Arrogance In Oedipus The King

In Sophocles’ Greek play Oedipus Rex, the King of Thebes and the protagonist of the play, Oedipus, suffers from arrogance, stubbornness as well as capriciousness and his yearning for power leads to his exile as well as his downfall as king; he encounters a mystery in regards to his plagued kingdom and its danger of extinction which leads to the investigation for the man responsible for the annihilation of the land. During the investigation, Oedipus is confronted with the mystery behind his past and who his true parents are. Throughout the play, Oedipus experiences the unsightly truth of destiny and the inevitability of one’s faith. Enlightenment is not achievable for the static and impulsive character Oedipus; however, Sophocles’ play offers …show more content…
After Oedipus sends Kreon to the Oracle of Delphi to question Apollo of his intentions of this extermination, Kreon explains the plague will be lifted upon the finding of the murderer of the former king of Thebes, Laios. Ironically, Oedipus declares he will find the vermin responsible for the decline in his kingdom’s population. Oedipus begins the investigation by summoning the blind prophet Teiresias who serves Apollo; he begs for information from the blind man who partially reveals his dreadful destiny and past as well as his ignorance of who his true parents are. In result of his denial of Teiresias statement of him polluting the land, he accuses Teiresias of treason against Thebes in addition to his desire for Oedipus’s destruction for refusing to tell him who Laius’s murderer is. The investigation takes a turn towards the mystery behind Oedipus’s past as well as his fate. Oedipus realizes Apollo’s prophecy was true and he murdered his father, Laius followed by matrimony to his mother. Oedipus experiences the inevitability of destiny which illuminates the meaning of Sohpocles’s play; his cruel character exemplifies the undesirable consequences arrogant and relentless people