Tragedy
“You will no longer see all those atrocious things I suffered, the dreadful things I did! No. You have seen what you never should have looked upon, and what I wished to know you did not see. So now and for all future time be dark!” (line 1520) Oedipus screams as he gauges out his own eyes in response to finding his wife (and mother) hanging in their bedroom. This is where the Greek tragedy finally earns it's title. As Oedipus finds out without a doubt who truly killed king Lauis and who he himself truly is, all goes downhill. He recognizes that even though it is his own life, a punishment must me given just as he proclaimed in the beginning. First came the eyes, a dramatic use of symbolism as he can not face the truth. His children he even calls his siblings, though can't bear to see the face that was given to them through incest. He does ask Creon to allow them to live a life safe from himself, as he wants them to never face the suffering he now endures. He believes that banishment from Thebos is the only way to atone. To live in Exile is what the gods want in his opinion, as death would be far too much forgiveness. He set out to find the murderer of their king, and he has, Now he must accept what has come to him, the punishment of Apollo himself, and leave Thebos and atone for what he has done. 
Oedipus truly is a tragic story. As the readers we all knew he was doomed from the beginning. Oedipus was never going to escape this fate. In Greek tragedies it is always expressed that man cannot escape suffering. This scene was an excellent choice to display how even "The Great King of Thebes" cannot escape the will of the gods.
ReplyDeleteYour cartoon was really funny! When Oedipus says he would rather live in exile (in immense pain) instead of die it truly shows how distraught he is from learning the truth of his bloodline and family. But he does not take the cowards way out, like Jocasta. This shows how much of a true leader he is because he admits his wrong doings to his people, but remains alive to accept the consequences. It severely contrasts with a leader like Othello, who after going through a tragedy, admits to everything then kills himself.
ReplyDeleteThe story of Oedipus is a great tragedy and I always had "Hamlet" in the back of my head while reading it. Oedipus goes insane in the end and many end up dying. The killers of Hamlet's father and Laius are in the dark to the citizens for a majority of the plays and both main characters are driven into shame and insanity.
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