Impatience and Disrespect in Oedipus the King
A bad attitude causes most fights between people. People showing disrespect by saying hurtful or crazy words without thinking them through upsets almost everyone. In the play, Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, Oedipus was trying to find the murderer of his predecessor, King Laius. In doing so, Oedipus' impatience caused quarrels that brought out his paranoia and hot-temper.
Oedipus' impatience was flagrant during his search for Laius' assassin. Oedipus threatened the citizens of Thebes, the city in which Oedipus ruled, to come forward if they knew anything about the murder of Laius. "I order you, every citizen of the state where I hold throne and power: banish this man-whoever he may be-never shelter him, never speak a word to him, never make him partner to your prayers, your victims burned to gods..."(172). Oedipus was impatient to find Laius, and in his impatience he had no toleration for citizens hiding the criminal, even though the criminal was himself. Later on, Oedipus called on Tiresias, a blind prophet, to help find Laius' killer. Oedipus was trying to force Tiresias to tell the story that Tiresias was hiding. "Nothing! You, you scum of the earth, you'd enrage a heart of stone! You won't talk? Nothing moves you? Out with it, once and for all!"(178). Oedipus was so impatient with Tiresias that he insulted and degraded Tiresias. After speaking with Tiresias, Oedipus had a contention with his wife's brother, Creon. Oedipus had proclaimed Creon the assassin of Laius and created the plot of Creon's supposed wrongdoing. Oedipus exclaimed, "Then leave me alone-get out!"(198). Oedipus would not accept any other idea than Creon being the killer, so when Creon tried to defend himself, Oedipus grew impatient and sent Creon away. Oedipus' impatience was the spark for his paranoia. Without his impatience, Oedipus would not have jumped to so many harsh, offensive, and paranoid conclusions.
Oedipus' paranoia estranged him from people he was close to. One of the main examples of Oedipus' paranoia was the discussion he had with Tiresias. Oedipus came up with ideas in his head that Tiresias was more than what he seemed. "Oh I'll let loose, I have such fury in me-now I see it all.
Oedipus demonstrates that he is not a purely evil character by fleeing his home town for safety of others, taking care of his city and accepting responsibility for his actions. Once Oedipus has grown to be a young man he is told that he is to kill his father and sleep with his mother because it is his fate. As a result “I [Oedipus] herd and fled” to Thebes so he can prevent those actions from occurring (822). Oedipus runs away from his fate to help himself out as well as his family. He does not want to kill his father; therefore, he runs away from his fate for the safety of his father. This shows that he is not a purely evil character because he is saving a life and looking after others besides himself. However, running from what he believes is his fate causes him to run into his real fate which leads to his downfall as a leader. On the other hand, it causes Oedipus to take the position as king of Thebes. Being leader of the city, he is forced into
Aristoteles’s “Theory of Tragedy” suggests that the tragic flaw in Sophocles’ play Oedipus is the King’s “self-destructive actions taken in blindness,” but a worse flaw if his arrogance. There are a few opposing views that stray from Oedipus being fully arrogant. First is that he took actions to save himself further pain. Second by putting himself in charge was the right thing to do as the leader of his people. Third Oedipus never tried to outwit the gods but used the prophecy as a warning to leave Corinth. All three opposing arguments shows a different side of Oedipus other than that of arrogance.
Oedipus had a very short temper. Oedipus did not want to hear what Tiresias had to say after he begged him to tell him all that he knew. "Am I to listen to such things from him! May you be damned! Get out of here at once! Turn around and go!" (Literature, Oedipus the King, Ln. 434-436, page 1085) Oedipus went into a rage when Tiresias told him about the evils that Oedipus was living with.
Oedipus and Creon put all their efforts in to finding the killer of Laius. They take it on as their moral obligation as it has gone so far without justice being made, "But you, loyal men of Thebes who approve my actions, may our champion, Justice, may all the gods be with us.
It is clear to see that Oedipus is an impulsive and passionate man, which causes Oedipus to fulfill the prophecy that haunts him. He flees the kingdom of Corinthian in order to avoid his fate. Along his journey he comes to a crossroad that is blocked by a chariot, and “in a fit of anger” Oedipus kills the father he never knew (Meyer 1422). Oedipus’ anger causes him to kill the father he never knew and all the men in the entourage. Oedipus’ cannot control his temper and this personality flaw leads him to his fate.
Oedipus acts out his anger by attacking Tiresias. The more Tiresias talks and confronts Oedipus about [Oedipus]’s truth, the angrier Oedipus became (334-336).
view. However, I believe that this is not the case and it leads me to
The final trait that was Oedipus' greatest enemy throughout the entirety of the play was his own truthfulness. Whenever new facts presented themselves, Oedipus gave them an honest look. As soon as it was suspect that Oedipus was involved, he acknowledged it; "I think that I myself may be accurst by my own ignorant edict".
In Conclusion, a ban on boxing is not only illogical but impossible! In my mind,
Oedipus is shown to be a well-liked and trusted king among all his townspeople. Solving the riddle of the Sphinx and saving Thebes brought him great fame and popularity. When time came to save the town from Laios’ killer, Oedipus relied much on his intellect. He searched for information about the night of the murder from Creon and Teiresias, but as he learned more details, Oedipus realized not only that he was the killer but also that he married his mother. Throughout his inquiry he believed he was doing good for his people as well as himself, but eventually it brought him shame. Oedipus was humiliated and disgusted and stated, “…kill me; or hurl me into the sea, away from men’s eyes for ever(p882, 183).'; Oedipus’ wanted to be isolated from the people of Thebes because all his respect and fame was destroyed by his fate.
To begin, Oedipus is arrogant. There are many instances throughout the play where Oedipus’s arrogance is
Even though Oedipus may be the hero, he is also selfish and ruthless. One example of his ruthlessness is when he meets Laius at the place where the three roads meet. Instead of letting the older man pass, he makes a scene, why should he be the one to move? He is royalty. He believes that he should move for no man. He is also selfish in the fact that when Teresias enters and gives Oedipus the clues that tell him that he has killed Laius, he refuses to believe him, to the point of insulting him, and kicking him out.
The impetus for the downfall of Oedipus, "Known far and wide by name" (Sophocles, 1), is his anger. Enraged he slew King Laius and in anger he hastily pursued his own ruination. From the aforementioned recriminations of Tiresias to the conflict with his brother-in-law Creon (his ill temper again displayed - "Tempers such as yours most grievous to their own selves to bear,... .(Sophocles, 25); through the revealing exchanges with his wife/mother Jocasta and her slave (whose pity saved the infant Oedipus), damming insight grows in a logical sequence, all the while fueled by the Oedipal rage. Realizing the heinous nature of his actions, Oedipus blinds himself in a fit of anger and remorse - now, as Tiresias, he can see.
he is was known to milk them and to play with them. This importance of
One characteristic that leads Oedipus to flight his father is impatience. Oedipus?s impatience is obvious when Creon reports news from Apollo. After Creon says only two sentences, Oedipus cuts him off by saying, ?but what were the god?s words? There is no hope / and nothing to fear in fear in what you?ve said so far? (1302). Oedipus is too important to listen to even three sentences from Creon. Oedipus also shows his impatience during a conversation with Tiresias. Oedipus blames Tiresias, who is reluctant to tell Oedipus that Oedipus himself is the murderer. Looking at the impatience behavior it explains how Oedipus comes to flight Laius on the road out Corinth. Oedipus rushes into the flight without thinking whether it is necessary when Laius?s men ?shoulder [Oedipus] off the road.? It can be that Laius?s men think Oedipus as a common person, not royal because Oedipus is walking alone, or that the group is simply in a rush for some reason. However, Oedipus ?strike[s] [Laius?s man] in anger,? (1321) without thinking why Laius?s group acts against him. Oedipus acts like a modern day outlaw ? shoot first and ask questions later. In this way, Oedipus starts the fight without patience and as a result fulfills Apollo?s prophecy perfectly.