Truth And Altruism In Oedipus The King

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Without a doubt, truth and altruism are both noble and revered attributes. When combined, they have the ability to bring forth the champion in an individual who seeks to serve the betterment of society and aid those whose prosperity has been less than fruitful. In Greek society, there was perhaps no greater mark of a man than his ability to pursue truth at all costs and his display of altruistic intent. More specifically, during Greek antiquity, truth and altruism were heralded, displayed, and pursued; these three components created a core trilogy which emphasized an ideological way of life in Greek society. As in life, though, the end result of any given truth is not always clear at the onset; in turn, while most altruistic deeds might …show more content…
Oedipus demonstrated his dedication to truth at many points throughout the play, but one notable example occurred just after he heard the ominous revelations set forth by Tiresias; despite the troubling disclosure that Oedipus was the cause of the turmoil that had befallen Thebes, he was not deterred from his dedication to uncover the truth. If anything, this only served to further fuel Oedipus’s relentless pursuit of truth. Another example of his displayed dedication occurred when Oedipus realized that he was the man who killed the former King of Thebes, who also happened to be his true father. As such, even though Oedipus was disconcerted over the revelation, he did not allow it to deter him from his altruistic intent. Because Sophocles portrayed Oedipus in this manner, he further highlighted the fact that Greeks of this time valued truth and altruism; as such, a dominant element within truth and altruistic intent had to be a displayed dedication to its’ cause, no matter the consequence or end result. In the grand scheme of things, no cost was too great if it meant that the truth would eventually

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