From the beginning of the play, it is
evident that Oedipus is a highly respected and honorable king, who is dedicated
to his people and seeks to alleviate their troubles. One characteristic that seems
constant throughout the beginning is Oedipus’ knack for overcoming conflict.
The people of Thebes place Oedipus on a pedestal, which is evident when the Priest
claims, “Your country calls you savior now for your zeal, your actions long ago”
(59-60). One action to which the priest is referring is the solving of the
Sphinx’s riddle, which rescued the people of Thebes from the torture of the Sphinx.
When Thebes encountered this conflict of solving the riddle, Oedipus stepped up
and succeeded in vanquishing the Sphinx. The Priest tells Oedipus that he is considered
“first of men” (41) because he is highly regarded, but cannot reach the same
status as the gods.
Now that Thebes is facing a deadly
plague, the people turn once again to Oedipus, who discovers that the plague
will disappear if the killer of Laius is found. The chorus cries out to the
gods in their anguish, calling Thebes a “city of death” (211) and pleading with
the gods to end their struggles. Oedipus, once again, steps up to the plate and
volunteers to answer their prayers and rid the Theban people of their plague. Oedipus
is confident he will uncover Laius’ murderer and bring peace again to the
people of Thebes. He rid them of trouble once, and jumps at the opportunity to
do so again, expecting to surmount this conflict as he did the previous one.
Oedipus does give off a confident air, and brings this attitude with him in Thebes. The old, blind oracle, Tiresias, challenges his poise by putting doubt in his head about who murdered Laius. Also, he tells of a terrible fate Oedipus will face. Maybe this will distract Oedipus from the true task, and he will lose his reputation.
ReplyDeleteBy discussing how the people of Thebes turn to Oedipus in their times of struggle, it portrays that the people of Thebes have much faith in Oedipus. As the king, he is responsible for any issue that occurs within the city of Thebes, but this plague is considered one of the worst events to occur during his kingship. He immediately steps up to the challenge to eliminate this plague, for he has eradicated problems before. Oedipus will bring peace back to the land, and that is clearly stated in your blog. Once this plague has been eliminated, his praise by the people will become much more elevated and his triumph as king will continue.
ReplyDeleteI like how you pointed out that the people of Thebes “placed Oedipus on a pedestal”. They certainly looked to him as their savior, and seem to rely heavily on him. It’s almost as if they think that he could do no wrong in their eyes, since he took over Thebes after Laius’s death.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how Oedipus is so highly respected by his people. As readers, immediately we notice the dramatic extent to which the king is praised. It almost leaves us to wonder whether the author is setting Oedipus up for a fall...
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