"Oedipus the King".

AS and A Level Classics

Mascorro, 4

Jennifer Mascorro

English 2362

Dr. Murphy

April 15, 2003

Essay #3 (Que. 1)

“Oedipus the King”

Oedipus, a man who possesses a lot of self-confidence and a character who changes to a man in denial to a man more like a tyrant then a king after he begins to solve the new riddle of Laius’s death. While Oedipus is trying to figure out the riddle his personality which defines him as a character we label tragic is his attitude towards fate. Oedipus, rather then aligning himself with fate or learning through experience to accept the mystery of fate, he chooses to deny it. He will make his own decisions in his own way, and will live with the consequences those bring.

I believe Oedipus is a tragic hero because he was a good leader. If Oedipus said something he would do it. For example, he wanted to find out who were his real parents and he accomplished it even though it brought tragedy. Oedipus did many good things in his life and he tried to be a good person. We see this when he leaves the King of Corinth, whom he believes is his father, because of the possibility that he might kill him. Although this is a noble act, all he really ends up doing is killing his true father. We also see that Oedipus is a brave man because he takes a chance and fights multiple men at the same time because they insulted him. We also see his bravery when he solves the riddle of the Sphinx. Oedipus is a person whom is committed to his own freedom to be what he thinks he must be, to live up to his own conception of heroic greatness. For example, when Tiresias got in the way he says, “Since you have taunted me with being blind, here is my word for you. You have your eyes but see not where you are in sin, nor whom you live with. Do you know who your parents are? Unknowing you are the enemy to kith and kin in death, beneath the earth, and in this life.” (1.1.455) In this quote I believe that obstacle must be forcefully removed because it interferes with his sense of what’s going on and Tiresias prophesizes Oedipus’ tragic fate. Oedipus does not believe him because he does not remember killing anyone until his wife/mother tells the story of how King Laius dies.

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Oedipus does not hide what he is feeling nor does he hesitate about acting on those feelings. Oedipus has a big ego which is the main purpose of his life is to state that sense of himself. “And justly you will see in me an ally, a champion of my contry and the God.” (1.1.158) As we read that quote we understand when I mean Oedipus thinks big of himself. He knows that he can accomplish the riddle by finding out who killed King Lacius, but what he doesn’t know is that he is the answer. Oedipus is prepared to accept any and all the consequences of his actions, which shows a measure of his greatness. Oedipus is dealing with a situation in which he increasingly has to cope with circumstances initiated by his own decisions. The power of the play comes from the connection between Oedipus’s sufferings and his freely chosen actions, that is, from our awareness of how he himself is bringing upon his own head the dreadful outcome. His freely chosen decisions are that as we know bring things closer to an inescapable conclusion, which shows us such a tragic hero.

The audience believes Oedipus is a tragic hero because of all the things he has done for the people when he solves the riddle of the Sphinx. Oedipus ends up destroying his own life to solve the second riddle so that the plague could die. As we read the play we see Oedipus as someone who has freedom and integrity, which makes us believe he is a tragic hero. As that happens to Oedipus, it makes us think we cannot live life entirely on our own terms for very long. We may think we can but Oedipus is a reminder of the consequences. Fate is more powerful, complex and hostile than we can possible imagine it. Throughout the story fate his what makes the audience realize how much of a tragic hero Oedipus is and how it tests his fate.

Oedipus takes full responsibility for his own punishment when he ends the play with a self-destruction. “I have committed or had done upon me! Dark eyes, now in the days to come look on forbidden faces, do not recognize those whom you long for- with such imprecations he struck his eyes again and yet again with the brooches. And the bleeding eyeballs gushed and stained his beard- no sluggish oozing drops but a black rain and bloody hail poured down.” (1.1.1344) Oedipus doesn’t even compromise, he said what he said and he was going to do it even in the face of harmful truth. The tragic hero rarely ever displays such intellectual and emotional flexibility because he doesn’t need to. “Drive me from here with all the speed you can to where I may not hear a human voice.” (1.1.1496) The next thing Oedipus does is leave because his since of purpose is to live it openly on his own terms. Oedipus does not die at the end of the play, but in a sense he is dead, moving into the lands from where he was found he has created the sense of his own greatness. Oedipus at the end of the play remains the total reversal of his fortune, but still the assertive man exercising full free control over his own life even though his life is over.

Sophocles wrote an excellent tragedy, all though Oedipus does not die, he still lives with the guilt that he kills his father and married his own mother and has children from her. I believe Oedipus was a great tragic hero because he saves the towns life even though he ruins his own. His fate was tested through out the play and he chooses to deny it. He makes his own decisions in his own way and lives with the consequences those brought.