Oedipus The King: Determination, Anger, And Pride

Determination, Anger and Pride
The story of Oedipus is best translated by Sophocles in the play “Oedipus Tyrannus.” The Athenians admired Sophocles and thrived for his interpretive plays in times of crisis. The myth of Oedipus has varies versions, a family curse which was inherited from his father. Sophocles play paints the picture of a troubled king desperately trying to find resolution to a tragedy. Oedipus relentlessly pursued the truth to identify who assassinated the king. His was blind to the truth and his actions were a direct reflection of his fate as the ultimate tragic hero.
Determination, anger, and pride are all factors in Oedipus’s tragic defeat. Oedipus is the tragic hero for his noble and courageous qualities, blinded by anger when he unknowingly murdered his father after he was attacked by a group of men. His actions were all in self-defense and he would have never intentionally taken his father’s life. Oedipus’s pride played a large part in his defeat; he attempted to avoid

his forecasted fate. The Oracle of Delphi predicted his fate; he would murder his father and marry his mother. He fled the city, desperate to escape his predicted fate.
The city and it citizens are in distress and beg Oedipus to save them from the plague that is lurking over Thebes. The elder states “You came to Thebes, and saved us from the Sphinx, and without any help, delivered us from despair” (Sophocles 2.3). Oedipus takes great pride in his commitment to the citizens and feels the added pressure to save them from ruins. He had successfully saved them before and would do anything in his power to do it again. His nobility is not debatable and his actions are a clear reflection.
Oedipus must find King Laius murderer.

Creon states, “a pack of thieves killed him in ambush; not one man alone, but many” (Sophocles 2.3). Oedipus loves his people and is dedicated to fighting evil and will accept the burden of identifying the killer. With his determination and in the best interest of the people, he charges forward with his relentless pursuit. He states to the citizens “I damn the killer, whoever he may be” (Sophocles 2.5), “may he suffer and die, pain beyond pain” (Sophocles 2.5). Oedipus forces Tiresias to tell him the truth, even though Tiresias warns him “You poor fool, the same abuse you hurl at me, They’ll soon enough be hurling back at you” (Sophocles 2.5). Oedipus did not consider Tiresias’s words and eager to take action. Oedipus knows he has murdered a man, but yet doesn’t consider himself a suspect. He was blinded by his need to save the citizens and did not consider that these words were a warning and should not have been

disregarded.
Through his pursuit, he interrogates the herdsman and his past becomes quite clear. Oedipus comments “Oh!Oh! It all comes clear! Light, let me look at you one last time. I am exposed-born to forbidden parents, joined. In forbidden marriage, I brought forbidden death” (Sophocles 2.9). In that moment of horror, he sadly realizes that his has murdered his father and slept with his mother. Jocasta, his wife, and mother likewise pondered the horrible acts she has committed and takes her life. Her death causes Oedipus great heart-ache and he blinds himself by gouging his eyes and stating “from now on, you must gaze in darkness” (Sophocles 2.10).
Oedipus is an honest, noble, truth-seeker tragic hero. He wanted justice for the citizens and for the city to be relieved its plague. He uncovered the mystery of the murder and with that discovery, tragically realized his fate had come true. Oedipus accepted his punishment, blinded himself and begged to be exiled from Theses. His determination, anger, pride and pursuit for justice resulted in his ultimate downfall.