Oedipus Rex: Downfall of a King For Greek tragedies, a hero experiences his or her downfall due to a strong characteristic they have; these characteristics vary, with some heroes plagued by an undeterred determination while others ignore opposing ideals in an attempt to remain powerful. In the end however, all Greek tragic heroes suffer a punishment and a peripeteia for their tragic flaw. Oedipus, from the tragic Greek play by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, suffers his own peripeteia and downfall due to his excessive pride; because of his hubris, Oedipus fulfills the forsaken prophesy that Apollo foretold, refuses to acknowledge the truth until the evidence was overwhelming, and mocks the Greek Gods, thus leading to his punishment (the suicide of
…show more content…
Oedipus proves this when out of his rage and wounded pride, he, “killed him…killed them all.” (Lines 288-289) after Laios ordered Oedipus to move aside for his carriage. Instead of using reason and logic to make a decision, Oedipus gives into his wounded pride and strikes the entire envoy down out of anger. Had Oedipus thought about the situation as a whole or not give into his pride, he could have completely avoided the prophesy and his upcoming punishment. From his own prideful act, Oedipus fulfilled the first half of the prophesy which dooms him to commit the second half. Oedipus completes the prophesy after he marries his mother and consummates the marriage. Since he became the king of Thebes and married his mother, Oedipus’s hubris grew over time, due to his rising arrogance and excessive tone of superiority towards his people; his arrogance and superiority complex would only boost his hubris and give it a stronger influence over him. Oedipus would say things such as, “Children, I would not have you speak through messengers, and therefore I have come myself to hear you --- I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name.” (Lines 7-9). By allowing his hubris to build, Oedipus gives his hubris more influence over his mentality and decision-making skills. It would influence him into choosing mistakes such as slandering Tiresias and Creon and …show more content…
Oedipus first mocks the Gods by unleashing his wrath upon Tiresias by claiming him to be a, “decrepit fortune-teller…Collector of dirty pennies…prophet fraud.” (Lines 170-171). During the conversation with Tiresias, Oedipus’s hubris blinds him from working with Tiresias and instead, urges him to lash out and call him out to be a fraud. By acting so against Tiresias, who acts as Apollo’s seer, Oedipus insults the Gods, specifically Apollo; As with other Greek tragedies, the Greek Gods will punish Oedipus harsher for disobeying them and insulting them. Without realizing his mistake, Oedipus continues to lash out against Tiresias by slandering his name and claiming that Tiresias fabricated the story in an attempt to dethrone him; these acts strengthen Oedipus’s hubris and blinds him to reason and instead, pushes him into making worse decisions and repeating the same mistakes. Oedipus continues to mock the Gods by accepting and agreeing with Jocasta’s dismissal of the Gods when he says, “You may be right.” (Line 331). Instead of realizing the truth that Tiresias revealed and attempting to reconcile with the Gods, Oedipus continues to ignore the truth and accepts Jocasta’s heresy about the Gods. As in other Greek tragedies, the Gods punish those who dismiss, mock and insult the gods, just as they plan to with Oedipus. Oedipus’s hubris directly influences
Oedipus proves this when out of his rage and wounded pride, he, “killed him…killed them all.” (Lines 288-289) after Laios ordered Oedipus to move aside for his carriage. Instead of using reason and logic to make a decision, Oedipus gives into his wounded pride and strikes the entire envoy down out of anger. Had Oedipus thought about the situation as a whole or not give into his pride, he could have completely avoided the prophesy and his upcoming punishment. From his own prideful act, Oedipus fulfilled the first half of the prophesy which dooms him to commit the second half. Oedipus completes the prophesy after he marries his mother and consummates the marriage. Since he became the king of Thebes and married his mother, Oedipus’s hubris grew over time, due to his rising arrogance and excessive tone of superiority towards his people; his arrogance and superiority complex would only boost his hubris and give it a stronger influence over him. Oedipus would say things such as, “Children, I would not have you speak through messengers, and therefore I have come myself to hear you --- I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name.” (Lines 7-9). By allowing his hubris to build, Oedipus gives his hubris more influence over his mentality and decision-making skills. It would influence him into choosing mistakes such as slandering Tiresias and Creon and …show more content…
Oedipus first mocks the Gods by unleashing his wrath upon Tiresias by claiming him to be a, “decrepit fortune-teller…Collector of dirty pennies…prophet fraud.” (Lines 170-171). During the conversation with Tiresias, Oedipus’s hubris blinds him from working with Tiresias and instead, urges him to lash out and call him out to be a fraud. By acting so against Tiresias, who acts as Apollo’s seer, Oedipus insults the Gods, specifically Apollo; As with other Greek tragedies, the Greek Gods will punish Oedipus harsher for disobeying them and insulting them. Without realizing his mistake, Oedipus continues to lash out against Tiresias by slandering his name and claiming that Tiresias fabricated the story in an attempt to dethrone him; these acts strengthen Oedipus’s hubris and blinds him to reason and instead, pushes him into making worse decisions and repeating the same mistakes. Oedipus continues to mock the Gods by accepting and agreeing with Jocasta’s dismissal of the Gods when he says, “You may be right.” (Line 331). Instead of realizing the truth that Tiresias revealed and attempting to reconcile with the Gods, Oedipus continues to ignore the truth and accepts Jocasta’s heresy about the Gods. As in other Greek tragedies, the Gods punish those who dismiss, mock and insult the gods, just as they plan to with Oedipus. Oedipus’s hubris directly influences