The Character Change Of Oedipus Essay Research

The Character Change Of Oedipus Essay, Research Paper

The Character Change of Oedipus

The character Oedipus in Sophocles. drama Oedipus the King goes through an unfortunate but necessary character change. From a prideful, heroic king at the beginning of the play, to a tyrant in denial towards the middle, and finally to a fearful, condemned man, humbled by his tragic fate, Oedipus. change personifies that which makes an unforgettable drama.

When Oedipus is first introduced, he appears to be a confident, valiant hero and reasonably so. Taking into mind the background of the drama, we learn that this foreigner to Thebes arrives at the city limits, braves death, solves the Sphinx.s riddle and releases the city from the horrible terror. Only a man like Oedipus, a man possessing tremendous intelligence and self-confidence could have such courage. Although at times Oedipus questions the gods. accuracy and authority, the people don.t mind because of the great deed he had done.

When Oedipus succeeds, he becomes instantly famous and loved by all because of his courage and intelligence. The citizens of Thebes consider Oedipus. actions are special gifts from the gods used to benefit the city as a whole.

Because the former king of Thebes had perished, Oedipus married the queen, Jocasta and resecured the throne for his people. Doing this shows not only his love for the queen, but also his willingness to accept a position of prominence and leadership among his beloved people, which is a very noble act.

When the dialogue of the drama begins, a very concerned Oedipus questions a priest why the citizens are lamenting and praying. I find it incredible that Oedipus never distanced himself from his people. Often when someone becomes famous, they tend to forget their roots and assume a status higher than everyone else. He shows that his character is highly estimable and that he realizes all that he has is due to the support of his people.

Oedipus shows genuine concern for his people when he is told that the populace is praying to the gods to release the terrible plague that wasted the city’s crops and pastures and rendered all Theban women sterile. Oedipus. response of feeling the city.s pain is not just a statement, but an action also. Amazingly, Oedipus seems to assume the role of the gods with his response, .You pray to the gods. Let me grant your prayers.. I think it is noteworthy how Oedipus did not just rely on the possibility that the gods would stop the plague, but took a very active role.

Oedipus. announcement that he had sent his brother-in-law Creon to the Pythian Oracle of Apollo shows that he is not only a man of his word, but also a man of action. Comparing this to the elections that are coming in a short month and a half, I find Oedipus a great contrast to the presidential hopefuls. Modern politicians make promises to keep the public content and gain support only for the purpose of being elected; Oedipus only speaks truth and keeps to his word.

Upon Creon.s arrival, Oedipus learns of the good news that to lift the plague, the murder of the previous king, Laius, must be found. Hearing that there was only one witness to the murder and that the murderer currently resided in his city, Oedipus becomes upset that the matter was never fully investigated. In another variation of his character, Oedipus assumes the role of an investigator.

However, I find that at this point, Oedipus. character begins to change. He swears to solve this mystery, not merely for Laius’s sake, but for his own since Laius’s killer might attack him next. It seems that the king who cared so dearly for his people becomes a little selfish and thinks of himself. Although not written in the drama, it is my opinion that from here on Oedipus is only concerned with preventing his possible demise at the hands of Laius. murderer and that his concern for his citizens is merely a guise.

Oedipus calls the people together to inquire if anyone has information that would be beneficial. Ignoring the fact that he is warned that what he may discover could harm him, he presses forward, asking if the killer is among the populace present. Finally, he seems to become angered with the negative response he received and threatens banishment to anyone who withholds the truth. However, more importantly, Oedipus announces that he himself is not exempt from the punishment he had just declared. With this scene, Oedipus seems to take the role of an overbearing ruler overly concerned with the past, not focusing on the task at hand of finding the murderer.

Taking the advice of the Creon, Oedipus summons the man closest to Apollo: Teiresias the blind prophet. Oedipus begs for assistance in finding the murderer, only to have Tieresias announce that he should have never come and wishes to depart. Oedipus seems to become somewhat oppressive when he accuses Tieresias of being an enemy for not responding. After one more plea for a response, Oedipus becomes distraught and angrily claims that Tieresias. silence is evidence that he is the murderer.

It is my opinion that at this point, Oedipus is at the point of no return. In a society dominated by the gods, the mere thought of treating a messenger with such disrespect and intolerance is appalling. I think Tieresias gave Oedipus more than enough chances to explore other possibilities in searching for