Oedipus the King 6

       In the reading from today's class, Oedipus finally realizes that his prophecy came true and that he did end up killing his father and marrying his mother. It took Oedipus a long time to come to this realization but after calling in the old shepherd who was said to remember Lauis' death, Oedipus found out that Jocasta and Lauis gave up their baby boy once Tiersias told them that their prophecy was that their son would grow up to murder Lauis and marry Jocasta. Oedipus' parents gave him to the messenger to leave to die but he didn't have the heart to do it. Instead, he gave Oedipus to another shepherd to kill but he couldn't do it either. Instead, Oedipus was adopted and as fate took its place, he ended up fulfilling his prophecy in the end.

       Now, Oedipus' only option is to leave Thebes and never speak to anyone again. He cursed himself and cannot commit suicide because he is a Greek hero, after all. On line 1306, Oedipus says, "O god- all come true, all burst to light! O light- now let me look my last on you! I stand revealed at last- cursed in my birth, cursed in my marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands!" Oedipus knows what lies ahead of him. He knows that he will become a blind beggar and now he has to accept his own fate.

Oedipus the King 5

Today's

Oedipus the King 4

          From lines 950 to 1145, there were some very key, important points regarding dramatic irony and Oedipus' fate and identity. On line 1036, Jocasta says, "Your prophecies of the gods, where are you now? This it the man that Oedipus feared for years, he fled him, not to kill him- and now he's dead, quite by chance, a normal, natural death, not murdered by his son." This is a great example of dramatic irony, because Polybus', Oedipus' adopted father's, death has nothing to do with the prophecy. Oedipus' prophecy was that he would kill his birth father, Lauis, which he did, but has not yet realized that he killed his own father. Jocasta and Oedipus have not pieced it together that they both were given the same prophecy when Oedipus was born because they are related (mother/son). Because they have not yet realized this, Jocasta basically thinks she is proving Tiresias and the gods wrong, and that their prophecy didn't come true. Little does she know, they actually were correct.
         Also, Oedipus' identity is brought up once again on line 1002. "Oedipus is beside himself. Racked with anguish, no longer a man of sense," (Jocasta) Oedipus' Greek hero side takes over when it comes to discussing his prophecy and his murder of Lauis. His arrogance clearly overpowers his mortality when he has to deal with difficult situations. Because of this, his fate does not look very pretty. On line 971, the chorus says, "but if any man comes striding, high and mighty in all he says and does, no fear of justice, no reverence for the temples of the gods- let a rough doom tear him down, repay his pride, breakneck, ruinous pride!" The chorus is talking about what should happen to Lauis' murderer, or evidently, what will happen to Oedipus in the not-so-distant future.

Oedipus The King 3

            The section we read today in class mainly focused on Oedipus' identity. We learn more about Oedipus' tragic flaw and how he is arrogant, ignorant and very stubborn. He refuses to believe Tiresias' and Creon's argument that Oedipus killed Lauis, who happened to be his own father, and married his own mother. He isn't patient enough to really evaluate the situation and think about the possibilities. Instead, he continues to be arrogant and attacks Creon and Tiresias' claims against him. Additionally, we learn that Oedipus was adopted. On line 496, Tiresias says, "Absurd, am I! To you, not to your parents: the ones who bore you found me sane enough." To which Oedipus replies, "Parents-who? Wait... who is my father?" This hints at the fact that Oedipus was not only adopted, but he was unaware that he has two sets of parents. He remains oblivious to the fact that perhaps his birth parents don't recognize him (or, how he ended up marrying his mother.) I predict that Tiresias gave Oedipus' parents a prophecy telling them what would happen to the future, or their son marrying his mother and killing his father, making Oedipus' birth parents give him up for adoption.
          Also, at the end of today's reading, Creon, Oedipus' uncle/brother-in-law, turns out to be a foil for Oedipus. Both Creon and Oedipus have royal duties to fulfill. However, they handle their jobs very differently. Oedipus is extremely irrational, while Creon is more understanding and reasonable. The two of these characters have similar background, with very different outcomes.

Oedipus The King 2

                    Based upon what my group mates and I discussed in class today, I have found the following examples of dramatic irony, fate and identity in the story of Oedipus. The first example, line 469, was when Tiresias says to Oedipus, "So, you mock my blindness? Let me tell you this. You with your precious eyes, you're blind to the corruption of your life." This quote is dramatically ironic because in the end of the story, Oedipus physically becomes blind, as he is getting scolded for being figuratively blind to the truth now by Tiresias. Following this line, Tiresias also says, "...darkness shrouding your eyes that now can see the light." With the same analyzation, we know that Oedipus is going to end up blind, even though he can see now because he is still blind to the truth. On line 451, Oedipus says one simple line that is very significant to both his identity and is another example dramatic irony. He gives himself the title, "Oedipus the ignorant," and although he uses it in a way of mocking Tiresias' claims against him, Oedipus' tragic flaw is his arrogance and his ignorance. He doesn't understand a lot of what has happened to him, and rightfully so for he does not know that he is the one who killed Lauis, his father, and married his own mother.
                    Additionally, Oedipus' fate is discussed once again on line 482, when Tiresias continues to retorts Oedipus' argument. He says, "That day you learn the truth about your marriage... and a load of other horrors you'd never dream will level you with yourself and all your children." This quote talks about what will happen to Oedipus in the future, therefore determining his fate. To add to this, on line 488, Tiresias says to Oedipus, "No amn will ever be rooted from the earth as brutally as you." This is yet another example of Oedipus' fate, which at this point can definitely be determined that it will NOT be pleasant.
                   

Oedipus The King

              Beginning with line 295 of Oedipus The King, I found many examples of dramatic irony, identity and fate. The first example, from line 295, is, "Why, our seed might be the same." This quote, said by Oedipus, is an example of dramatic irony because Oedipus really IS related to Lauis. Oedipus is the Lauis' son. Additionally, on line 300, Oedipus says, "So I will fight for him as if he were my father." This is another example of dramatic irony because, once again, Lauis truly is Oedipus' father, even though Oedipus doesn't know that. However, on line 401, Tiresias reveals to Oedipus that he is the one who murdered Lauis after all. "You are the curse, the corruption of the land!" Tiresias tells Oedipus. This is an example of identity because it shapes who Oedipus is as a Greek hero.
             There are also many examples of fate in the text. On line 270, Oedipus says, Banish this man -whoever he may be- never shelter him, never speak a word to hi, never make him partner to your prayers, your victims burned to the gods. Never let the holy water touch his hands. Drive him out, each of you, from every home."This is an example of fate because Oedipus is talking about what should happen to the man who is responsible for Lauis' death. At this time, Oedipus doesn't know that he is really talking about what should happen to himself, as he gives instructions to the Leader about what to do to the killer. On line 283, Oedipus says, "Let that man drag out his life in agony, step by painful step," and on line 350, he says, "Uncover the murderers of Lauis, put them to death or drive them into exile." Both of these quotes also talk about what Oedipus thinks fate should hold for Lauis' killer, without knowing that it is in fact, Oedipus' own fate that he is discussing. (Making it an example of dramatic irony as well.) And finally, on line 388, Tiresias says, "What will come, will come." The old man tells this to Oedipus who demands to know who the murder of Lauis is. This quote hints at what Oedipus' fate will be in the end.

Greek Heroes

Homer's Opinion on Greek Heroes:

          Homer believes that Greek heroes are essentially not good and it is not good to BE a Greek hero. Some of the points that Homer makes involve Greek heroes always wanting to enhance their reputations by making bad decisions and doing unjust things. For example, when Odysseus goes into the cyclops' cave with his crew members and, despite the fact that the cave opening was completely accessible, waited until the cyclops was awake before he and his crew members tried to escape. However, by doing so, the cyclops ended up eating two of the crew members, which would not have happened if Odysseus had made the smart choice to leave while they had the opportunity, rather than to wait until the cyclops woke up. Odysseus decided to wait because he wanted the death of the cyclops to seem gruesome and intense rather than to kill him in his sleep, the price one pays as a Greek hero. Additionally, Greek heroes are very arrogant, especially Odysseus (this is his tragic flaw.) Whenever Odysseus presents himself in a room, he gives himself the introduction of not just his name, but his background information as well. When Odysseus kills the cyclops he announces his name for all to be heard, which only ends up allowing everyone to know who he is and make Poseidon hate him even more.

         Odysseus is at a constant battle with himself between his mortal side and his Greek hero side. He debates whether he should kill all the suitors in his kingdom that want to marry Penelope, or if he should listen to his mortal side and spare their lives. When Tiresias tells Odysseus his prophecy regarding Odysseus' wish to die peacefully, Tiresias tells Odysseus he must bury an oar inland somewhere where no one has ever seen an oar before. This, however, is not very "Greek-hero-like" because Greek heroes are supposed to want to die a very dramatic death that people will sing about and know about for years to come, while Odysseus just wants to die in his sleep. This is just another example Homer uses to show that it is not good to be a Greek hero.