Oedipus Rex by Sophocles

Greek play writer Sophocles believes human understanding has evident limits, proven accordingly in context to Sophocles works such as Oedipus Rex. There is an abundance of arguments that can be constructed in consideration to what certainty and proof can be formulated from this particular claim, pulling from the reading one could comfortably confirm that the prominent extent of an individuals understanding is related to everything they are thought from a young age. The protagonist in the play know as Oedipus lives much of his life as a cocky reigning king of Thebes, he is firm in his belief and knowledge that under no circumstance , that he is the murderer of the previous king. Even with all the evidence put forth him, which would have disproven his long-lasting belied in his so called innocence, Oedipus instead utilizes these pieces of information with his secular reasoning and constant conviction that he could never be in fact the killer.

Throughout the play the protagonist is convinced that he could never commit a sin of murder due to his firm belief in himself, the knowledge that he has obtained, opposed to Theresius who believes strictly in the word of the Gods. Events played out , in the story for example when Oedipus speaks to the chorus “ And yet, how was I evil in myself ? I have wronged, I retaliated: even had I known what I was doing was that evil” (Pg.100) this quote is in relation to having attacked the group of men outside of Thebes. But as the character of Oedipus Rex he quickly justifies his actions and presented many apparent doubts. Oedipus has these many doubts due to what he is thought which makes him ignorant but not completely wrong. After being accused he explains himself by stating although he did murder...

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... he could have been born a slave then what previously thought by the king and queen. Oedipus fails to see the wariness Iocaste expresses in his attempts to find out who he truly is, which in returns turns forces him to realize that he is in fact her son. The shepherd he talks to is reluctant if not miserable to speak the truth to Oedipus as well. He then realized the child he took was Oedipus left for death as the Gods wanted, himself. It is through these situations that Oedipus blinds himself loses his wife and mother, and gets sent into exile. He was incapable of seeing other truths besides his own. This pattern exhibited by Oedipus can be highly related to the manner of thinking that many individuals follow. Convincingly adhere to their own beliefs and realties tying themselves to a singular truth as opposed to opening up their mind and gaining new knowledge.