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| As the new king of Thebes, Creon hopes to get the approval of the gods to determine Oedipus's fate. Just like the cartoon above, the man in the middle is the only one who controls the fate of the man in the cage. The two men surrounding them give different opinions on what to do with the man. Nevertheless, both the man in the middle and gods decide the fate of the little man and Oedipus respectively |
Unfortunately for Oedipus, he unknowingly fulfills his prophecy which results in a downfall of his reputation. The man who the people acknowledge as their hero and king suddenly becomes a tragic hero who “tore the brooches - the gold chased brooches fastening her robe - away from her and lifting them up high dashed them on his own eyeballs” (1455-1458). Driven to madness by the disclosure of his oblivious actions, Oedipus deliberately blinds himself as his way of taking control of the pain that torments him. The violence empties and exhausts Oedipus’s rage, “shrieking out such things such as: they will never see the crime I have committed or had done upon me” (1458-1460) to which he accepts his fate.
The pity and horror aroused by Oedipus' tragic fall brings about a catharsis, the realization that the power of fate cannot be overcome by will — even by the will of a king. The role of fate shapes the individual and determines the human life. Fate represents a terrifying and unstoppable force. Although King Laius and Queen Jocasta manage to get rid of baby Oedipus to “aye through fear of evil oracles” (1350-1351), Oedipus still conducts his prophecy mistakenly. Oedipus’s fate leads him to be a tragic hero rather than a monster in the play’s final moments. Throughout the play, Oedipus behaves willfully and proudly as well as being earnest and forthright in all of his actions. Oedipus’s punishment of his blindness and his exile have been inflicted by himself, no one else. The reign of the great Oedipus ends abruptly as fate has been known to be unavoidable.
The pity and horror aroused by Oedipus' tragic fall brings about a catharsis, the realization that the power of fate cannot be overcome by will — even by the will of a king. The role of fate shapes the individual and determines the human life. Fate represents a terrifying and unstoppable force. Although King Laius and Queen Jocasta manage to get rid of baby Oedipus to “aye through fear of evil oracles” (1350-1351), Oedipus still conducts his prophecy mistakenly. Oedipus’s fate leads him to be a tragic hero rather than a monster in the play’s final moments. Throughout the play, Oedipus behaves willfully and proudly as well as being earnest and forthright in all of his actions. Oedipus’s punishment of his blindness and his exile have been inflicted by himself, no one else. The reign of the great Oedipus ends abruptly as fate has been known to be unavoidable.
Oedipus was clearly shocked by the realization that he is in fact the murderer of Laius and the one who fulfills Tiresias's prophecy. In the beginning of the play, Oedipus claims he is the savior of Thebes and that Tiresias's prophecy is wrong. When Jocasta begins to tell him of an old prophecy of her and Laius's son killing Laius and sleeping with her, Oedipus clearly begins to see the truth and that his fate is inevitable.
ReplyDeleteFate is the ultimate ruler in Greek tragedies. I like how you said "not even a king's will can overcome it". I believe the action of Oedipus says a lot about his character. It shows that he is honorable and is willing to take the needed punishments.
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