When faced with a situation not to his liking, Oedipus chose to act childishly and without common sense, rather than simply addressing the problem. There were many times when Oedipus refused to act his age and instead came across as childlike due to his refusal to pay any attention to what others were telling him. Despite his curiosity, if Oedipus did not like what he discovered, he immediately pretended that it never even happened. When Tiresias tried to explain to Oedipus why he did not want to tell him the truth, Oedipus whined and pleaded with him until Tiresias finally caved and told Oedipus. Oedipus could not believe what Tiresias had just told him, he (Oedipus) was the king's killer and so, “[he], bull[ied Tiresias] against [his own] …show more content…
As Tiresias tried to explain to Oedipus that him acting in this immature manner was exactly why he did not want to tell him, Oedipus proceeded to interrupt him. Accusing him of being the actual killer, he refused to listen to anything Tiresias said, and talked over him after every few words he spoke. All of this was in spite of Oedipus previously claiming he needed to know who the killer was and being so desperate to find out. The way he could not have a logical conversation with another adult without coming across as rude simply shows how truly naive he was. Another example that helps support just how callow Oedipus was, were words said by his own wife (and mother), Jocasta. When discussing Oedipus’s riled state with the Chorus, she mentioned that he used his, “past experience, like a man of sense, to judge the present need, but [he] lend[ed] an ear to any gossip if it forebode[d] ill” (Sophocles and Storr 921-923). Here, Oedipus acted like a teenager, using some sense until he heard an implausible rumor and he trusted it over his own common sense. Oedipus did not seem to believe anyone who spoke to him was telling the truth, however, when crazed assumptions were made, he immediately seemed to think that was what actually had happened, despite this being extremely
Similarly to Oedipus’s response to Teiresias, Oedipus once again will not take the advice of those who know the truth. He ignores his wife who has this knew knowledge and his arrogance and pride lead him to push her commentary aside and pursue more information. This is a continuing pattern for Oedipus. He rejects any words that do not fit his
As tragic hero Oedipus displays all of the usual canon; power, arrogance, and pride. Oedipus manifests himself in a position of confidence, which he derives from his success at solving the riddle of the Sphinx and marrying a queen.“It was you who came / and released Cadmus’ Town from the tribute / we paid to the cruel songstress…” (Sophocles, 33-35) , “CREON: Then tell me this - / are you not married to my sister?” (Sophocles, 696-697). In turn, it also enabled him to make rash decisions, such as slaying his father, without personal recompense. “I was to slay my father. And he dies, / And the grave hide...
The selfishness that Oedipus possesses causes him to have abundance of ignorance. This combination is what leads to his father’s death. After fleeing Corinth and his foster family, Oedipus gets into a skirmish with an older man. The reason for the fight was because, “The groom leading the horses forced me off the road at his lord’s command” (1336). Oedipus is filled with a rage after being insulted by the lord and feels the need to act. The two men fight, but Oedipus ends up being too much for the older man, and he kills him. What Oedipus is unaware of is that the man was actually his birth father and by killing him, Oedipus has started on the path of his own destruction. Not only does Oedipus kill his father, but also everyone else, “I killed them all” (1336). The other men had no part in the scuffle, but in his rage, he did not care who he was killing.
Another example of Oedipus’ presumptuous temperament is when he immediately assumes that Creon is trying to take his power from him. Creon sends Tiresias to Oedipus to help him solve the crime of the plague, and when Tiresias reveals that Oedipus must die in order to save the people of Thebes, Oedipus assumes Creon is trying to take his throne. Creon even tells Oedipus, “…if you think crude, mindless stubbornness such a gift, you’ve lost your sense of balance” (Meyer 1438). Oedipus’ impulsive nature leads him to discovering the truth and reveals that he has indeed fulfilled the prophecy he was running from.
Oedipus’s anger quickly starts as soon as Tiresias starts speaking. Tiresias warns Oedipus of his truth from the beginning of their conversation. He [Tiresias] claims that wisdom was “dreadful when it brings no gain” (316-317). However, Oedipus does not heed his [Tiresias] warning. He verbally attacks Tiresias by preying on Tiresias’s blindness
tells the priest and the suffering people of Thebes. If Oedipus did not care for
Oedipus is given ample opportunity to engage in dialogue. However, when Oedipus talks to others, he only listens to what he wants to hear. When Teiresias tries to tell him the truth, he becomes angry and says, "And who has taught you the truth? Not your profession surely." (25). Instead of trying to understand what Teiresias is saying, he immediately discards it because it does not fit into his plan to pull Thebes out of the plague. He is unwilling to engage in true dialogue, because he is afraid that it might cause him to question his own beliefs. Oedipus is not living his life authentically; he is not being true to himself. In his arrogance he believes himself greater than he really is, and this prevents him from truly seeking his own individuality.
Odysseus portrays himself as anything but a hero throughout Homer’s The Odyssey. Odysseus goes through his life believing he is the best. He has no regard for anyone’s feelings but his own, and he believes nothing and no one can harm him, not even the gods. Odysseus feels he is always the leader and no one can tell him otherwise. Odysseus should not be considered a hero because he portrays himself as a selfish man that failed his crew, and is controlled by his hubris.
Two of the minor tragic flaws that lead to Oedipus downfall were his arrogance and short temper. Trough out the book we are able to see how Oedipus humiliates and gets into arguments with the people that telling him the truth about his real parents and that are trying to help him to find the “unknown”
Oedipus had a very short temper. Oedipus did not want to hear what Tiresias had to say after he begged him to tell him all that he knew. "Am I to listen to such things from him! May you be damned! Get out of here at once! Turn around and go!" (Literature, Oedipus the King, Ln. 434-436, page 1085) Oedipus went into a rage when Tiresias told him about the evils that Oedipus was living with.
Oedipus was a victime of fate, his futur was foretold by an Oracle, he had no way of knowing that his wife was his mother nor that the stranger he killed was his father. Oedipus could not prevent his own downfall. Oedipus was the king of Thebes, he became king when he cured the city of a deadly plague. He cured the plague by solving the riddle of the mythical creature, the Sphinkx. Now the city is suffering from another plague and as king Oedipus must solve the riddle of this one.
Throughout my lifetime, I have been told to “be yourself” or that “you are the master of your own fate”. Each one of us is told that we are important because we are unique. However, it certainly hasn’t always been that way. The perceived value of individuals has evolved as we have advanced as a society. The progression of global religions over time is evidence of this. During the period from soon after the advent of religion many thousands of years ago until around 1900, humans saw themselves as relatively unimportant compared to the omnipotent gods. However, since 1900, humans, collectively and individually, have been seen as the utmost authority in the universe. The play Oedipus The King, written by Sophocles
According to Aristotle, the protagonist in a tragedy must have a tragic flaw that ultimately becomes the cause of his ruin. Oedipus in Oedipus the King by Sophocles tragic flaw that caused his downfall was his pride. Three examples of when Oedipus’ pride got the better of him were: when he left his adopted parents in Cornith, the second is when he goes against Creon, and the third is when Oedipus is demanding that the messenger tell him all he knows about who his real parents are.
Oedipus calls Tiresias to the castle so he may tell Oedipus of the potential killer, but Tiresias refuses to tell him the truth. Oedipus then gets angry and starts to insult Tiresias by saying “You are blind, your ears and mind as well as eyes” (23). Because Oedipus calls Tiresias blind when he obviously is, this exemplifies Sophocles’ strong use of irony. This exchange also indicates dramatic irony because they are both blind, Tiresias is physically blind and Oedipus is blind about his identity, and he surely does not see this. Also, at the end of the story, when Oedipus finds out the truth, he blinds himself which creates dramatic irony when the audience remembers this conversation between the two
Oedipus has very little patience, which is evident in lines 75-77 when he tells the priest, “Too long, more than is right, he’s been away. But when he comes, then I shall be a traitor if I do not do all that the god reveals.” Moreover, he is angered easily with a short fuse that can be seen when he is accusing Tiresias the prophet of being a liar and traitor, “Nothing? You vile traitor! You could provoke a stone to anger! You still refuse to tell?”