An examination of why lines 370- 447 form a key passage in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex
Candidate Name: Nele Maria Palipea
Candidate Number: 001408- 023
IB English A1 HL
World Literature Assignment 2
An examination of why lines 370- 447 form a key passage
in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex
Word count: 1511
The passage is significant to the play as a whole because it enables the audience to have an insight to its central themes relatively close to the beginning. In particular, it portrays the protagonist’s ignorance of his fate which characterizes him for the large part of the play. It’s important to note that the myth behind this play was well known amongst Ancient Greeks. Therefore, Oedipus’ ignorance was constantly accompanied with dramatic irony in that time. Moreover, this passage reveals the King’s difficult and hubris filled nature to which some critics accredit his demise. Interestingly, Sophocles used a very unconventional but original style in this play where he concentrated on character development rather than action. By applying this different approach, Sophocles solved the issue of captivating his audience who had repeatedly seen the myth of Oedipus Rex produced as a play. This originality was and still is the reason behind the success of this play. This essay examines the character development of the protagonist, and the motif of ignorance and dramatic irony that it surfaces.
This passage is a turning point in the audience’s view of Oedipus’ character, and foreshadows his approaching downfall. When Teiresias states that ‘Oedipus will not forget [his] insults… when all men throw the same at [him] (372-373), it foretells the fact that the King would be treated the same way in the future as he treats the prophet in the present. This reminds the reader of the proverb ‘What comes around, goes around’ which teaches that everything one does to others comes back in a circle. The statement creates dramatic irony in the audience as they know that Oedipus’s fate is to be ashamed for his immoral life. The reason for the prophet to come forward with this lies in the King’s insult ‘[He’s] blind in eyes and ears and brains and everything’ (370-371), previous to the passage. Here, Oedipus is portrayed talking highly disrespectful to a man that’s older than him, and who’s regarded to be ‘The only man whose heart is filled with truth.’ (299) This is contrasting to the manner he addresses the prophet before in the line ‘No other man but you, my lord, can save us’ (304), where Oedipus uses respectful diction further emphasized by the title ‘my lord’. He gives Teiresias high status and attributes to his ability to communicate with Gods as only “he can interpret their ways” (305). One implied reason for Oedipus’s change of attitude is his belief of being smarter than others as suggested by the line ‘[I] put the Sphinx to flight, Thanks to my wit’ (397-398). His attitude of the city as his “children” might also imply this as children are regarded less intelligent due to their lack of experience. The arrogant implication of his words to Teiresias ‘That you seem old, I’d teach you…’ (402) suggest an insolent opinion about the elderly, as well. It’s ironic, however, as it goes against the conventional notion that older people are more intelligent due to experience. Furthermore, the audience knows well that the concept of ‘blindness’ presented in this insult becomes the paramount portrayal of Oedipus’s own ignorance, as it’s ironical that Oedipus attacks Teiresias’ disability of sight when he, himself, doesn’t see ‘what horror [he lives in]’ (414). This motif is particularly effective on the viewer when the King symbolically takes his own sight at the end of the play representing that he finally knows ‘the burden of knowledge’ (316), too. This attacks the prophet’s senses, however, suggesting a malfunctioning of Teiresias’s senses and creates a senile depiction of him. The King might use this as justification for his disrespectful behavior, too. On the other hand, the root of Oedipus’s insult might lie in anger coming from his fierce nature. It’s hard to determine the character’s feelings in this play, however, as there are no stage instructions other than to indicate the chorus. Yet, the flowing syntax of his words coming from the use of the connective ‘and,’ suggests heightened emotions in reaction to the prophet’s impudence. Nonetheless, the audience notes again the contrast in his behavior to before where he says ‘you know, although you cannot see’ (302). He’s respectful to both his age and intelligence here despite his disability. This childishness and insulting manner also contrasts with the noble, fair and fatherly view the audience develops of him with his use of ‘My children’ (1). This creates a particularly profound contrast as it’s also the opening sentence of the play.
