Evident Irreverence for the Gods in Oedipus Rex The definition of irreverence, identified by the Merriam Webster dictionary, is a lack of reverence, or respect. Oedipus Rex, a complex tragedy written by Sophocles around 430 B.C., demonstrates consistent examples of irreverence toward the usually glorified gods of Greece. A few of these cases include the arrogant behavior displayed by Oedipus in the early scenes, strong accusations and doubt towards Tiresias, the blind oracle of Apollo, and Jocasta and Laius’s belief of avoidance in regards to a prophecy predicted at King Oedipus’s birth. The opening scene of Oedipus Rex is teeming with pleas from the people of Thebes. They kneel in prayer, wearing wreaths and yielding branches, begging
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Tiresias knows the truth, and proclaims that detail, but avoids sharing the reality with Oedipus. Angered, the king continues to question the prophet. “You do your motherland/No kindness by withholding information” (312-313) Oedipus explains falsely, for if the comment had not been said, for lack of better words, the deadly can of worms symbolizing Oedipus’s hamartia would never have been opened. “This is what I think;/ You helped contrive the plot – no, did it all/ Except the actual killing. If you had/ Your eyesight I should say you did that too” (136-139) accuses Oedipus, causing Tiresias to more or less give in and share the unfathomable truth. Despite hearing the actuality, that Oedipus indeed is his own outlaw, his threats do not cease. He bans Tiresias from his home and refuses to believe that he does not know his true self. By testing and not believing the word of Tiresias, the gods and what they have passed on through the blind prophet have been highly disrespected. The previously identified accusation seals this statement, for by incriminating Tiresias, whom Apollo works through, he is putting heavy blame on the gods for the murder of …show more content…
She sees Oedipus accusing Creon for the same crime he just minutes before accused Tiresias of. She quiets the turmoil and sends her brother home. While questioning Oedipus about his anger, he shares the ugly truth he’d received from the “mischief-making” prophet of Apollo; that he is the murderer of Laius. Jocasta declares the fact false, because she does not believe in the power of prophecies. “Once an oracle came to Laius – I will not say/ From Apollo himself, but from his ministers -/ To say a child would be born to him and me/ By whose hand it was fated he should die” (683-686) Jocasta explains, saying after that the son was pinned by the feet and put on an unpopulated mountain to pass. Jocasta and Laius believed that by condemning the son prophesized to be a murderer, they would outwit the gods. This plan was foiled unintentionally, however, for Oedipus, also known as “Swollen Foot”, would be rescued and adopted by the King and Queen of Corinth. The story unfolds before Jocasta and Oedipus, and it is made true that what Jocasta and Laius tried to achieve was unachievable. They did not triumph over the prophecy or the higher forces, but disrespected them
Tiresias knows the truth, and proclaims that detail, but avoids sharing the reality with Oedipus. Angered, the king continues to question the prophet. “You do your motherland/No kindness by withholding information” (312-313) Oedipus explains falsely, for if the comment had not been said, for lack of better words, the deadly can of worms symbolizing Oedipus’s hamartia would never have been opened. “This is what I think;/ You helped contrive the plot – no, did it all/ Except the actual killing. If you had/ Your eyesight I should say you did that too” (136-139) accuses Oedipus, causing Tiresias to more or less give in and share the unfathomable truth. Despite hearing the actuality, that Oedipus indeed is his own outlaw, his threats do not cease. He bans Tiresias from his home and refuses to believe that he does not know his true self. By testing and not believing the word of Tiresias, the gods and what they have passed on through the blind prophet have been highly disrespected. The previously identified accusation seals this statement, for by incriminating Tiresias, whom Apollo works through, he is putting heavy blame on the gods for the murder of …show more content…
She sees Oedipus accusing Creon for the same crime he just minutes before accused Tiresias of. She quiets the turmoil and sends her brother home. While questioning Oedipus about his anger, he shares the ugly truth he’d received from the “mischief-making” prophet of Apollo; that he is the murderer of Laius. Jocasta declares the fact false, because she does not believe in the power of prophecies. “Once an oracle came to Laius – I will not say/ From Apollo himself, but from his ministers -/ To say a child would be born to him and me/ By whose hand it was fated he should die” (683-686) Jocasta explains, saying after that the son was pinned by the feet and put on an unpopulated mountain to pass. Jocasta and Laius believed that by condemning the son prophesized to be a murderer, they would outwit the gods. This plan was foiled unintentionally, however, for Oedipus, also known as “Swollen Foot”, would be rescued and adopted by the King and Queen of Corinth. The story unfolds before Jocasta and Oedipus, and it is made true that what Jocasta and Laius tried to achieve was unachievable. They did not triumph over the prophecy or the higher forces, but disrespected them