Oedipus: Self-Made Disaster in Sophocles' Play, Oedipus Essay

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Oedipus: Self-Made Disaster

In Sophocles' play, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus takes fate into his own hands and demonstrates the power of the human will. Oedipus illustrates how we may not always be in control of our destinies, regardless of our efforts. The play is ironic in this sense because Oedipus already had the best "fate" any man in his position could hope for with a beautiful loving wife and a community that praised him. Some argue that Oedipus was fated to fulfill the prophecy but the truth is that his very actions destroyed the life he had. Oedipus was strong-willed obsessive and arrogant to the point of making huge mistakes. He failed himself and those around him because he thought he knew best.

In the beginning of the play, Oedipus has the best of intentions. In other words he does not set out to destroy his life. He simply wants to know the truth and this, for most people in most circumstances, is not a completely bad thing. However, Oedipus doe not stop to think about the unintended consequences of his actions because cannot think straight. The complicated fact is that he cannot uncover the mystery of Laios' murder without revealing the truth about who he is and what he has done. Things get complicated quickly and it begins with what the gods knew and what they predicted. The gods knew Oedipus' fate and predicted it but this is all they did. They did not make him do anything and they were not in control of his actions. Oedipus controlled his actions and while the gods knew what would transpire they could not prevent any of it from occurring.

Oedipus wants to be in charge of his own destiny. He is headstrong and his first mistake is becoming arrogant. He becomes indignant after Teiresias tries to talk sense to him, urging him to be cautious.

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Teiresias tells Oedipus to carry his own fate (I.i.105) but Oedipus thinks this advice is silly because he wants to know something he does not know. He thinks he knows best and refuses to leave the nagging question alone. Instead of following Teiresias' advice, he calls him a "wicked old man" (I.i.118) with "no feeling at all" (I.i.119). He also blames Teiresias Laios' murder. It is easy to see how angry he becomes when people do no see things his way. The sad truth is that even as Oedipus hears the truth, he will not stop long enough to consider it or what it might mean if it were true. Teiresias tells Oedipus, "You yourself are the pollution of this country" (I.i.135), practically spelling out the truth when he tells Oedipus, "You are the murderer whom you seek" (I.i.143) and, "You live in hideous shame with those/Most dear to you. You cannot see the evil" (I.i.148-9). Oedipus acted as though he never heard these words. He does not act on them; he does not believe them. His arrogance makes him think he knows better than this old man.

Attacking Teiresias is bad enough but Oedipus then must accuse Creon of conspiring against him. He thinks Creon wants to be king and Creon has the heart to tell him the truth when he says:

You do wrong

When you take good men for bad, bad men for good.

A true friend thrown aside -- why life itself

Is not more precious!

In time you will know this well:

For time, and time alone, will show the just man,

Though scoundrels are discovered in a day. (II.i.93-99)

The chorus even becomes involved and tries to tell Oedipus to slow down before he makes a serious mistake.

Oedipus never knows when….....

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