Category: Oedipus

Introduction: The Inescapable Fate of Oedipus

“Look upon that last day always. Count no mortal happy till he has passed the final limit of his life secure from pain” (Sophocles 1651-1853). Oedipus’s tragedy could be abridged simply like this but reading through the play in its entirety induces an obligatory and profound catharsis. Oedipus the King follows the story of how the Theban king unknowingly killed his father and married his mother when he thought he had escaped his appalling fate. He was convinced he could avoid the prophecy by fleeing the home of his presumed parents; ironically enough, this move would be his own undoing. He inadvertently went on to kill his father during a trivial fight at a crossroad and after becoming king of Thebes after liberating the kingdom from a sphinx, took his mother’s hand in marriage. As such it can be certainly said that no one is truly happy until they die. At the start of the play, Oedipus may have found peace of mind and glory, but once he realized he had unintentionally fulfilled his destiny and was the cause of Thebes’ grief, he couldn’t stand to look at himself anymore. This accurately illustrates Oedipus as a tragic hero because he tries to do good but is overpowered by his fate, has tragic flaws that lead to his downfall, and suffers a pitiful, unreasonable punishment.

Oedipus’s Righteous Actions and Failed Struggle with Fate

First of all, Oedipus is undoubtedly a tragic hero as seen in his attempted righteous actions and failed struggle with fate. Greek tragedies will frequently set the scene with a prologue that gives context and important details to understand the play better, and Oedipus the King is no exception. As the Background of Oedipus the King describes, the Theban royal lineage became cursed after Cadmus, founder of Thebes, killed Apollo’s favorite snake. Generations later, Laius, king of Thebes, and his queen, Jocasta, had a son they soon abandoned on Mount Cithaeron after discovering his horrendous fate. However, he does not get left out to die but rather brought to King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth who adopts him as their son and name “Oedipus” for his swollen feet. Though he grew up well, he kept hearing disheartening rumors he may not be Polybus’s true son and went to consult the oracle, “But before he could ask his question, the priestess Pythia drove him away from Apollo’s shrine declaring that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. Horrified at the prophecy, Oedipus fled Corinth, the home of his supposed parents, in an attempt to avoid fulfilling the prophecy” (Burton and Corcoran 5). Yet this attempt would prove futile. Oedipus thought by leaving Corinth he could escape the prophecy, but he actually ran closer to his fate, towards Thebes. He is genuinely trying to avoid tragedy but is just immensely overpowered by Apollo’s fate for him. An obscure detail that supports this is how he got rescued; he was pitied by Laius’s servant and handed to a herdsman who then gave it to Corinth royalty.

It would make sense for Apollo to prompt mercy onto the servant, so Oedipus could fulfill his destiny. If not for the god’s doing, Oedipus might not have survived, showing how his tragic fate prevailed his entire life. As king of Thebes, Oedipus is determined to find the murderer of the previous king, Laius, to end the adversity of Thebes and so has condemned them to a miserable life since they have not revealed themself. Nevertheless, when Teiresias, the honorable prophet, revealed that Oedipus was the culprit, he totally disregarded him and pushed the idea that Teiresias and Creon were scheming to take his throne. Though once Jocasta told Oedipus the details she knew about the murder, Oedipus finally acknowledges that Teiresias’s prophecy could be the truth, “O God, I think I have called curses on myself in ignorance” (Sophocles 827). By this point, Oedipus has been incessantly investigating Laius’s murder and seeking aid from oracles, depicting his desire to do well. Although terribly misleading, prophecies told by oracles always come true. This shows a sense of moral ambiguity in Oedipus too. He is diligent in his efforts and obviously still believes Polybus and Merope are his real parents, as seen by how he resisted Teiresias’s visions, but now he starts to suspect himself. If the prophecy is true, all his hard work would prove to be a double-edged sword; he would have to exile himself to dispel the plague or live in ignorance and have everyone else suffer. Essentially, no matter what “good” Oedipus does, he will be forever tormented by his fate.

The Hamartia: Oedipus’s Tragic Flaws

Truly what makes Oedipus a tragic hero is his hamartia that causes a catastrophic fall from grace. When Oedipus first called for Teiresias to find the pollution haunting Thebes, he did not expect the blind prophet to be so gutsy enough to not even tell him anything but rather say he wishes to not bring pain upon them both. Out of a prideful temper, Oedipus dishonors and taunts Teiresias’s skills and blindness which stirs him to disclose Oedipus, the Theban king whom everyone reveres, is the murderer of Laius. Oedipus absolutely refuses to believe Teiresias, instead believing Teiresias and Creon are spreading evil rumors about him to steal his throne, and confronts Creon upon his arrival, “Have you so brazen-faced daring that you venture in my house although you are proved manifestly the murderer of that man, and though you tried, openly, highway robbery of my own crown? For God’s sake, tell me what you saw in me, what cowardice or what stupidity, made you lay a plot like this against me?” (Sophocles 598-602). Creon then defends himself, saying he receives all the honor and power of the king without the fear, so it would be ridiculous to take Oedipus’ throne unless he wanted more work for himself, thereby also determining Oedipus’s tragic flaw of poor judgment. If Oedipus were simply not so arrogant, reckless, or short-tempered to lash out at anyone who defies him, he would realize the truth much quicker.

The Downfall: Oedipus’s Catastrophic Fall from Grace

His failure to believe their words merely drags his downfall on and makes his fate only more tragic since he will learn and have to live with the knowledge of his heinous crimes. Though Oedipus’ accusation towards his eternally faithful comrade shows not solely poor judgment but hubris since he believes Creon’s attempt to usurp him was absurd and foolish. After all, he was the only one who could answer the Sphinx’s riddle, so he believes no one can trick him. However, after realizing the truth, Oedipus soon finds out he’s not as clever as he thinks. Howbeit, at this point in the play, Oedipus still believes Creon was plotting against him and does not back down at all, intensifying his charges by stating he will kill Creon for his own interests. Disgusted by Oedipus’s allegations, Creon leaves only after maintaining his innocence once more and retorts, “I see you sulk in yielding and you’re dangerous when you are out of temper; natures like yours are justly heaviest from themselves to bear” (Sophocles 751-753). This is significant because Creon is Oedipus’s best brother and even he is voicing out against Oedipus. Oedipus’s rash and quick temper spring from his hubris which is one of his tragic flaws. Not only that, but Oedipus’s hubris also seems to “blind” him from the truth, or “sight”. He gets very destructive when he is furious or defied as seen by how he damned the culprit of Laius’s murder or his treatment of Teiresias when he was just trying to keep life pleasant for both men. Creon also insights that this hamartia is heavy to bear, almost as if foreshadowing this heaviness will bring Oedipus down. Without his tragic flaws, Oedipus would not be a tragic hero because these woeful faults of hubris and poor judgment pull him from fortune to tragedy.

Even so, it is equally important to recognize the dismal, ghastly fate Oedipus must suffer, caused by his own hamartia and Apollo’s prophecy, as a reason why he is clearly a tragic hero. Now, Oedipus has realized the prophecy has been fulfilled; he killed Laius, his real father, at the crossroads during a trivial fight and married Jocasta, his real mother, even breeding children with her. A messenger comes and speaks of the Theban king’s miserable fate; specifically, the ill that transpired in the nobles’ home. Jocasta committed suicide by hanging herself above their cursed bed; Oedipus charged in but could only cry out in pain before cutting the noose to drop his queen’s lifeless body. Terribly anguished, “[Oedipus] tore the brooches- the gold chased brooches fastening her robe- away from her and lifting them up high dashed them on his own eyeballs, shrieking out such things as they will never see the crime I have committed or had done upon me! Dark eyes, now in the days to come look on forbidden faces, do not recognize those whom you long for with such imprecations he struck his eyes again and yet again with the brooches. And the bleeding eyeballs gushed and stained his beard- no sluggish oozing drops but a black rain and bloody hail poured down” (Sophocles 1388-1400). The chorus immediately pities Oedipus and wonders what madness or evil coerced him to do this horrid thing to himself.

The Punishment: Oedipus’s Self-Inflicted Suffering

They even say they cannot look at him for his appearance frightens them too much. Although this is a characteristic of tragedy, that the punishment is exaggerated compared to the crime, it also shows a greater quality of Oedipus. He did not choose to end his suffering right there and then; instead, he chose to blind himself and live with shame and travesty. Oedipus thereby acknowledges that his hubris and poor judgment have obscured him from the truth and that he can truly “see” since he is blind now. His very much pitiful state does not stop the chorus from asking exactly why he has done this to himself, mentioning the misfortune he receives and the burden he holds is already great enough. Though Oedipus does not falter and answers, “It was Apollo, friends, Apollo, that brought this bitter bitterness, my sorrows to completion. But the hand that struck me was none but my own. Why should I see whose vision showed me nothing sweet to see?” (Sophocles 1450-1455). At this point, Oedipus has completely realized Apollo’s prophesy to be true, accepting the tragedy that has been bestowed upon him. Though after finding out the truth, he does not see his wife and children as a sweetness in his life, instead they now represent how the prophecy has been fulfilled.

His family is forever cursed by incest, and he has fallen from both grace and his throne. Apollo had decided such an awful life for him that it came to the point blindness was better than seeing how horrible it was. Ultimately, Oedipus’s hubris had been that he thought he knew everything and could defy the gods. He has taken responsibility for his ignorance by giving himself a punishment he deems “reasonable”: blindness. Oedipus’s tragic fate offers a crisis of feeling and a catharsis. The severe approach to gouging out his eyes was excessively grisly and dreadful, eliciting feelings of pity and fear in the audience. However, once Oedipus accepted his fate, the audience feels relieved he is no longer suffering as much. Overall, the pitiful, unreasonable punishment of Oedipus and its horrifying yet uplifting outcome defines him to be a tragic hero.

Conclusion: The Lessons from Oedipus’s Tragedy

In brief, Oedipus is absolutely a tragic hero. He has gone out of his way to both flee Corinth to escape the prophecy and find the murderer of King Laius to stop the plague terrorizing Thebes, which ironically pushed him closer to his ill fate, and later realizes the truth. However, he wouldn’t have suffered so terribly if not for his tragic flaws. His hubris can be blamed for making him too reckless and fiery when it seems like the whole world is working against him. Teiresias had exposed Oedipus to be the murderer and his tragic fate lying ahead, but he failed to listen or even deliberate the matter because he thought too highly of himself to be the culprit. Even Creon, his trusted brother, and advisor, told him he is adverse in his temper and foreshadows it will drag him down. It cannot be forgotten Oedipus’s excessively grim and depressing punishment he chooses to ride out for the rest of his life either. It is despairing the fact that he will be all alone and live perpetually tormented by his fate. His children cannot support him since they remind him too much of the prophecy; actually, nobody can do anything because of the curses he put upon the culprit before that they will be exiled and no one can acknowledge them.

What is comforting though is the fact that Oedipus accepts the tragedy and can now “see” through his blindness. From this, it is important to emphasize the lesson to be taken from Oedipus the King that many things are out of our control and that is truly all right. Everyone has experienced some panic or hopelessness from feeling out of control of their life, but not everyone has tried to challenge this response. An individual merely needs the courage to overcome these situations and ultimately decide to let go or accept them. In how Oedipus’s tragic flaws made him lose himself, the individual must hold the proper values too. Thus, the values of benevolence, humbleness, and wisdom are integral to helping lead one’s life to success as well as identifying the means to improve their circumstances for the better. As Creon said to Oedipus, “Do not seek to be master in everything, for the things you master did not follow you throughout your life” (Sophocles 1846-1847).

Work Cited

1. Corcoran, J., & Beers, B. F. (1995). Prentice Hall literature (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Introduction

The works of ancient Greek literature have captivated readers across generations. One such masterpiece, Oedipus the King, crafted by the esteemed playwright Sophocles, surpasses temporal and cultural barriers in its profound exploration of the intricacies of human existence. This article takes you on a journey into the enigmatic realm of Oedipus, a character whose life becomes a tumultuous battlefield where destiny and individual agency intersect.

Summary

In the play “Oedipus the King,” the central focus is on Oedipus himself, a pivotal character in the exploration of human nature. Oedipus represents the tragic hero arche­type, possessing both noble qualities and experiencing a devastating downfall.

Oedipus’s journey commences with a prophecy foretelling that he will murder his father and marry his mother. Striving to evade this ominous fate, he unknowingly sets the wheels of destiny in motion. This tragic irony serves as the fulcrum around which the play balances its exploration of fate and personal agency.

The narrative explores the theme of blindness, both literal and metaphorical. It serves as a powerful symbol, representing the characters’ lack of awareness and their moments of revelation. Interestingly, Oedipus, acclaimed for his wisdom and insight as the king of Thebes, remains oblivious to the underlying truth of his own life. His journey to unravel his origins parallels humanity’s quest for self-understanding and knowledge.

In a surprising turn of events, Oedipus ends up causing his own suffering because he just can’t stop trying to find out the truth. This theme highlights how fate and personal choices are closely connected. Oedipus acts this way because he wants to discover the truth and, sadly, this leads him to his tragic destiny.

Conflict Between Individuals

In “Oedipus Rex,” the most prominent conflict between individuals arises from Oedipus’s relentless pursuit of the truth surrounding King Laius’s murder. Oedipus’s determination to save Thebes from a plague compels him to seek the truth behind Laius’s death, unwittingly pitting him against the very prophecy he wishes to elude. In this instance, Oedipus’ problems extend beyond King Laius to the gods and oracles who predict his sad end.

Oedipus gets caught in a destiny he has unintentionally created for himself, and the battle between him and King Laius reflects the clash between the past and the present. Oedipus comes into the blind prophet Tiresias while looking into the murder; however, he only makes indirect references to the truth. As a result of Tiresias’ resistance, Oedipus becomes more and more annoyed, thus escalating the battle.

Oedipus’ hunt for the truth forces him into a dispute with his brother-in-law and trusty ally, Creon. Oedipus suspected Creon of working with Tiresias to steal his kingdom when Tiresias claimed that Oedipus was King Laius’ killer. This accusation deepens the conflict between individuals and initiates a sequence of tragic events.

The conflict intensifies as Oedipus confronts Jocasta, his wife and mother, regarding the revelations made by Tiresias. Jocasta, eager to shield Oedipus from the truth, dismisses prophecies as unreliable. In doing so, she adds another layer to the conflict between individuals, with Oedipus determined to unearth the facts and Jocasta equally committed to burying them.

The ultimate confrontation between Oedipus and the shepherd who exposed him to his tragic fate serves as the zenith of the conflict between individuals. The shepherd, initially reluctant to reveal the truth, ultimately discloses Oedipus’s identity as the son of Laius and Jocasta. This revelation shatters Oedipus’s world and seals his tragic fate.

During these struggles, Oedipus’ unrelenting commitment to finding the truth is his strength and doom. The complex nature of the inner struggle in “Oedipus Rex” is made apparent by his continuous search for knowledge and refusal to submit to forces that strive to conceal the truth. The tragedy of Oedipus rests not just in his deeds, but also in his relentless desire to solve the puzzles of history.

Struggle Against Nature

In “Oedipus Rex,” the conflict against nature is epitomized by the devastating plague afflicting Thebes. Oedipus, as the king, not only contends with the natural catastrophe befalling his city, but also with the supernatural forces underpinning it. His determination to rid Thebes of this pestilence represents his struggle against nature’s harsh and indifferent forces threatening to engulf his kingdom.

The play begins with Thebes plagued by a deadly illness, symbolizing nature’s fury. When Oedipus hears of his people’s suffering, he vows to find a remedy and relieve their torment. His determination to solve the Sphinx’s riddle stems from his sense of duty towards his city and his will to confront the natural disaster that has struck it.

As Oedipus dives deeper into the investigation of Laius’s murder, he starts to uncover a connection between the murder and the plague. This discovery heightens the conflict against nature, as Oedipus realizes that Thebes’s salvation depends on solving the enigma of his own existence.

The battle between Oedipus and nature climax when he discovers the horrifying truth about his parents and unknowingly fulfills the prophecy.

Ultimately, Oedipus’s struggle against the plague and nature’s forces proves futile. The play underscores the insignificance of human endeavors when faced with nature’s capriciousness. Regardless of his noble intentions and unwavering resolve, Oedipus cannot alter the course of the natural world. This realization adds an extra layer of tragedy to his character.

Conflict Within Oneself

The central and most significant conflict in “Oedipus Rex” lies within the character of Oedipus himself. As he uncovers the truth about his identity and unknowingly fulfills the prophecy, Oedipus battles with intense inner turmoil. His journey to discover himself and the tragic realization of his actions’ magnitude represent the classic internal struggle. Oedipus’s unwavering determination to seek truth evolves into a tragic journey of self-awareness that ultimately leads to his downfall.

Oedipus’s internal conflict is rooted in his unwavering thirst for knowledge and truth. Throughout the play, he demonstrates an unrelenting determination to uncover the mysteries of his past and the source of Thebes’s suffering. This determination serves as his strength and tragic flaw, as it draws him deeper into a web of fate and self-discovery.

The moment of self-revelation, when Oedipus discovers that he is both the murderer of Laius and the son of Jocasta, represents the climax of the internal conflict. The realization of his unwitting incestuous relationship and patricide drives Oedipus to blind himself in a fit of despair and self-punishment.

Oedipus’s self-inflicted blindness symbolizes his internal turmoil. It signifies his acceptance of culpability and a desperate attempt to escape the unbearable truth. This act underscores the depth of his internal conflict as he grapples with the consequences of his actions and his tragic destiny.

Amidst the tragedy lies the core of the human condition – the turmoil within Oedipus. He embodies the unflinching desire to unravel the truth, irrespective of its consequences- a trait that is so unique to the human psyche. His quest for comprehension never ceases, even as it ensnares him within its clutches. The audience, spellbound by his inner conflict, is prompted to reflect upon the significance of fate, free will, and the myriad complexities that shape our existence. Oedipus appears to be a mirror that reflects our deepest fears and desires.

Conclusion

As a masterpiece of Greek tragedy, “Oedipus Rex” remains an enduring portrayal of the intricacies of human nature, destiny, and free will. The enduring and challenging themes of man against his fellow man, the environment, and, most significantly, the self is exposed through the tragic odyssey of Oedipus. Oedipus’ relentless pursuit of truth serves as a timeless symbol of humanity’s yearning for self-exploration, even when faced with incapability. Ultimately, “Oedipus Rex” teaches us that the enigmas of the human psyche, akin to the Sphinx’s riddle, are baffling and will last a lifetime.

Sometimes the road of life takes an unexpected turn and you have no choice but to follow it to end up in the place you are supposed to be. Your fate is like a car crash an accident you never asked for but happens because it’s your destiny. Sophocles highlights the irony of a man who wants to track down and execute the criminal who murdered King Laius who turns out to be himself. The play Oedipus Rex unravels King Oedipus of Thebes ‘ to have a life full of tragedy when he makes an effort to avoid the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother. Oedipus is guilty of many crimes, but this does not mean that he should be punished.

One reason that he shouldn’t be punished and he wouldn’t have known that his parents were Laius and Jocasta. Oedipus was provoked by Laius and he fought back in self-defense oblivious to the fact that Laius is his father. In the play, Oedipus says “The driver, and the old man himself tried to push me off the road. In anger, I struck the driver as he tried to crowd me off. When the old man saw me coming past the wheels he aimed at my head a two-pronged goad and hit me. I paid him back in full, with interest…I killed the whole lot of them’. This proved that he was not controlling his fate because he had no idea that Laius was his father; Laius was an egotistical man who left his son to die and if he didn’t make that choice he wouldn’t have been killed by his son, Jocasta says “It was said that Laius was fated to die by the hand of his son, a son to be born to him and me. As for the son three days after his birth, Laius fastened his ankles together and had him castaway on the pathless; mountains’. It indicates that Oedipus should not be punished because his parents were planning to take his life to live happily and Laius want to remain alive. instead of leaving their child and fleeing their destiny, they should have tried to fight the prophecy battle together. Oedipus lived a lie his whole life. He had no say in how his life will occur. His wife Jocasta attempts to make him avoid the truth of the prophecy she tells him “ why? What difference does it make? Don’t think about it. Pay no attention to what he said. It makes no difference’. What Jocasta emphasizes is that Oedipus is blinded by the truth and should never discover the acts his parents committed because it wasn’t his decision.

In addition to Oedipus not knowing the truth about his parents should not cost him punishment another reason is that his fate was already destined by the gods and him cant command gods to change his fate. The message is given that determined fate. Oedipus was a victim of the various circumstances put in his way. It was beyond his control on how his life will end up, it all came down to the hands of the gods. The play says “It is not your fate to fall because of me. it’s up to Apollo to make that happen. He will be enough’. As Tiresias is talking to Oedipus he is saying that the gods control Oedipus, he is saying that it isn’t the king’s fault if he falls and gets punished but rather Apollo who decides what his fate will be. Once fate is a load upon you there is no determining how it will play out, Tiresias quotes ‘I will say nothing more. Fume on about it, if you wish, as fiercely as you can ‘(Tiresias. Lines 355-356). He is insisting that no matter what he does in the end fate of killing his father and marrying his mother would have played out for Oedipus. He can’t change what the gods decide will happen he needs to accept that no matter how good or bad he is his prophecy would have the same encounter meaning its not his fault. The play says “But will never feel dishonored. I see myself as a child of fortune and she is generous, that mother of mine from whom l spring, and the months, my siblings, have seen me by tum both small and great. That’s how was born. I cannot change to someone else, nor can I ever cease from seeking cut the fact of my birth”. When Oedipus says this it expresses he has no responsibility and shouldn’t receive the punishment because it isn’t his choice. There’s nothing Oedipus could have done no matter the circumstances the same ideology would take place. If he had never heard of the prophecy he may have never left his home.

Many see fate as the cause that the road of life takes and emphasizes the reason why Oedipus shouldn’t have received the punishment. Having said that many consider he should be punished because of his preposterous behavior and ignorance that led his fate to come to life. Oedipus has brilliance and determination that help him gain leads to Laius’ murderer but also leads to his tragic fall and punishment of becoming blind and being banished. The first example is when Oedipus tries to find Laius murder and promises they would be banished. Ironically he was the killer and Tiresias tries to tell him he shouldn’t find the truth because it will only create but he doesn’t listen. The play says “How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be. When there’s no help in truth.”. If Oedipus had listened to Tiresias then the misery, suffering, and punishment wouldn’t have gotten to him and he could have avoided the curse of being blind if he wasn’t so hubris. As well as being an atrocious listener he treats those who want to avoid him for discovering the truth and belittles them making him deserve his fate and punishment. Tiresias gives him hints that he could be the killer by initiating “You call me unfeeling. If you could only see the nature of your feelings”. Instead of accepting his faults he instead blames other people such as Creon to be the killer and making him lose his biggest ally who could have helped avoid punishment. Not being a humble leader and person is what makes Oedipus live a fate of tragedy.

Ultimately fate will find its way to be apart of your life and Oedipus was no exception. He shouldn’t be punished for trying to escape a fate he didn’t ask for. He wants to escape a life of tragedy which in my view is not absurd or an act that deserves becoming a man who ends up blind, banished, and be both a father and sibling to his kids. How you handle situations can be mistakes that you grow to regret. However, no matter how wicked Oedipus was he didn’t deserve the prophecy coming to life. Not wanting a fate the gods chose for you that leads to tragedy doesn’t need to be punishable but understandable. Oedipus was one of the many men who wanted to avoid his prophecy because it was repulsive and for that, he didn’t deserve half of the things that came in his life. Fate has an evil way of becoming a part of your life and it’s a question on how much of that fate we deserve.

In the beginning, I want to introduce the background information about this play. First, the name of this filmed performance is ‘Oedipus the King’ It is written by Sophocles, the most famous playwright of ancient Greece. He is one of the three tragic writers in Athens. He not only believes in the supreme power of God and destiny but also requires people to have an independent spirit and be responsible for their own actions, which is the feature of ideology in the period of democratic political prosperity in Athens. His representative works include Oedipus king, Antigone, Oedipus in colonos, as, the young girl of Tethys, etc.

As the play opens, the citizens of Thebans beg their king, to lift the plague that threatens to destroy the city. And the king sends his brother in law to the oracle of Apollo at Delphi to ask the Pythia what should be done to solve the plague. When he returns, Creon announces that the Delphi Oracle instructs them to find the murderer of Laius. The discovery and punishment of the murderer will end the plague. Oedipus set to work immediately. King Oedipus severely cursed the murderer and ordered the whole country to trace him. But the prophet said that Oedipus himself was the murderer, and the truth was uncertain. In fact, Delphic Oedipus was born with an Oracle saying that he would kill his father and marry his mother in the future, so he was cut through his heel by wire and abandoned in the wild. It was only because the shepherd who carried out the order took pity that he survived. At a fork in the road, he quarreled with an old man and killed him by mistake. This old man is his real father. These experiences of Oedipus coincide with the Oracle’s saying that killing the father and marrying the mother. His doom of killing his father and marrying his mother came true, but he knew nothing about it. In this tragedy, Oedipus tried to avoid the disaster, but he still couldn’t escape the fate.

In his plays, Sophocles shows that the king of Oedipus is not only a hero but also a noble character. Oedipus is intelligent, honest, upright and brave. He is brave to challenge and fight against the unreasonable fate. However, fate doomed such an outstanding person to be a sinner. He had to bear the guilt of his predecessors and be punished by misfortune. In fact, all these were caused by fate’s teasing and Oedipus’s self will. But he also has his shortcomings. He is suspicious and irascible. People like Oedipus are not very good, but they are not very bad. Such a human role is more close to ordinary people, making readers more empathic. Oedipus had a conflict with his biological father at the crossroads. Because he was angry and impulsive, he killed his father, which was also his fault in behavior. In fact, he didn’t want to kill his father, but in that case, he didn’t know the truth and the impulse could not be restrained. So he killed his biological father in his fault His tragedy also began in negligence. Compared with Oedipus complex, tragic consciousness, self-destruction spirit and so on, I prefer the view that this great work is Sophocles’ questioning and Reflection on fate.

”We are only as blind as we want to be -Maya Angelou. There are a variety of connotations to the phrase ”blind. Some people tend to view blindness as a physical disability that resembles inferiority. Others believe that blindness defines ignorance as one is unaware of their surroundings or actions. However, the public’s attitudes towards blindness are misconceptions as even a person who can physically see can also be blind. As people become biased toward certain views, it can cause them to become blinded by even the most evident facts. In the play, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus’s pride blinds him to the truth as he tries to control his fate, until he ultimately realizes the truth once he is physically blind.

At the beginning of the play, Oedipus views himself as a hero. After solving the complicated sphinx riddle and being crowned king of Thebes, Oedipus is confident as he begins his opening scene with a boast: ”I, Oedipus, whose name is known afar (25). Oedipus views himself as an honorable character and reveals this with pride as he explains that he is even well-known to lands far from Thebes. Feeling powerful and intelligent, Oedipus is confident that he can solve the answer to any riddle given to him without difficulty, such as in detecting the murderer of the previous king, Laius. As Oedipus sends for the blind prophet, Teiresias, and he refuses to reveal the name of the murderer, Oedipus does not hesitate to reply, ”I tell you I do believe you had a hand in plotting…this very act (35). Oedipus displays his arrogance as he is unwilling to place his pride aside and calmly heed to the prophet of truth. His pride consumes him, causing him to act impetuously towards the prophet as he insults him fearlessly in blind rage before taking a moment to understand Teiresias’s reason for why he hesitates to reveal the murderer’s name.

Oedipus’s pride leads to his downfall as it acts as an impediment to the truth. As he repeatedly threatens Teiresias to reveal the name of Laius’s murderer, and he finally replies with Oedipus’s name, Oedipus reacts with disgust and rage. He refuses to believe himself as the killer and as he forces Teiresias to repeat the name, it fuels his anger as he revolts by insulting Teiresias in order to protect his ego. Teiresias does not remain quiet in the midst of Oedipus’s insults as he replies, ”Have you eyes, and do not see your own damnation? Eyes, and cannot see what company you keep? (37). Through the repetition of the word ”eyes” Teiresias mocks how even though Oedipus was granted with the physical ability to see, he is still unable to discern that he had committed Laius’s murder. On the other hand, Teiresias is blind but can still foretell that Oedipus had committed the crime and could not escape from his fate. Oedipus’s hubris causes him to become blind to the fact that he had killed Laius and does not think practically that this incident may be connected with a murder he had committed before.

Through the conversation between Oedipus and the blind prophet, they demonstrate the symbolism behind sightedness and blindness. They reveal how sight represents an understanding of the truth; blindness represents ignorance. Irony surfaces as even though Oedipus can physically see, he is blind to the truth as he is not willing to accept that he had murdered Laius. Teiresias foretells, ”He that came seeing, blind shall he go…son, and husband to the woman who bore him; father-killer…when you can prove me wrong, then call me blind (38). Teiresias explains how as Oedipus entered as the King of Thebes, he was oblivious to the fact that he had not overcome the prophecy in which he would kill his father and marry his mother. However, Teiresias predicts that once Oedipus is exposed to the bitter truth, he will literally blind himself due to shame and guilt as he could not avoid the prophecy and will realize that he is responsible for creating the plague. Although Teiresias is physically blind, he can clearly see that Oedipus has not overcome the prophecy and also see that Oedipus will literally blind himself in the future. Oedipus and Teiresias are both blind during their conversation: Oedipus is blind to his fate and the blind prophet’s wisdom, while Teiresias is physically blind but possesses knowledge and the truth.

The symbolism behind sightedness and blindness can be shown through the Lady of Justice statue that appears in many courthouses and law institutions. With a blindfold covering her eyes, a sword in her hand, and holding a scale that is balanced, the Lady of Justice represents impartiality and morality for justice. Even though she is blindfolded, she is still able to detect the truth as eyes create one-sided perspectives that can lead to bias towards wealth, preference, and appearance. The Lady of Justice represents the blind prophet, Teiresias, because he is also physically blind but still has the power to identify the culprit for Laius’s murder. On the other hand, since Oedipus can physically see, his surroundings and judgement on certain characters distort his views on determining the truth. He does not accept Teiresias’s advice as the truth because he judges the prophet’s appearance as he views him as a helpless and weak man who is physically blind. The Lady of Justice demonstrates that eyes are not necessary for determining justice as it will influence one’s decisions of justice unfairly, such as on power, companionship, and identity.

Towards the end of the play, Oedipus still remains persistent in avoiding his fate. Even when the messenger reveals to Oedipus that Polybus was not his biological father and that he was given to him by one of King Laius’s men, Oedipus still does not begin to question that the prophecy may have come true. When Oedipus begins to recall an event in which he had murdered a man, he still refuses to believe that it had been Laius: ”If he still says robbers, it was not I; one is not more than one. Oedipus remains in disbelief and is blind to his reality as he nitpicks and finds faults in other statements in order to prove his denial in killing the king and protect his noteworthy status. In addition, Oedipus is even blind in observing Jocasta’s reaction as her face becomes flushed and tries to prevent Oedipus from learning the truth. Once Oedipus speaks to the shepherd and sees his wife hanging in their bedroom, he finally realizes that his efforts to escape from his fate were futile. As he blinds himself with a brooch, he exchanges his physical sight for knowledge and wisdom. Oedipus transitions from being metaphorically blind to the truth, to being physically blind, in order to symbolize how he has gained a new vision in realizing that he could not control his destiny.

Ultimately, in Oedipus Rex, Oedipus struggles with controlling his excessive pride as it causes him to act oblivious towards the obvious facts presented to him as he tries to suppress his fate. However, as the play transitions on, Oedipus soon realizes his inability to escape from his destiny as his pride leads to his destruction. At the end, Oedipus physically becomes what he had metaphorically been throughout the play: blind. As a result, Oedipus Rex demonstrates how blindness is a choice, not a physical disability, as even a person who can physically see can still act ignorant towards their actions and outcomes of their fate.

In the city of Thebes, there is a plague of infertility that strikes. Just as the plants do not grow so is women not able to bear children. Creon informs King Oedipus that until the killer of King Laius is identified, the plague cannot be ended. Oblivious to the truth, King Oedipus sets to find out who the killer is and swears to punish the individual. Most of the times, people may have their physical sight, but blind themselves for fear of seeing the truth. These are people who are oblivious to the realities which could be cruel. Such people chose not to see the realities of life. Therefore, Sophocles ”Oedipus the King talks about people who have physical sight and are blind who refuse to see and to see the truth about life respectively. The play’s characters hesitate to uncover the greatest misjudgment of the god’s power, and this is portrayed through the theme of blindness.

Sophocles in Oedipus the King, shows that there are characters who willingly chose to ignore facts and truths to avoid experiencing their fate. These people believe that they can change their fates through their actions. They are characters that have physical sight, but are oblivious to the truth. They see the truth and understand it, but soon blinds themselves again. For example, Jocasta and King Laius, are well aware of the power of the gods but chooses to ignore it. They order Oedipus to be killed to avert the curse of the gods, but he is instead rescued by a shepherd (Sophocles 29). Even though the King and Queen have actual sight, they are blind because they believe they have the capacity to avert the curse and reverse the fate through their decisions. They fail to understand that mortals are incapable of altering the course of fates the moment they are generated by the gods. In the Greek land, mortals have never been able to avert any fates predicted by the gods. When the gods make a prediction, it must come to pass. This occurs in the case of King Oedipus. However, both Jocasta and Laius fail to understand that the oracle’s prediction is inevitable hence cannot be changed by any mortal being.

Jocasta also tells Oedipus that they should not believe in the power of the gods, seers or prophets. Moreover, Jocasta strives hard to avoid her fate and what awaits her. When Jocasta finds out the truth about who Oedipus really is and that he killed Jocasta’s first husband, the King, she chooses to blind herself to avoid seeing the truth presented to her. Characters are afraid of knowledge and truth more so when they instill fear in the people. Jocasta states, Why should a man whose life seems ruled by chance live in fear a man who never looks ahead, who has no certain vision of his future? (Sophocles 25). Since Jocasta wants to believe the opposite of the facts, she goes ahead to try to convince Oedipus to also join her bandwagon. However, she removes her veil of blindness to the truth and hangs herself for she does not like what she sees.

Creon also chooses to blind himself to the truth. When Creon is accused of eyeing the throne, he says that he does not want to handle all the problems that entail managing the City of Thebes. Instead, Creon prefers being just the brother of the King hence blinding himself from such truths as overtaking the throne from his brother Oedipus (Sophocles 13). Additionally, Oedipus is exposed to several clues about who he is but he chooses to ignore the hints as the truth is cruel. He was first accused by a drunken man to be a bastard. Secondly, he was told by the blind prophet that he was the killer of the King Laius (Sophocles 24). Thirdly, the messenger told Oedipus that the people who raised him were not his actual parents. Still, he did not believe the truth. However, when the herdsman confirmed these clues, Oedipus understood that the god Apollo’s predictions were in fact right. Clearly, Oedipus was blind to the realities of his life.

People in Thebes fear truths often choosing to display their ignorance in most circumstances. Blindness means ignorance. Sophocles establishes that being blind from the reality and truth equals being safe from one’s own destiny. When Oedipus is blind to the truth, he is protected because he is not aware of the prophecy which will not come true. In killing King Laius, Oedipus believes he killed a random person as his parents were Queen and King of Corinth. The moment Oedipus learns of the truth, people come to understand the prophecy (Sophocles 27). In the event that Oedipus was not informed of the truth by the oracle, he would have continued being a King and leading a normal life.

Similarly, there are the kinds of people that wish they had never seen the truth. This is shown mostly by the choruses all through the play. For instance, the choruses sing, ”O child of Laius, how I wish I’d never seen you (Sophocles 29). Through this, it is clear that the chorus wishes to be blind to the truth because the truth is ugly. This incident occurs just after shepherd acknowledges that indeed he did not obey the queen’s order to kill her son. People in that place understand that Oedipus is the son that was not killed and that the prophecy came true. Similarly, choruses wish that they had not seen Oedipus after the second messenger describes Oedipus and Jocasta’s agony. While Jocasta hangs herself, Oedipus, on the other hand, gouges his eyes out.

Characters that experience physical blindness are used to represent various background truths regarding the prophecy. The irony is that those who have physical blindness see the truth while those who have sight do not see the truth. In the play, there are truths such as Oedipus being the lost son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta. Other truths include Oedipus being the one who killed the King as earlier prophesied. In the beginning, Oedipus has his complete physical sight, but is blind to his historical background. Oedipus, as expected, fulfilled the god’s prophecy as he married his mother, and is the killer of King Laius. Nevertheless, the first physical blindness is that of Teiresias, who is an old prophet. Tiresias’s physical blindness represents the truth about the life story and the birth of Oedipus. Through his powers, Teiresias manages to uncover the truth about who killed King Laius (Sophocles 17). Sadly, the killer is Oedipus and he is not pleased about it. Clearly, Oedipus who has physical sight does not see the truth while Tiresias, who is blind sees the truth. Similarly, Oedipus tore off the brooches from Jocasta’s clothing, then uses the pins to gouge his eyes out, hence permanently blinding himself (Sophocles 33). Oedipus physical blindness is used to represent an individual’s fear of facts and truths. When Oedipus finds out that he killed his father, married and had children with his mother and witnessed the death of Jocasta, who is hanging in their room, he refuses to see. As a result of his pride, Oedipus decides to continue being blind as he has been all through his life. To Oedipus, the truth is cruel and hurts his pride.

In conclusion, Sophocles Oedipus the King depicts the theme of blindness, which manifests through the play’s characters’ naivety. In fact, blindness represents ignorance while sight represents knowledge. The theme of blindness is clearly one of the play’s key themes. Additionally, the characters of the play fail to understand that they cannot avert fate as predicted by the oracle. No single mortal in the Greek world had ever managed to avert the will of the god’s, and Laius and Jocasta were not able to change fate. Similarly, Oedipus the King could not escape his fate as predicted by the gods. The aspect of having physical sight and truly being able to see all is shown all through the play. It is through this aspect that the theme of blindness arises from. This theme is also tied together with the fate of King Oedipus. When the King finally removes his veil and understands the truth about his fate, he chooses to blind himself.

A common theme throughout the Oedipus Cycle is that of guilt coinciding with innocence. In Oedipus at Colonus however in separate instances Oedipus claims to be innocent of his wrong doings as in his fight against Laius he acted in self-defense, and he also insists he was ignorant of his sins so he cannot be punished for committing them,” I bore most evil things, strangers! I bore them involuntarily, let the god know! None of these things was chosen by myself.”. However upon meeting Theseus, Oedipus refuses his assistance claiming that he is too impure for Theseus to touch him. Oedipus, like all people has the unfortunate fate of being damned for sins he did not choose to commit. Which causes a paradox in his mind where he know he is not in the wrong, but yet feels the societal shame of his ‘wrong doings’ and therefore knows that he is condemned by society and cannot let Theseus touch him as he will then also be refuting the societal norms that make Oedipus impure.

If we’re going by gods’ laws Oedipus has committed unspeakable acts of abomination in murdering his father, and marrying his mother. Although the gods’ take sister-wives it is a thing banned to mortals. Murder is seen as a terrible act even to the gods. In these ways Oedipus unknowingly sins against the gods. However at the end of Oedipus at Colonus it appears the gods have taken pity on Oedipus, as they make his final resting place a hallowed barrier for the city of Athens. In this way is he absolved of his godly wrongs, and is validated as being innocent by reason of ignorance.

By the world’s standards however Oedipus is not blameless. The sin against his father is twofold as it is murder, but also an act against his sire; a costly error in a patriarchal society. Although he was acting in self-defense society holds a stigma against the ac simply because someone’s life was ended which is a chief thing of importance. When confronted then with the affront of his incestuous marriage he also attempts to blame the city of Thebes, “To an evil marriage bed the city bound me—I who did not know–To a disaster that came from a marriage. CHORUS. With your mother, as I hear, Did you fill your infamous bed? OEDIPUS. Alas, it is death to hear these things [. . .].”. This last line Oedipus speaks tells us that it is like death to hear the truth of situation. As he knows it is too horrible of a thing to say; that one begot four children from his mother The paradox between ignorance, innocence, and guilt is a tumultuous theme in Oedipus at Colonus. It is a result of a man who in his mind is absolved of his crimes in the sight of gods, but can never be clean in the light of society.

Who could forget the story of Hercules? This famous story is about a son of the gods who resides on Earth as a normal human with abnormal strength. In the story, Hercules fights various monsters and is saving his city constantly. However Hercules makes a deal with Hades, god of the underworld, to give away his strength for one day. This same day Hades sets the four titans, whom bring blizzards, rock slides, tornadoes, and volcanoes, upon the city as well as Mt. Olympus, where the gods live. Even though Hercules is helpless physically, he discovers his inner-strength, battles through his struggles, breaks the deal, and in the end saves his girl, his city, and the gods. Like Hercules, Oedipus’ life has a similar pattern. Although Oedipus’ story didn’t have such a happy ending he is nevertheless a hero because he battled through his own struggles, discovered his inner-self and in the end purges Thebes of all sin.

The plague on Thebes was never Oedipus’ fault to begin with. Like the critic questions, “How has man failed, that he should be cursed by the gods with fear of the thing he has created in innocence?” Just weeks after Oedipus was born as an innocent baby the prophets proclaim that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Did baby Oedipus do anything to deserve this tragic fate? No, he was doomed from birth by something that he couldn’t control. When Oedipus gets older and is told his fate, his reaction is to try to evade it. However in attempt to run away from his fate, he runs right into it.

Denial is an inevitable stage when it comes to facing fate. Oedipus goes through this stage when he talks with Teiresias. Oedipus becomes enraged with Teiresias’ news that he is “the land’s pollution” and “the murderer of the king”. His tragic flaw of being easily frustrated kicks in. He becomes so angry he places blame on others and yells at Teiresias for being “blind in mind and ears as well as in [his] eyes. This is ironic because Oedipus although not disabled is the one who can’t see the “light of day”. However in the back of his mind Oedipus always seeks the truth and soon he begins to emerge from the denial river.

Fate is unavoidable. However there are numerous stories of how people try to fight their fate. Such as Odysseus who faked insanity to get out of going to Troy, and Achilles who disguised himself as a woman in order to get out of his fate of dying in Troy. Like Odysseus and Achilles, Oedipus also tries to fight his fate, but what separates Oedipus from other heroes is that in the end he accepts his fate and by doing so, purges his city of sin. Oedipus always hungers for the truth and when he finally discovers it he knows there is only one thing to do. Accept it. He decides to let [his] fate go where it will. He even blinds himself which is ironic because when he could see, he was ignorant and now that he knows the truth he can’t see. Lastly he banishes himself from the city and in doing so he cleanses his city from the plague and all evil.

What makes a hero a hero? Today the modern day Superman, Spiderman, and Batman are your so called heroes. However I wouldn’t consider any of these heroes at all. They have no flaws, no tough struggles. In order to be a hero I think you need to have suffered, to have been at your lowest, and to have overcome obstacles. Facing his fate, leaving Thebes and saving an entire city are a much harder task than flying around all day like Superman. As well put by Martin Luther King Jr. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and conveniences, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” I think Oedipus is the ultimate measure of a man and from this story we learn how to face our struggles head on, admit when we are wrong, and do the right thing.

Oedipus the King begins with Oedipus, the king of Thebes. He was crowned King several years earlier after solving the Sphinx’s’ unsolvable riddle. He is conversing with the priest over the plague that has been on the city of Thebes. Oedipus says he will do whatever it takes to catch the murder of King Laius. In the end, we see that Oedipus did not have to look very far, for he was the killer of the precious king. He punishes himself by gouging his eyes out and exiles himself from the land just as he had promised to do to the guilty man of the crime. In Sophocles writing of Oedipus The King, he uses many different literary elements to paint an incredible picture of the conflict within the characters in the city of Thebes. While analyzing this play, we find a deeper meaning than what is written on paper. Sophocles uses symbolism and irony to portray the tragedy within the town. Sophocles introduces us to symbolism very early in the writing.

The scene is in the town of Thebes and Oedipus is arguing with Tiresias about who the murderer of the king is, which Tiresias believes it is indeed Oedipus but the king is too blind to realize it. A huge theme in this writing is sight versus blindness and the obvious symbol to back-up this theme is eyes, ones with vision and ones without. Tiresias is a blind man that accuses Oedipus of the death of their King, Laius. Oedipus believes this is absurd and will not take into consideration the facts that Tiresias is trying to explain to him. We see from the very beginning that although Oedipus has a clear vision in the natural, he is blind to the truth of the matter. Tiresias says to Oedipus, ‘ Since you have reproached me with my blindness I say–you have your sight but do not see the evils that are about you. Yea, you are ignorant that to your own you are an enemy. . .Soon from this land shall drive you, stalking grim. Your mother and your fathers’ two-edged curse, with eyes than dark, though they look proudly now (Sophocles). Tiresias also says that once he faces the truths, he will become blind just like he is. When Oedipus and Jocasta finally face the truth, they both punish themselves.

Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus gouges his own eyes out so he can not see the damage and distraught he has brought on to his people. This was a symbolic move for Oedipus as well, by taking his own eyes out of his head, he demonstrates how blind he was the entire time. ‘Oedipus, who solved the Sphinx riddle and would now open the dark mystery of his own origin, is inwardly blind, as the blind visionary Tiresias tries to tell him; and in putting out his eyes after his dreadful selfdiscovery, he completes the symbolic pattern (Cameron). Crossroads are another symbol in this play. In literature, a crossroad usually symbolizes a choice the character must make, but when we find out that Oedipus has killed his father at a place where three roads meet, we see this is not symbolic for the choice that Oedipus had, but the fact of his fate. At the crossroads where Daulia, Delphi, and Thebes meet, Oedipus kills, in self-defense, a man who he later learns was his father. The converging of the roads echoes the intertwining threads of Oedipus’s fate. This was a decision that would affect the rest of Oedipus’ life, even though he did not know the consequences of his actions at the time. The last symbol that the reader might find in the writing was Oedipus’ swollen feet. When Oedipus was born, his parents abandoned him so he could try to run from his fate. Oedipus was rescued by a messenger and taken to the next town where he would become the King. He was left with scars on his feet from the ropes.

The scars represent that Oedipus could run away for a small-time, but ultimately, he could not escape his fate. In reality, he was the son of Laius and Jocasta, as a baby left outside to die but found by shepherds and taken to be raised by Corinth’s king and queen (Nardo). The author, Sophocles, also incorporates different types of irony into the writing of this Greek tragedy. Oedipus makes it very clear that he would do whatever it took to avenge the murder of King Laius. The first example of dramatic irony we see is when Oedipus states, ”Whoe’er he be, I order, that all men from their houses banish him; since it is he contaminates us all (Sophocles). This is ironic because as the reader we know that Oedipus is guilty, but he himself is the one that should be banished but he is clueless along with everyone else in the town, although the reader does know this. This can also be known as verbal irony.

As Oedipus continues to threaten Laius’ killer, he does not realize he will be punishing himself. We see this irony clearly in an exchange between Creon and Oedipus. Kreon: ‘Avenge the murder of Laius. Whoever they are Oedipus: ‘But where are his murderers? The crime is old. How will we find their tracks? The killers could be anywhere (Sophocles). The tragic irony is also present in the play. Oedipus is taken away from his home so his fate will not be accomplished, but when he grows older and receives a prophecy of his own, he runs from what he was pushed towards to protect him. Oedipus fulfills his fate by killing his father and having four children with his mother. Incest is one of the worst crimes to commit during this time and this was what brought the plague onto the city. ‘The contrasting word Xenos (alien) is first used by Oedipus with unconscious irony when, in explaining why he did not know the details of King Laius’ murder he says, ‘I am just an alien here.’ The irony is a double one: he is not an alien in the way he thinks since he is actually the son of the Theban royal house; but he is presently to be an alien in a more terrible sense, namely an exile. As Sophocles uses these different elements to portray a bigger picture than just a plagued town with an accused king, we see the underlying literary devices used to make this work more than what meets the eye. Sophocles uses symbolism to portray the tragedy within the city.

The idea of hubris is monumental in a plethora of Greek mythological works. In many ways the excessive pride of certain characters fuels their own destruction. This is certainly true with respect to the characters of Pentheus, Antigone, and Oedipus. All three of these characters demonstrate, through their actions, various degrees of arrogance that seem to undercut the traditional role of the Gods, and thus largely contribute to their downfall. However, it should be noted that while each of these characters demonstrate hubris, they way in which their arrogance manifests itself is unique to each character.

Pentheus, the authoritarian newly appointed king of Thebes is immediately troubled with the rising influence and odd rituals that surround Dionysus. He seeks to prove his authority and influence over the kingdom, and crush the leader of these ecstatic rituals, which he perceives as a direct threat to his rule. Early on in the play Pentheus is warned by Tiresias, the old seer of the kingdom not to over stretch his bounds and to respect Dionysus as he would the other gods. “No we don¹t play at theologians with the gods. We stay close to the hallowed tenets of our fathers, old as time. Nothing can undo them ever. I don¹t care how brilliant or abstruse the reasons are”. This passage is significant because it provides Pentheus with a direct warning not let his own pompous notions of earthly and temporal power go against the divine will of the gods. Pentheus disregards the warning and goes ahead in a direct act of sacrilege by destroying the sylvan alter and detains Dionysus. As Pentheus interrogates Dionysus he again is issued a direct warning not to go against the will of the gods by persecuting one whom the gods favor. As Dionysus calmly states, “Very well, I¹ll go along with this wrongful undestined destiny, but remember this: Dionysus, who you say does not exist, will wreak revenge on you for this”. The story culminates in Dionysus playing on Pentheus¹ curiosity and voyeurism regarding the intoxicated hordes of Thebian women, by tricking him to go out to see them in action. Pentheus is brutally ripped apart by the possessed women, yet in effect it was his own actions that caused his destruction. As Dionysus directly addresses the hubris of Pentheus, “The sins of jealousy and anger made this Pentheus deal unjustly with one bringing blessings, whom he disgracefully imprisoned and insulted; and so he met his end at the hands of his own kin an unnatural end and yet a just one”.

Antigone also over steps her bounds, yet in a drastically different way. Rather than embracing the authoritarian ideals and decrees of Creon, the Stalinist new leader of Thebes, Antigone¹s dual sense of pride and stubbornness fuels her personal reactions. Her belief that her brother deserves a proper burial seems to transcend logic and directly counter both temporal and divine authority. Antigone herself, by burying her brother, has taken on the role of the gods. Thus, she contributes to her own downfall. While Antigone believes that her actions are defending a moral good, it is the way in which she goes about her actions that propel her own hubris. She makes the burial rights a public question, rather than using tact and diplomacy to approach Creon as Haemon demonstrates. Both Antigone and Creon are wrapped up in a personal struggle that is quite stubborn. Her actions, like that of Creon¹s, are acts of hubris. The fact that Creon is wrong doesn¹t justify the actions of Antigone. In this respect both characters are quite similar despite their protagonist nature. As the chorus states, “Surpassing belief, the device and cunning that man has attained, and it bringeth him now to evil, now to good”.

Oedipus perhaps demonstrates the most direct and painfully obvious acts of hubris of the three characters. His temper plays a crucial role throughout the play, along with his arrogance. He possesses a precipitous rage in his blind quest to uncover his past. Again, his grandiose sense of pride and impulse ignites his destined downfall. From the onset, the vanity of Oedipus is latent when he travels, against warnings, to the oracle of Delphi. His inflated notions of his stature as ruler directly question the authority of the gods, and lead to his eventual decay. Oedipus represents common notions inherent in tragedies of the precarious sense of human prosperity. Oedipus, in an extremely short time, has extreme highs and lows, which demonstrate the classic patterns of the god¹s rough justice. This sudden and constantly altering nature of fate leads Oedipus to glory, yet his stubborn and arrogant quest to see¹ ultimately blinds him, as he is reduced to nothing in an instant. Oedipus¹ story exemplifies how destiny is inescapable. His quest to outwit fate, in effect, perpetuates his own destruction. This notion of tragic irony trying to run away from destiny yet perpetuating it instead, illustrates the hubris of Oedipus. By disregarding the knowledge and warnings of Teiresias, and thus the gods, Oedipus¹s stubborn sense of pride goes directly against the will of the gods. Ironically it is Oedipus who states, “True; but to force the gods against their will that is a thing beyond all power”. Simply put, Oedipus can not see that his actions are doing just that, and only when his hubris is punished and he losses his literal eyesight, can he finally see the truth.