From first look, Oedipus Rex and The Book of Job seem like complete opposite works of literature. While in Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is pained with discovering the truth, Job in The Book of Job is greatly comforted by finding out the reality in his life. Oedipus, after finding out the truth about his family, blinds himself and runs away from Thebes. However, Job has an entirely different reaction when he finally figures out the reason as to why God was putting him through so much terror. Instead of stabbing his own eyes, he becomes comforted knowing he is “dust.” Oedipus Rex greatly supports the proverb “Ignorance is bliss”, whereas The Book of Job contradicts it, rather sticking with the catch phrase “The truth shall set you free.” On the surface,
…show more content…
Job starts off as “the richest man in the East” (5) who is also “a man of perfect integrity, [he] feared God and avoided evil” (5). He constantly stayed loyal to God despite God putting him through a series of great pain: “We have accepted good fortune from God; surely we can accept bad fortune too” (8). It is not until a sudden shift in the book that Job decides to question his views, “God damn the day I was born/ and the night that forced me from the womb./ On that day-- let there be darkness;/ let it never have been created;/ let it sink back into the void” (13). Job is abruptly struck with a great loss and is left with literally nothing; no family, no money, no animals, and no happiness. He goes so far as to cry to God, blaming him, and demanding answers to questions such as “If I testify, will [you] answer? [Are you] listening to my plea?” (28), Is it right for you to be vicious, to spoil what your own hands made?” (29), and “Why have you made me your target and burdened me with myself? (24). Job begins to accurately accuse God of punishing him with no justification. The only true reason that God decides to attack Job is because the Accuser is anxious to test Job, to test his faithfulness. Even when God agrees to let the Accuser experiment, he actually protects Job at the same time: “All right: he is in your power. Just don’t kill him.” (8). When what seems to be God in …show more content…
Both are relevant to the famous proverbs “Ignorance is bliss” and “The truth shall set you free.” While Oedipus Rex clearly supports “Ignorance is bliss,” The Book of Job promotes the quote “The truth shall set you free.” Oedipus is mortified when he discovers his foreseen prophecy had become true. He had killed his father and married his mother. His wife’s womb had “carried his own children and himself” (68). What was a man supposed to think of this, that his wife was his mother and his own children could be considered his siblings? His bliss is immediately shattered when the facts about his true birth are revealed. On the other hand, Job is consoled when the whirlwind finally makes an appearance. Throughout the book, Job is struck with terror and pain for which he blames God, “I was whole-- [God] ripped me apart, chewed my body to pulp” (44). The unnamable, a whirlwind, answers to Job, ferociously asking “Do you dare to deny my judgment? Am I wrong because you are right?” (84). The reply that Job had so long plead for puts him to rest. He gets rid of his ignorance and learns the truth which “sets him free”; which helps him gain his faith back and accept the truth, the truth finally heard from the Unnamable
Job starts off as “the richest man in the East” (5) who is also “a man of perfect integrity, [he] feared God and avoided evil” (5). He constantly stayed loyal to God despite God putting him through a series of great pain: “We have accepted good fortune from God; surely we can accept bad fortune too” (8). It is not until a sudden shift in the book that Job decides to question his views, “God damn the day I was born/ and the night that forced me from the womb./ On that day-- let there be darkness;/ let it never have been created;/ let it sink back into the void” (13). Job is abruptly struck with a great loss and is left with literally nothing; no family, no money, no animals, and no happiness. He goes so far as to cry to God, blaming him, and demanding answers to questions such as “If I testify, will [you] answer? [Are you] listening to my plea?” (28), Is it right for you to be vicious, to spoil what your own hands made?” (29), and “Why have you made me your target and burdened me with myself? (24). Job begins to accurately accuse God of punishing him with no justification. The only true reason that God decides to attack Job is because the Accuser is anxious to test Job, to test his faithfulness. Even when God agrees to let the Accuser experiment, he actually protects Job at the same time: “All right: he is in your power. Just don’t kill him.” (8). When what seems to be God in …show more content…
Both are relevant to the famous proverbs “Ignorance is bliss” and “The truth shall set you free.” While Oedipus Rex clearly supports “Ignorance is bliss,” The Book of Job promotes the quote “The truth shall set you free.” Oedipus is mortified when he discovers his foreseen prophecy had become true. He had killed his father and married his mother. His wife’s womb had “carried his own children and himself” (68). What was a man supposed to think of this, that his wife was his mother and his own children could be considered his siblings? His bliss is immediately shattered when the facts about his true birth are revealed. On the other hand, Job is consoled when the whirlwind finally makes an appearance. Throughout the book, Job is struck with terror and pain for which he blames God, “I was whole-- [God] ripped me apart, chewed my body to pulp” (44). The unnamable, a whirlwind, answers to Job, ferociously asking “Do you dare to deny my judgment? Am I wrong because you are right?” (84). The reply that Job had so long plead for puts him to rest. He gets rid of his ignorance and learns the truth which “sets him free”; which helps him gain his faith back and accept the truth, the truth finally heard from the Unnamable