Oedipus the King Does Each

Oedipus the King

Does each person have free will, or are we determined by fate to meet certain ends before we were even born? Why do bad things happen to good people? Can we do anything to alter the future? These are just some of the questions that Sophocles brings up in his classic play, Oedipus the King. In fact, studying Oedipus's character allows readers to have an in-depth understanding of these issues. By tracing Oedipus's character through its various challenges from his days as king of Thebes to his death at Colonus, one can explore the issues of fate and self-determination in Sophocles's works.

The beginning of Oedipus the King opens with an image of Oedipus catering to a group of priests and commoner's Oedipus calls "my children" (1). The climate is tight with tension over a curse that has descended on Thebes, and Oedipus is portrayed as a kingly father figure. At the beginning of the Oedipus chronicles, the king is likeable at least. He is a proud king, vowing to protect his kingdom for the curse. Confident and strong, he leads with an iron fist and a soft heart. His concern for his subjects suggests that he is a people's king, wanting to do good, while his insistence that he will take care of the problems wrecking Thebes is symbolic of his sense of responsibility as a king. Furthermore, his deference to the oracle's command suggests that he has reverence, not only for his people, but also for the gods. In addition, his relationship with Jocasta, suggests that he is a family man with a loving, happy marriage.

As Oedipus's life begins to unravel, however, his character begins to change. At Tiresias's first suggestion that Oedipus is Laius's murderer, the king's irrational side begins to emerge. First, he accuses Tiresias of false prophecy, and the he accuses Creon of attempting to take over the crown. As Tiresias and Creon are both men whom Oedipus had greatly trusted before the advent of the prophecy, his reaction to them after their revelation is irrational. In fact, Oedipus even threatens to have Creon banished or executed. From this moment on, Oedipus's character only becomes stranger. His state of denials is something akin to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As he learns the truth about his family, that Jocasta is his wife and mother, he becomes abusive toward himself, raking out her eyes after she commits suicide. At this point, no room is left for Oedipus's self-defense. He has dissolved from proud, father-like king to delusional denying maniac to an irrational, sorrowful self-abuser. At Colonus, the reader is given another glimpse into Oedipus's evolving character. Now, he is resigned to his fate, hating the fact that he must often retell his story. Still, he regains some of his pride, insisting his mistakes were not his fault. In addition, Oedipus at Colonus has undertaken almost solely his role as a family man. Here, he is aided by his two daughters, whom he loves, and refuses to take part in the battle between his sons. Knowing that the place of his death will be blessed, Oedipus rationally and calmly chooses to die in the land of his friend Theseus.