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Throughout the entire play, Oedipus is presented as a static character with many flaws. Because of his many flaws, this eventually results in his downfall as the king of Thebes. Not only did his flaws lead to his downfall, but it was also his fate to kill his father and later lose his position of king and caused him to be exiled. One of Oedipus’ main flaws was focusing on only himself as king and not listening to the advice that the people around him were trying to give him. When Oedipus asked Tiresias, the prophet of the god Apollo who killed the last king of Thebes, he would not listen when Tiresias told him that he killed King Laius. Oedipus would be in denial and to the fact that he killed Laius. This flaw and many more ultimately led to his downfall. In the end Oedipus loses his eyesight just like how he was blind to his flaws, it was ironic how Oedipus was emotionally blind and that led to his physical blindness. …show more content…
Oedipus’ blindness to his flaws led to him being a static character by not changing throughout the play.
With Oedipus being a static character, he does not change the flaws that eventually led to his downfall. The blindness to his flaws caused him to be arrogant and not listen to the advice that others tried to tell him. Instead of doing what he should have done by being a dynamic character and changing his ways, he was a static character by by not addressing all of his flaws and changing them like he should have done. If Oedipus would have changed his flaws, his downfall and the loss of his position as king and the loss of his sight could have been
stopped. With Oedipus’ flaws, he was often faced with many different conflicts. One of these conflicts was when both Oedipus and Jocasta found out that he was her son. When Jocasta found out that she was not only was his wife but also his mom, she committed suicide because of having grief in realizing that fate had come true and that her children were also her grandchildren. When Oedipus found out, he took a broche off of Jocasta’s clothes and stabbed his eyes out making him blind just like the prophet told him would happen. Oedipus stabbed his eyes out because he was so mortified that he had married and had kids with his own mom. In the end, he lost his position as king and was exiled from Thebes.
Oedipus’ downfall was caused by his lack of knowledge, hasty decisions, and false justice. Bernard Knox says this clearly “these attributes of divinity – knowledge, certainty, justice - are all qualities Oedipus thought he possessed – and that is why he was the perfect example if the inadequacy of human knowledge, certainty, and justice”. Oedipus was meant do the crimes he committed based on the actions of his parents, but he did not have certainty of knowledge and made the rest of his life miserable. Oedipus caused his own downfall by lacking the qualities of knowledge, certainty, and
“…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
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.
The imagery of sight versus blindness lead to his ultimate downfall. He is transparent to the lie he has created. Also the contempt and torture he has just brought upon this city. Like the prophecy says his wife will kill herself first, then later his life will all go downhill from there. Later prophecy actually comes true. First with his wife killing herself, then Oedipus realizes that he has done wrong. He was blind when Teiresias told him the first time. He then actually saw the irony in what he has done wrong. He later then actually makes himself blind and stabs out his eyes so he cannot see anymore. This causes his downfall and later his
From the way the man speaks to the other shepherd, "Damn you, shut your mouth—quite!" (346) You can tell that Oedipus is not going to like what this messenger has to say. He to owns the knowledge that is blinding Oedipus. But he will soon know and the knowledge of himself will set him free, and he will be able to understand his faults. When Oedipus finally realizes that the prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother had came true, he was over come with shame. He goes to Jocasta’s quarters, where she had taken her own life, and gouged out his eyes with the broach that she wore. In the end, Oedipus gains insight into his life, his failings, and the nature of the gods and fate only through his own blindness, only through accepting the truth of his lack of vision, and his inability to impact fate. Oedipus gains a compassionate, though tragic outlook because of his capacity to envision that which he could never see while he had his physical sight. Through his blindness, Oedipus is finally allowed the ability to see himself, and this is the irony of sight in Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King.
tells the priest and the suffering people of Thebes. If Oedipus did not care for
Sophocles intentionally gave certain flaws in character type to Oedipus—he intended a downfall. That was the purpose of all ancient Greek drama: it was meant as “a dramatic reminder of [their] own mortality”. Sophocles used his plays in order to force people to learn at other’s mistake. Oedipus is a perfect example. His tragic flaws, persistence and ignorance caused his inevitable doom
Sincerely caring for his people, he desires to make Thebes lives better by revealing the death of Laius, meaning if he solves the problem, he will become a hero. He asks for the help of his brother in law – Creon, and he brings Tiresias, the blind prophet who can see from Apollo’s eyes, to answer Oedipus’ concern. Unfortunately, Oedipus has several weaknesses that lead to the outcomes. He fears of rebellion, subverts the laws when frightened, and refuses to listen to others when he is mad. He accuses Creon as a betrayer when Tiresias indicates that he is the killer and even wants Creon to die. He
While his intentions were well meaning in the beginning, Oedipus finds himself weighed down by his own flaws. Tragically his flaws cause him to lose focus of his true objectives and damn himself to a life of misery. The tale of Oedipus depicts his rapid descent from Oedipus, savior and king of Thebes to Oedipus Tyrannus the man who slew his father and married his mother. Since Oedipus has so many tragic flaws there is a plethora to choose from. However, if Oedipus’s tragic traits could be described with two words it would be arrogant and imperceptive. First, Oedipus is arrogant. Additionally, Oedipus is imperceptive.
Throughout Oedipus’ quest to disprove prophecy and discover the truth about his life, his incredible hubris causes his reaction to his final discovery to be one that flaws his nobility. Upon realizing the truth, Oedipus gouges out his own eyes in attempt to become superior because he is amazed at the fact that a Tiresias, a blind prophet who he has just recently insulted because of his inability to physically see, was able to project Oedipus’ fate and outsmart the ever so noble and ever perfect Oedipus (which is how he invasions himself.) Oedipus’ desire to be the best at everything overwhelms him as he gouges out his own eyes to make himself even more superior, because his false perceptions about the true powers of blindness and sight has led him to believe that being blind makes you superior: “I did it all myself! What good were eyes to me? Nothing I could see could bring me joy.” (241) The fact that Oed...
He was humiliated and terrified and he panicked. He grabbed a knife and began to gash out his eyes, making him a blind man, but also blind to the truth. To make up for all the mistakes he made, he banished himself from the city of Thebes. He left his two sons to rule the city and he took his two daughters with him. Eventually, both of his sons were killed and so were his two daughters. But one day, when Oedipus was old and lonely, he was struck by a lightening bolt killing him for good.
The downfall of Oedipus transpired due to the tragic flaw of his character. Oedipus was very temperamental and became easily angered. He was a prideful individual who desired to be a hero and avenge the death of Laius. His devout need to know the truth, and have the proof that it indeed was the truth also led to his ruin.
From the very beginning, Oedipus was “blind”. Oedipus has perfect physical vision. However, he is blind and ignorant to the truth about himself and his past. He desperately seeks to know about the death of his father. At this point, it is obvious what Oedipus's action must be, to overcome the blindness. All of his actions thereafter are to that end.
First of all, Oedipus cannot accept things the way they are and he is very head-strong in
People's words can influence changes in our lives but ultimately one controls their own decisions. One's life can be in the hands of the gods but rather life can be in one's palms. Oedipus' downfall is entirely self-inflicted. He was given a second chance at life and his personality had really undone him as he brings misfortune on himself. He was given a choice, a crossroad, but the choices he makes were reflected on his personality. Through his hubristic and deterministic disposition, he led himself into a dark spiral of the consequences of bad choices by questioning unwilling people.