Sophocles: An Ancient Voice for Term Paper

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If Oedipus had controlled his temper instead, he might have averted his awful fate. Sophocles uses this parable to make a statement about man's responsibilities. Even today, people are continuously making choices that have negative impacts on their own lives, yet they shirk any blame or responsibility for the fruits of those choices. Sophocles shows us that Oedipus is not a victim of the whims of the gods, but a victim of his own actions. Sophocles uses Oedipus to make social commentary on the self-denial of the common man. In modern times, we see this reflected in the attitudes of the average American- we constantly seek to place the blame for our misfortunes on external sources instead of acknowledging our own contributions to those misfortunes.

As much as Oedipus is a victim of his own actions, he is a victim of his emotions. He carries the anger and resentment of his exile for years, until when the opportunity comes to reconcile with his son, he is overcome by bitterness and refuses to hear his pleas. This rejection leads directly to the mutual destruction of both his sons, by each other's hands. By selfishly seeking vindication for past wrongs, Oedipus condemns his own children to death. While Oedipus may not shed tears for his two estranged sons who cast him out of Thebes, his actions directly led to the death of one of his loyal daughters, Antigone (in the play by the same name).

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Antigone willingly gives up her own life to secure proper funerary rights for her dead brother. Thus, if Oedipus had been able to overcome his own bitterness and extended forgiveness to his son; he could have saved the lives of two of his children. The modern world is also victim to this destructive stubbornness.

Take for example the ongoing struggle between Israel and Palestine. There seems to be no end to the conflict, as neither side is willing to let go of past grievances and transgressions.

Sophocles shows us over and over how our actions can come back to haunt us with unforeseen consequences. As much as Sophocles was a man of his times, he writes about issues that are close to us in modern times. He shows us the wisdom of considering our actions carefully. He shows us the dangers of nursing negative thoughts. Most of all, he shows us that no matter what, we have the power to choose our actions. With that power, however, comes the responsibility to be accountable for those actions. Taken in perspective, we can see that Sophocles is a voice that speaks to us from across the ages about the lives we lead today......

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