Oedipus response to the prophecy is an honorable one yet very arrogant and full of hubris. He says "I'll bring it all to light myself!" (150). He thinks just because he has defeated the Sphinx he can do anything -- even find Laius' killer. His over-excessive pride is expressed even more through his dialogue when he speaks of finding the killer saying, "now you have me to fight for you" (153), "the lands avenger" (154), and "Apollo's champion"(155). Although it seems that Oedipus truly cares about his people, he seems to be headed down a bad path -- after-all this is a Greek tragedy. To "drive the corruption from the land" (109) does not necessarily mean kill a man. Creon brings banishment up as a possibility, but Oedipus shakes that idea off. If only Oedipus could allow his knowledge not his pride to control him like he did with the Sphinx's riddle, then the future events to come may be avoided.
At first, the audience, including myself, believes Oedipus plays a great king who puts his people and his country before himself. How you portrayed Oedipus’s reputation of “knowledge, wisdom, and honor” is very true but his reputation will eventually go downhill once the truth unfolds and the people of Thebes find out. While Oedipus eagerly attempts to unveil the truth, acts decisively, and refuses to safeguard himself from the truth, pride takes control as he rejects to believe in Tiresias’s words and settles to resolve the plague by himself. When Oedipus responds to the prophecy, the audience sees him as a conceited person and “full of hubris”. Since the play is a Greek tragedy, the audience expects to view a deadly outcome for Oedipus at the end.
ReplyDeleteOedipus does seem to be a great king worthy of honor after he saved Thebes from the Sphinx. However, this success may be getting to his head. Like you said, he seems to be very arrogant and believes he can accomplish anything. I am curious to see if this will serve as his hamartia later in the story.
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