The Cruel Transformation in Oedipus the King
When we look in the mirror, do we see what other people see or do we see what we delude ourselves into believing is the truth? Self-realization is a complicated concept, one which many Greek dramatists used in order to clarify the themes of their tragedies. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles ties Oedipus’ journey to self-realization with the main theme of the story. As Oedipus slowly begins to realize his true self, he transforms from a proud and heroic king into a tyrant in denial into a scared, condemned man, humbled by his tragic fate.
In the beginning, Oedipus is portrayed as a confident, powerful hero. His bravery and worth are proved when the reader learns how he solved the Sphinx’s riddle. Even though Oedipus was not a native Theban, he chose to answer the Sphinx’s riddle in spite of her threat of death to anyone who answers incorrectly. Only a man like Oedipus, a man possessing tremendous self-confidence, could have such courage. When Oedipus succeeds, freeing the city from the Sphinx's evil reign, he becomes instantly famous and known for his bravery and intelligence. A temple priest reveals the respect the Thebans have for their king when he tells Oedipus, "You freed us from the ...
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I will now argue that lying is morally permissible on the basis of Plato’s Noble Lie. I will argue...
Oedipus the King. Tranlsted by Stephen Berg and Diskin Clay. In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.
The ancient Greeks were fond believers of Fate. Fate, defined according to Webster’s, is “the principle or determining cause or will by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as the do.” The Greeks take on Fate was slightly modified. They believed that the gods determined Fate: “…fate, to which in a mysterious way the gods themselves were subject, was an impersonal force decreeing ultimate things only, and unconcerned with day by day affairs.” It was thought that these gods worked in subtle ways; this accounts for character flaws (called harmatia in Greek). Ancient Greeks thought the gods would alter a person’s character, in order for that person to suffer (or gain from) the appropriate outcome. Such was the case in Oedipus’s story.
In both plays Oedipus appears to have extreme pride; while Sophocles' clever Oedipus has reason for his pride, Cocteau's foolish Oedipus is arrogant without cause. Sophocles' Oedipus solves "the (sphinx's) riddle by (his) wit alone."(Soph .O.T. 397) The Sphinx sits on the road to Thebes and kills anyone who can not answer her riddle until Oedipus appears, solves the riddle, and saves Thebes. It is at this point that he becomes King of Thebes and rules his people well. He does not know that he
Boston: Pearson, 2013. 1396-1506. Print. The. Sophocles. “Oedipus the King” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing.
In Plato’s Republic he tells us how humans should live in to create harmony. This type of life is one in which we live a life of reason and righteousness. There are chose guardians to protect us however there are special qualities for these guardians in that they should be honest and fair. He notes that future generations should see the good ways so that in years to come when they become guardians they will follow in the previous steps. Socrates also notes the importance of truth so that its citizens won’t do wrong. That being said he also says that “falsehood really is of no use to the gods,” it is a “form of medicine” to men. In this idea lies are okay only if they benefit and protect the public. It is these types of lies that the benefits outweigh the consequence. These are essential to protecting the people and keeping them safe from enemies and so on. Plato also notes that public cannot reciprocate the same action as giving the “medicine” of lies, as they are not the “doctors”—the “doctors” will
There is overwhelming evidence corroborating the notion that the perplexity as well as bewilderment underlying man’s destiny along with his deeds is what may qualify Sophocles “Oedipus” as a real human tragedy in the sense that the whole story is about mysterious and enigmatic inquiries about truth as well as human tragedy.
Buddhism is considered as one of the three most widespread very important world religions. Buddhism was founded by the historical Buddha Gautama, in the 5th century B.C.E. Buddhism begun around 2,500 years ago by a young prince named Siddharthe Gautama. Living as a prince, he went on a religious endeavor seeking to improve human suffering. Gautama earned the title Buddha meaning “The Enlightened One”, when he found the answers to life's suffering. Buddhism rotates around the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path. The Buddha addresses that if these beliefs are followed, Buddhists will reach enlightenment called nirvana, and thus freed from the worries of the physical world.
The other thing we need to know about Platonic philosophy in the Republic (actually, this is true in all of his works) is that Plato believes wholeheartedly in an objective “human Good“, and he feels it is the goal of philosophy to find that “Good“. Plato's work rests on morality in many places, and this provides it with both passionate credibility and intellectual weakness. Plato rejected human sensory observation in favor of seeking the higher good of the Forms, which were the key by which humans could come to an understanding of the truth of their universe and lead happier, fuller lives. Plato's rejection of the senses, and adherence to a normative belief at the core of his work, is the subject of many other philosophical schools' attacks on his works, most notably the skeptics, the naturalists, and Aristotle.
Van Nortwick, Thomas. Oedipus: The Meaning of a Masculine Life. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998.
Knox, Bernard. "Chapter 1/ Hero." Oedipus at Thebes: Sophocles' Tragic Hero and His Time. New Haven: Yale UP, 1998. 3-52. Print.
For the longest time, philosophers have shaped culture and beliefs into what is known as society today. Socrates was a Greek philosopher who inspired many (still inspiring the youth today) despite the controversial ideas he presented about 2,000 years ago. Philosophies and teaching of Socrates evolved the way of thinking and points of interests during the time period in which Socrates lived. This Greek philosopher’s teachings were unlike those of the social norms during 300 BC, which plays a significant role in the importance of Socrates today. Socrates was an innovating philosopher whose teachings made him one of the most influential figures in history.