7/31/2019 The Decline of Oedipus in Oedipus Rex
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The Decline of Oedipus in Oedipus Rex
Oedipus began Oedipus Rex as a king, only to end the tale as a
blinded beggar. Oedipus' fall
from his kingly status was not by accident or because of some
other person. Oedipus is the only
one that can be blamed for his misfortune. Oedipus' character
traits are shown most clearlyduring his spiraling downfall,
thinking he is "a simple man, who knows nothing", yet knowing
more than he realizes by the end of the story.
Throughout the story, Oedipus' haste or lack ofpatienceis most
evident. Wishing to end
this mystery of the death of Laios as quickly as possible,
Oedipus passes an edict to kill or exile
anyone who withholds information. Teiresias tested Oedipus'
patience in the beginning of thestory with the information he was
holding; "You'd try a stone's patience!
Out with it". This impatient accusing of Teiresias proved to be
bad, especially since Teiresias
foretold theendingof the story. If Oedipus had been more patient
and waited, he might have not
been quite so upset about the future, nor shaken up about what
was to happen.
However, that one trait did not alone take away his position of
high authority. Oedipusdisplayed anger throughout the whole story,
which did not help him at all. During the story, we
learn of Oedipus' anger as he knocked a passerby at the meeting
of the three highways; "I struck
him in my rage". Later, this passerby whom he angrily and
quickly killed, was revealed to beLaios, Oedipus' father. Oedipus'
anger also quickly shifted his judgment of Teiresias. "We are
in your [Teiresias] hands. There is no fairer duty", Oedipus'
respect for Teiresias quickly
changed as Teiresias refused to tell of what was the trouble's
cause. Oedipus began claiming that
"Creon has brought this decrepit fortune teller" to mean that
Teiresias was thought of as a traitorin Oedipus' thinking. Oedipus'
anger is also shown as he begins to insult Teiresias by calling
him a "wicked old man". Oedipus' anger throughout the beginning
of the play hindered himself.
The final trait that was Oedipus' greatest enemy throughout the
entirety of the play washis own truthfulness. Whenever new facts
presented themselves, Oedipus gave them an honest
look. As soon as it was suspect that Oedipus was involved, he
acknowledged it; "I think that I
myself may be accurst by my own ignorant edict". Oedipus never
held back any evidencepointing to his possible future eviction and
loss of his kingly status. As the plot grew to the
uppermost point, Oedipus persisted testimony of the shepherd as
he was "of dreadful hearing, yet
he must hear" more. This trait was the binding trait that
brought Oedipus' downfall. If Oedipushid all the facts concerning
himself, he could have easily buried this as nobody would know
that
he killed his father nor slept with his mother.
Thedeclineof Oedipus' power was initiated by his traits of
anger, haste, and truthfulness.Inevitably, the decline of power led
to the plucking of his own eyes as fortold by Teiriseas
A blind man, who has his eyes nowBrother and father--the very
same; to her who bore him,son and husbandthe very same who came to
his fathers bed, wet with his fathers blood.(Sophocles,
442-448)
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