Nature Of Oedipus Essay

Oedipus develops a very persistent nature throughout the course of the play. We are first introduced to this persistent nature when Tiresias, a prophet of the God Apollo, warns Oedipus and advises against the investigation into the murder of King Laius. Oedipus’ determination and habitual persistence causes him to disagree with what Tiresias has said, he wants to bring Laius’ murderer to justice and to end the plague that had befallen Thebes. Oedipus states, “By all the Gods, do not deny us what you know. We ask you, all of us, on bended knees.” Tiresias plainly states Oedipus’ fatal flaw when he says, “Why persist in asking? You will not persuade me.” Eventually due to Oedipus’ persistence Tiresias surrenders the truth that he knows, “The murder of the man whose murder you pursue is you.” Oedipus, blinded by his disliking of the answer Tiresias gave him, disregards what he is told. When

Oedipus’ ignorance causes him to not be able to pick up on the many obvious references to his own fate – which if picked up on, would have allowed Oedipus to avoid his final outcome. Oedipus’ ignorance is first seen when Tiresias reveals the killer of Laius. “The murderer of the man whose murder you pursue is you.” After hearing the prophecy it is Oedipus’ ignorance, which stops him from understanding the importance of the subject. Oedipus prioritizes the seeking of truth over his own well being, this shows his understanding of fate as being less important in his own conscious than the well being of Thebes. His ignorance extends even further to the moment in which he fails to recognize Tiresias’ prediction of his own fate, “…And he will go tapping the strange earth with his staff…” Oedipus is not consciously going against fate; rather he is completely oblivious to it, “The ignorance, in short, is tragic ignorance, the familiar condition in which the hero, not knowing what he’s up against, acts