The reader truly begins to develop empathy towards Oedipus near the end of the play, where he discovers the truth. One can argue that being human is all about facing trauma, and living through it. By discovering the truth, Oedipus had been forced to endure many traumatic events, such as; his mother/wife’s suicide, his own exile and self-maiming, the harsh truth of what will happen to his daughters, and the results of him fulfilling the prophecy. Though Greek tragedies were often harsh and unforgiving in nature, it is certain that Oedipus had faced a great deal of emotional shock from witnessing his mother/wife, Jocasta, take her own life. This, paired with the recent discovery of the fact that he was the child they tried to leave for dead, …show more content…
When he spoke, he said “You, you'll see no more the pain I suffered, all the pain I caused! Too long you looked on the ones you never should have seen, blind to the ones you longed to see, to know! Blind from this hour on! Blind in the darkness - blind!” (Sophocles, 49) and in this speech Oedipus appeared to blame himself for the tragedy that befell himself and everyone he knew. This is a key point in how the audience feels towards Oedipus, as he changes drastically from cocky, arrogant man, to a weeping mess as he tore his eyes from their sockets. Oedipus also spoke of his metaphorical blindness (not “seeing” what was going on around him, taking the hints, and listening to those who advised him), as it turned into literal blindness. As he appeared to be yelling in this speech, Oedipus added a dramatic flair that might tug at the reader’s heart, with the raw emotion he must have felt at that time becoming very apparent. At that point in the play, the tragic hero/tragic downfall aspect became more and more apparent for Oedipus, and regardless of the specific character’s demeanor at the start of the play, when the hero comes crashing to the very bottom of their character arc, it is indeed a pitiful sight that even the most heartless of people cannot help but feel sorry
Oedipus becomes a more admirable character by the end of the play then during the prologue of the play. This is because his history is reveled and his fate seems to be less of his fault and more of something that was doomed to happen to him, also by his drive to help the city of Thebes shows that he cares for the city and his ability to accept his fate but to try and help others from suffering.
The great Sophoclean play, Oedipus Rex is an amazing play, and one of the first of its time to accurately portray the common tragic hero. Written in the time of ancient Greece, Sophocles perfected the use of character flaws in Greek drama with Oedipus Rex. Using Oedipus as his tragic hero, Sophocles’ plays forced the audience to experience a catharsis of emotions. Sophocles showed the play-watchers Oedipus’s life in the beginning as a “privileged, exalted [person] who [earned his] high repute and status by…intelligence.” Then, the great playwright reached in and violently pulled out the audience’s most sorrowful emotions, pity and fear, in showing Oedipus’s “crushing fall” from greatness.
“…they will never see the crime I have committed or had done upon me!” These are the words Oedipus shouted as he blinds himself upon learning the truth of his past. It is ironic how a person blessed with perfect physical vision could in reality be blind to to matters of life and conscience. During his prime as King of Thebes, Oedipus is renowned for his lucidity and his ability to rule with a clear concept of justice and equality. The people loved him for his skill and wit, as he saved Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx. As a result, Oedipus became overly confident, and refuses to see that he may be the cause of the malady that is plaguing his kingdom. Although physically Oedipus has full use of his eyes, Sophocles uses sight to demonstrate how Oedipus is blind to the truth about his past what it might me for both him and his kingdom. Upon learning the truth, Oedipus gouges out his eyes, so he won’t have to look upon his children, or the misfortune that is his life. Once physically unable to see, Oedipus has clear vision as to his fate, and what must be done for his kingdom and his family
Oedipus Rex proves to be a tragic hero by displaying the qualities of goodness, appropriateness, and remaining consistent and realistic throughout the entire play. In the prologue of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus illustrates that he is morally good during his speech to the Priest and the suffering people of Thebes. "I know you are deathly sick; and yet, /Sick as you are, not one is as sick as I. /Each of you suffers in himself alone/His anguish, not another's; but my spirit/Groans for the city, for myself, for you" (Prologue. 63-66). He will not rest until the people are better and Laios' murderer is found. Another quality that Oedipus possesses is his appropriateness. He will go to great lengths to do what ever is necessary and appropriate to search for Laios' murderer and to help save the city, which can be illustrated is this quote: "I will do all that I can; you may tell them that. /So, with the help of God, /We shall be saved-or else indeed we are lost" (Prologue, 147-149). An additional characteristic that contributes to the tragic hero of Oedipus is that he is exceedingly consistent. From the beginning of the play to the end, Oedipus is determined to figure out who killed Laios. He is consistent and will not stop until he finds the truth. Iokaste tells Oedipus to stop looking for the truth, but Oedipus will not listen. He tells Iokaste, "I will not listen; the truth must be made/known" (3.145). The last quality that plays a part in Oedipus' downfall is his realistic outlook. At the end of the play, Oedipus is realistic when he discovers the truth. "And now what is left? /Images? Love? A greeting even, / Sweet to the senses? Is there anything? /An, no friends: lead me away. /Lead me away from Thebes" (Exodos.171-121). He is very realistic in knowing that there is nothing left for him in Thebes. Furthermore, Oedipus realistically accepts his fate and lets Kreon become ruler. "No, For the love of God, conceal me/Somewhere far from Thebes; or kill me; or hurl me/Into the sea, away from men's eyes for ever" (Exodos.182-184). Oedipus knows what he did is wrong and knows that he deserves to be exiled. He is realistic in his punishment.
The imagery of sight versus blindness lead to his ultimate downfall. He is transparent to the lie he has created. Also the contempt and torture he has just brought upon this city. Like the prophecy says his wife will kill herself first, then later his life will all go downhill from there. Later prophecy actually comes true. First with his wife killing herself, then Oedipus realizes that he has done wrong. He was blind when Teiresias told him the first time. He then actually saw the irony in what he has done wrong. He later then actually makes himself blind and stabs out his eyes so he cannot see anymore. This causes his downfall and later his
From the very beginning, Oedipus was “blind”. Oedipus has perfect physical vision. However, he is blind and ignorant to the truth about himself and his past. He desperately seeks to know about the death of his father. At this point, it is obvious what Oedipus's action must be, to overcome the blindness. All of his actions thereafter are to that end.
The aim of tragedy is to evoke fear and pity, according to Aristotle, who cited the Oedipus Tyrannus as the definitive tragic play. Thus pity must be produced from the play at some point. However, this does not necessarily mean that Oedipus must be pitied. We feel great sympathy ('pathos') for Jocasta's suicide and the fate of Oedipus' daughters. Oedipus could evoke fear in us, not pity. He is a King of an accursed city willing to use desperate methods, even torture to extract truth from the Shepherd. His scorning of Jocasta just before her death creates little pity for him, as does his rebuke of the old, blind Tiresias. But with this considered, we must not forget the suffering he endures during his search for knowledge and the ignorant self-destruction he goes under.
...ly saw the world. For the first time, he understands his surroundings, and understands the world for what it really was. Even though the truth takes away his family, kingdom, pride and possessions, the truth gives him something he needs more than all of those: understanding. Sophocles shows his brilliance as a playwright by adding intelligent, terrible irony to the end of the play. The irony is that at the monumental change in Oedipus' life, when he can, for the first time, see the world with clarity, he can see nothing at all, for he blinds himself. Oedipus becomes like Tiresias, visually blind, but mentally clear. Perhaps Oedipus unintentionally takes an example from Tiresias, learning that it is far better to live one's life without sight and see the world clearly through the minds eye, than to be able to see, but have ones sight blinded by pride.
Various sources have predicted that Oedipus would kill his father and sleep with his mother. Hearing such twisted news Oedipus ran away, during this scene the blocking was exceptional really keeping focus on Oedipus escaping what he did not want to her and the people showing subtext by looking at him strangely. From here on out Oedipus downward spirals; on his journey he ended up back to Thebes and was taunted by some people in an alley about what they heard of him. This scene in particular had excellent subtext; the people speaking of Oedipus were talking amongst themselves makes gestures and using body language talking about him to portray what a sick man he
In conclusion, Oedipus’s pride, or hubris was the tragic flaw throughout the play that ultimately led him to the state he finds himself in at the end of the play. As John Weigel puts it “The play is not a tragedy of fate. Not only does the protagonist act freely, but his own character is essential to events. The oracles set in motion a group of free mortals whose encounters are governed partly by their own choices, partly by apparent chance. As so often, causes seem to be both divine and human. “ (Weigel, p. 731) However, Oedipus is still a tragic hero because he eventually becomes aware of his faults (after great loss) and accepts responsibility for his actions.
Oedipus has an emotional struggle with the crime he was committed and his fate; the fact that he killed his father and married his mother.When Oedipus finds out about everything he has done he cries out, “O light, may i look on you for the last time! /I, Oedipus, /Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, /Damned in the blood he shed with his own hand!” (Scene 4. antistrophe. 71-74). He is so overwhelmed by everything that he has just found out he starts yelling because he cannot bear what he was just told. After Jocasta hangs herself, Oedipus has a conversation with Choragos. During this conversation, Oedipus says, “But the blinding hand was my own! /How could i bear to see /When all my sight was horror everywhere?” (Exodos. strophe 2. 112-114). Because of the guilt and emotional trauma, he decides to take his eyesight. He does this because he does not want to see anymore of his life unravel in front him. He does not want to see the effect of his unfortunate fate. He does not handle his fate well and gets a little rational with his actions. The clash between him and his fate makes this a metaphysical
For Oedipus, prophecy is not the main source of his fall towards society; rather, his hubris blinds himself from recognizing his personal sin in the world, thus leading to his demise. Sophocles even skillfully uses a metaphor through the words “ as led by a guide” to further explain the “supernatural being” that ultimately decides the tragic fate of the family of Oedipus. In addition, through the death of Jocasta, the reader is immediately attuned of Oedipus’ raging moment of violence and will be petrified by the overwhelming power of the gods, thus realizing the importance of being cautious before making a final choice. Indeed, after an individual settles on a decision, the gods take control of the person’s fate, hurling numerous consequences to him if he makes the wrong decision. Moreover, as Oedipus suddenly becomes the unintended victim of the gods through his sinful decision to execute Laius, he is forced to relinquish his predominate impetus for pridefulness in exchange for a heart of deep realization and forgiveness. At the end of the play, Oedipus sacrifices everything in order to remove his guilt through the consequences of his atrocious actions witnessed by the gods. After Oedipus realizes the astringent fate he was destined to encounter through his sinful murder of Laius, he immediately attempts to take responsibility for his
.... They fear the real identity of Oedipus and they do not want him to discover it. Moreover, the pity is associated with his downfall at the end. These emotional of pity and fear lead to the emotional purgation of the audience, which is the main aim of tragedy according to Aristotle. He is very appropriate to arouse such feelings because he has all the qualities of the tragic hero.
I believe that after he punishes himself as a result of his realization. The reader already can infer that Oedipus is the murder and that his wife, Jocasta, is really his biological mother. The reader and Oedipus was given many warning signals that were point to the culprit the whole time. It does not come as a surprise when Oedipus is unmasked as the unknown killer of his father, Laius. Due to the reader already having an idea of Oedipus’ guilt, the breathe of relief was not achieved in this situation. It can almost be assumed that sooner or later Oedipus will accept that he is the
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.