Have you ever been in a situation when you found something out about yourself that made you feel like you weren’t even yourself anymore? This was something Oedipus faced multiple times in the play Oedipus the King written by Sophocles. Oedipus was the king of a town called Thebes, which had a curse because the king before Oedipus, whose name was Laius, was killed. He had a task of finding whoever killed Laius before he got killed too. Along his journey of doing so, he finds out many things about himself that he never knew. Many of them were shocking, and some of them drove him over the edge. I think that is Oedipus’ central problem in the play; he doesn’t know himself. He finds out that he is the one who killed Laius, the people who raised
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This is yet another thing that Teiresias, the blind prophet, told Oedipus. Oedipus grew up with two people by the names of Merope and Polybus, who he believed were his parents. He had no reason to think otherwise. They raised him his whole life, why would they never speak of him being adopted? While Teiresias was telling Oedipus that he was the one who killed Laius, he also told him that Laius was his father. Oedipus said in amazement, “What parents? Stop! Who are they of all the world?” (p7). He couldn’t believe what Teiresias was telling him. He thought for a second that he was just telling him lies in anger, but he wasn’t. Oedipus later finds out that he was hung by his ankles and left to die when a Shepherd found him and a messenger took him to his new parents, who were Merope and Polybus. Teiresias was in enraged in the heated argument between him and Oedipus. He said, “This day will show your birth and will destroy you” (p 7). He knew this was something that would really upset Oedipus. Who wouldn’t be upset after finding out the people who raised you your whole life aren’t your real parents? This is just another thing that Oedipus was eager to find out. He wanted to know why he was hung by his ankles and left for …show more content…
This is yet another thing that took Oedipus by surprise. He knew Teiresias could probably come in hand to tell him the truth on this as well, so that’s where he went. The blind prophet again, reluctantly told what he knew. He said, “He shall be proved father and brother both to his own children and his own house; to her that gave him birth, a son and a husband both” (p 7). This told Oedipus that he is a father and also a brother to his own children, so that could only mean one thing...He is married to his mother. Not only is he married to her, but he also has children with her. Oedipus delivered the message back to Jocasta, his mother and also his wife, and it was too much for her to take. She was determined it wasn’t true, but it was. Oedipus and Jocasta were both embarrassed and weren’t sure what to do. Most importantly, they didn’t know how they were going to tell their kids. It wasn’t long after they received the bad news that a messenger delivered even worse news. “Shortest to hear and tell- our gorgeous queen Jocasta’s dead” (p 19). She hung herself to take away from dealing with the pain and judgement. Oedipus definitely did not take this news lightly. He stabbed himself in the eyes until he no longer had any sight. He didn’t want to see his children dealing with all the pain he believed he had
This is yet another thing that Teiresias, the blind prophet, told Oedipus. Oedipus grew up with two people by the names of Merope and Polybus, who he believed were his parents. He had no reason to think otherwise. They raised him his whole life, why would they never speak of him being adopted? While Teiresias was telling Oedipus that he was the one who killed Laius, he also told him that Laius was his father. Oedipus said in amazement, “What parents? Stop! Who are they of all the world?” (p7). He couldn’t believe what Teiresias was telling him. He thought for a second that he was just telling him lies in anger, but he wasn’t. Oedipus later finds out that he was hung by his ankles and left to die when a Shepherd found him and a messenger took him to his new parents, who were Merope and Polybus. Teiresias was in enraged in the heated argument between him and Oedipus. He said, “This day will show your birth and will destroy you” (p 7). He knew this was something that would really upset Oedipus. Who wouldn’t be upset after finding out the people who raised you your whole life aren’t your real parents? This is just another thing that Oedipus was eager to find out. He wanted to know why he was hung by his ankles and left for …show more content…
This is yet another thing that took Oedipus by surprise. He knew Teiresias could probably come in hand to tell him the truth on this as well, so that’s where he went. The blind prophet again, reluctantly told what he knew. He said, “He shall be proved father and brother both to his own children and his own house; to her that gave him birth, a son and a husband both” (p 7). This told Oedipus that he is a father and also a brother to his own children, so that could only mean one thing...He is married to his mother. Not only is he married to her, but he also has children with her. Oedipus delivered the message back to Jocasta, his mother and also his wife, and it was too much for her to take. She was determined it wasn’t true, but it was. Oedipus and Jocasta were both embarrassed and weren’t sure what to do. Most importantly, they didn’t know how they were going to tell their kids. It wasn’t long after they received the bad news that a messenger delivered even worse news. “Shortest to hear and tell- our gorgeous queen Jocasta’s dead” (p 19). She hung herself to take away from dealing with the pain and judgement. Oedipus definitely did not take this news lightly. He stabbed himself in the eyes until he no longer had any sight. He didn’t want to see his children dealing with all the pain he believed he had