Revenge In Oedipus Research Paper

Revenge is present in all three Greek plays; however, revenge is presented in differing forms. It both Antigone and Medea revenge is a repercussion of the royal fíat, but vengeance in Oedipus Rex is sought by the gods, and causes Oedipus’s fíat. In order to get revenge for the Laius (late king of Thebes), the gods sent a plague to the kingdom of Thebes, as an incentive to urge Oedipus to investigate Laius’s death. Creon travelled to Pytho, as a messenger for Oedipus, to speak to the oracle and discover why the gods sent the plague. Creon revealed the gods wanted revenge, justice for Laius. “I [Creon] shall say all I heard from the god. Phoebus… ordered us… to drive out the pollution… in this… land…. By driving a man into exile, or undoing murder with murder” (Oedipus 14). …show more content…
“[Revenge]... creates... a cycle of retaliation… revenge can prolong the unpleasantness of the original offense… [because] merely bringing harm upon an offender is not enough to satisfy a… vengeful spirit” (Jaffe 1). Antigone, displays an exemplary example of the cycle of retaliation; Antigone disobeys Creon’s fíat and buries her brother, Polynices; therefore, Creon gets revenge for Antigone’s actions by shutting her it cave to starve to death. Antigone was betrothed to Haemon, Creon’s son, so Haemon commits suicide to get revenge against his father. “… [Haemon] laid by her [Antigone]… mourning his wedlock… (Creon enters and begging his son to come out)... [Haemon] firmly planted [the sword] in the middle of his [own] breast” (Antigone