Finally towards the end of the play we witness the anagnorisis.
Oedipus has finally realized he has made a horrible error in judgement. When
the Shepherd and Messenger finally come together and tell Oedipus the truth, he
falls apart. “O god… I stand revealed at last- cursed in birth, cursed in
marriage, cursed in the lives I have cut down with these hands!” (1305,
1310-1311). Oedipus finally realizes he is the curse of Thebes. He is the one
who killed Laius, he is the one who slept with his mother and he unknowingly
fulfilled his prophecy.
This is tragic because Oedipus did everything he could to avoid his prophecy from coming true. The story is also tragic because Oedipus cursed the killer of Laius, which is him. “And all these curses I- no one but I brought down these piling curses on myself!” (906-907). Oedipus’ fate is now turned over. This is known as the perpetia. He can no longer be the king of Thebes since he cursed himself. Being the killer, he is “alien… no word to [him] in public, driven out of every hearth and home” (903-905). The curse bands him from his own city. He is the man who went from riches to rags. He is the man who went from being Thebe’s savior, to the man who cursed the land. A man with good intentions ended up making everything worse. No matter what Oedipus did he was doomed from the beginning. No matter what he did his horrible prophecy would be fulfilled. This makes Oedipus a tragic hero.
This is tragic because Oedipus did everything he could to avoid his prophecy from coming true. The story is also tragic because Oedipus cursed the killer of Laius, which is him. “And all these curses I- no one but I brought down these piling curses on myself!” (906-907). Oedipus’ fate is now turned over. This is known as the perpetia. He can no longer be the king of Thebes since he cursed himself. Being the killer, he is “alien… no word to [him] in public, driven out of every hearth and home” (903-905). The curse bands him from his own city. He is the man who went from riches to rags. He is the man who went from being Thebe’s savior, to the man who cursed the land. A man with good intentions ended up making everything worse. No matter what Oedipus did he was doomed from the beginning. No matter what he did his horrible prophecy would be fulfilled. This makes Oedipus a tragic hero.
Oedipus definitely goes from rags to riches throughout the play. Towards the beginning he is the savior of Thebes for solving the riddle and eliminating the Sphinx, but his life takes a turn for the worst and by the conclusion, Oedipus is being exiled from the land he once called home. The hubris Oedipus possesses ultimately is the culprit of his fall. Had he been more willing to allow the Gods to help him and listen to prophecy, his life may have had an alternative outcome. Ultimately, Oedipus is the tragic hero the audience must learn a valuable lesson from – one cannot avoid suffering.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt this story is a tragedy. Sophocles blends a mixture of all the necessary elements to make this fit the characteristics of one. The irony he incorporates adds to make this story much more enticing, portraying this "riches to rags" situation with a protagonist (Oedipus) who suffers from excessive pride. Because of the anagnorisis by the end of this story and his tragic flaw, we can definitely say Oedipus is a tragic hero.
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