Oedipus the King 7

         In today's class we read the final section of Oedipus The King. This part of the story is the resolution the climax, or when Oedipus realizes that he fulfilled his prophecy by murdering King Lauis and by marrying Jocasta, his mother. Before he knew that HE was the one who killed his father, he cursed the man who had committed the murder. In doing so, he cursed himself. Thus, as he learns the truth behind everything, he must welcome his new fate and become a blind beggar for the rest of his life. The most shocking part of the ending was when Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus gorges out his eyes because of this. He never wants to look his family members in the eye again because of the shame he feels, or so he says on line 1500. "I, with my eyes, how could I look my father in the eyes when I go down to death? Or mother, so abused... I have done such things to the two of them, crimes too huge for hanging. Worse yet, the sight of my children, born as they were, how could I long to look into their eyes? Not with these eyes of mine, never." Oedipus is so hurt by everything that has happened and now he must live a life of pain and suffering as he leaves Thebes and never talks to anyone again. He cannot kill himself as well because his job as a Greek hero is to prove to all that the Greek will survive and prosper through their most tragic times.

       Although Oedipus did commit some horrible crimes, I cannot help but feel truly sorry for him. He wishes that the man who spared his life instead of killing him as a baby, would have left him to die. "Die, die- whoever he was that day in the wilds who cut my ankles free of ruthless pins, he pulled me clear of death, he saved my life for this, this kindness- Curse him, kill him! If I'd died then, I'd never have dragged myself, my loved ones through such hell." He wishes that he had died when Jocasta and Lauis gave him up the first time, years ago, so that he could have avoided his fate that he is coming to now. Poor Oedipus had no idea that he had, in fact, killed his father. He did not know that the man he murdered, was King Lauis, or was his very own dad. And with this, how could Oedipus have known that he had ended up marrying his mother and having children with her? There was no way for him to have known that! But as fate should have it, he ended up fulfilling his prophecy and now must continue to live his life in pain.