paper ...
...self. The line that best describes the theme of "Oedipus Rex" was this "The greatest grieves are those we cause ourselves"(D. Fitts and R. Fitzgerald 67). "Part of the play's tragic power resides in human failing, hamartia,
constantly underpinning any sense of the inevitable."(Walton 124) Oedipus was the master of his own fate, he and him could have decided to reveal the truth of his identity and his crimes to his kingdom. What made him a true tragic hero was neither his bravery, intelligence, nor his honesty, but it was the loyalty not to himself or his wife and children, but the loyalty to the people of his kingdom. He was a true hero not because of what he contributed to his world but rather his sacrifice. "This drama should not be called "Oedipus Rex" or "Oedipus the King. Neither "Rex" nor "King" conveys precisely the sense of "tyrannus."(Adams, 109)
Oedipus becomes a more admirable character by the end of the play then during the prologue of the play. This is because his history is reveled and his fate seems to be less of his fault and more of something that was doomed to happen to him, also by his drive to help the city of Thebes shows that he cares for the city and his ability to accept his fate but to try and help others from suffering.
Aristoteles’s “Theory of Tragedy” suggests that the tragic flaw in Sophocles’ play Oedipus is the King’s “self-destructive actions taken in blindness,” but a worse flaw if his arrogance. There are a few opposing views that stray from Oedipus being fully arrogant. First is that he took actions to save himself further pain. Second by putting himself in charge was the right thing to do as the leader of his people. Third Oedipus never tried to outwit the gods but used the prophecy as a warning to leave Corinth. All three opposing arguments shows a different side of Oedipus other than that of arrogance.
Oedipus is a ‘good king,’ a father of his people, an honest and great ruler, while at the same time an outstanding intellect. . . . He even shares the thro...
Oedipus the King is a great epic, written by Sophocles that discusses Oedipus’ journey to find his own identity. Most importantly, this epic challenges even the noblest of human beings by portraying a theme between personal convictions versus the force of fate. Throughout his journey, Oedipus encounters these challenges through several oracles, in which he has a difficult time interpreting and accepting. Nevertheless, King Oedipus, being a man with great curiosity and determination, seeks for these answers and makes an attempt to alter his own fate. Consequently, Oedipus fails, and is met with the horrific events that he was so determined to escape from.
Oedipus is shown to be a well-liked and trusted king among all his townspeople. Solving the riddle of the Sphinx and saving Thebes brought him great fame and popularity. When time came to save the town from Laios’ killer, Oedipus relied much on his intellect. He searched for information about the night of the murder from Creon and Teiresias, but as he learned more details, Oedipus realized not only that he was the killer but also that he married his mother. Throughout his inquiry he believed he was doing good for his people as well as himself, but eventually it brought him shame. Oedipus was humiliated and disgusted and stated, “…kill me; or hurl me into the sea, away from men’s eyes for ever(p882, 183).'; Oedipus’ wanted to be isolated from the people of Thebes because all his respect and fame was destroyed by his fate.
Oedipus was a great man. He saved Thebes from the Sphinx. The Sphinx was a terrible creature who stood outside the gates of Thebes asking anyone who come to go through gates a riddle. If the riddle is unanswered or answered wrongly, the Sphinx would kill them. Oedipus saved the city of Thebes by solving the Sphinx riddle, which led to the Sphinx killing itself. Oedipus was a great hero to the city of Thebes. He was their great savior so they gave him their queen and kingdom. Oedipus downfall was very tragic and shocked a lot of people that such a great hero could fall so low.
From the opening dialogue we sense the character of Oedipus. When confronted by his subjects praying for relief of the plague he reacts kingly and graciously, saying, “I am king, I had to come....How can I help?...Ask me anything. Anything at all.” He obviously cares for the people in his kingdom, but he goes on to say how he pities “these poor shattered people of [his].” The pity he feels is rooted not only in his love and sympathy, but his arrogance as well. Perhaps this attitude is duly deserved, for Oedipus had solved the Sphinx’s riddle, an apparently heroic feat, and was seen to be “greater than any man”, but the leader that he had become still possessed the hubristic tendencies which doomed him from the time he fled Corinth.
Oedipus the King conveys many lessons that are relevant to people living today despite the fact that it was written by Sophocles twenty four centuries ago. Oedipus is a child destined to kill his father and marry his mother. During his life, he makes many mistakes trying to avoid his fate. These mistakes teach us about the nature of humans under certain circumstances. Oedipus possesses personality traits which causes him to make wrong decisions. Attributes like arrogance and his inability to make calm decisions in certain scenarios due to his anger causes his downfall. Oedipus’ excessive pride, like many people today, was an important factor that brought him grief. Oedipus’ lack of patience caused him to make hasty decisions which lead him to his greatest agony. Oedipus’ massive ego turned into excessive vanity, this was the first step to his downfall. Oedipus talks to Creon about the murderer of Laius. He declares, “Then I’ll go back and drag that shadowed past to light… but by myself and for myself I’ll break this plague” (Sophocles, 11). Oedipus is saying that he will be the on...
Oedipus Rex”, by Socrates, is a play that shows the fault of men and the ultimate power of the gods. Throughout the play, the main character, Oedipus, continually failed to recognize the fault in human condition, and these failures led to his ultimate demise. Oedipus failed to realize that he, himself, was the true answer to the riddle of the Sphinx. Oedipus ignored the truth told to him by the oracles and the drunk at the party, also. These attempts to get around his fate, which was determined by the gods, was his biggest mistake.
“…they will never see the crime I have committed or had done upon me!” These are the words Oedipus shouted as he blinds himself upon learning the truth of his past. It is ironic how a person blessed with perfect physical vision could in reality be blind to to matters of life and conscience. During his prime as King of Thebes, Oedipus is renowned for his lucidity and his ability to rule with a clear concept of justice and equality. The people loved him for his skill and wit, as he saved Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx. As a result, Oedipus became overly confident, and refuses to see that he may be the cause of the malady that is plaguing his kingdom. Although physically Oedipus has full use of his eyes, Sophocles uses sight to demonstrate how Oedipus is blind to the truth about his past what it might me for both him and his kingdom. Upon learning the truth, Oedipus gouges out his eyes, so he won’t have to look upon his children, or the misfortune that is his life. Once physically unable to see, Oedipus has clear vision as to his fate, and what must be done for his kingdom and his family
With this in mind, many believe that King Oedipus in Sophocles’ play, Oedipus the King, is the perfect example of Aristotle’s tragic hero. Does he, however, truly fulfill all the “requirements” described in Poetics or is there something we miss in the depths of his fascinating and multi-faceted character that does not fit into Aristotle’s template? Without a doubt, Oe...
Oedipus Rex (the King), written by Sophocles, is the tragic play depicting the disastrous existence to which Oedipus, an Athenian, is 'fated' to endure. With a little help from the gods and the 'fated' actions and decisions of Oedipus, an almost unthinkable misfortune unfolds. Athenian perfection can consist of intelligence, self-confidence, and a strong will. Oedipus, the embodiment of such perfection, and his tragedy are common place to Athenians. Ironically, the very same exact characteristics that bring about the ominous discovery of Oedipus' fate: to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus' 'fated' decisions entangle everyone whom is of any significance to him within a quagmire of spiraling tragedy. Sophocles uses the riddle of the Sphinx as a metaphor for the three phases of Oedipus' entangled life, the three phases of human life, and to describe how every life-changing action or decision can influence other lives.
The myth of Oedipus is one of a man brought down by forces aligning against him. Over the years, different playwrights have interpreted his character in various fashions. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus is a man who is blind to the path on which his questions take him and exemplifies the typical tyrannical leader in ancient times; in Senaca’s Oedipus, it is the fear of his questions that give Oedipus a greater depth of character, a depth he must overcome if he is to survive his ordeal.
O’Brien, Micheal. “Introduction.” 20th Centruy Interpretations of Oedipus Rex. Ed. Micheal O'Brien. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968. 8-10. Print.
Oedipus had good intentions for his people and tries to save the city when death is at its doorstep even admitting that they mean more to him that is own life “I grieve for these, my people far more that I fear for my own life”(106-106). His determination to seek the truth and care for his people not only makes him an admirable man but respectable king. His quest for truth no matter