Dignified Worth The enigmatic story depicting the entwined fate of Oedipus and the city of Thebes describes the tyrant’s fall from heightened power and influence into despair following his pursuit of knowledge regarding the murder of the former king. In Sophocles’ play Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus continued his quest for understanding in an attempt to save Thebes from a curse despite being cautioned by all those he came into contact with. Oedipus’s relentless pursuit of understanding in order to lift the curse led to his spiraling downfall out of power and into despair. In this manner, Sophocles depicts the pursuit of knowledge as responsible for Oedipus’s tragedy, however illustrates Oedipus’s dedication to Thebes as worthwhile in his attempt
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The slave is threatened with torture, yet still fears Oedipus’s wrath. The slave expresses his concern for Oedipus upon the revelation of the information he possesses. He pleads with Oedipus to allow silence upon his behalf, “For god’s sake, master, don’t develop this tale more” (1165). This plea falls upon deaf ears, as Oedipus has the slave seized and threatens torture. At this point in the play, Sophocles reveals a new and even more tyrannical side of Oedipus. Prior to his encounter with the slave, it could be argued that Oedipus was a rational and just ruler. However, through his sudden threats of physical punishment, Sophocles reminds the reader of Oedipus’s dark temperament. The slave comes to the realization of his own power due to the knowledge he possesses of Oedipus’s origin, “Alas, I’m on the brink of speech with fearsome power” (1169). Sophocles uses this statement to depict the inherent power associated with the possession of knowledge. This is a contrast to Oedipus’s pursuit of knowledge- for as Oedipus increases his own understanding, his power slowly dwindles away from him. Oedipus continues to pressure the slave into sharing the information regarding his parents, until the slave indicates that it was the queen who gave him the child. At this point, Oedipus comes to the true realization of his own guilt and is stricken with grief. This is a major turning point in the plot as Oedipus’s role shifts from relentless investigator of Laius’s death to a man coming to terms with ghastly crimes he didn’t think himself capable of. The indicator of worthwhile pursuit in Oedipus’s exchange with the slave goes back to Oedipus’s prioritization of the truth above his own wellbeing. Oedipus would rather suffer from horrible knowledge than wallow blissfully in
The slave is threatened with torture, yet still fears Oedipus’s wrath. The slave expresses his concern for Oedipus upon the revelation of the information he possesses. He pleads with Oedipus to allow silence upon his behalf, “For god’s sake, master, don’t develop this tale more” (1165). This plea falls upon deaf ears, as Oedipus has the slave seized and threatens torture. At this point in the play, Sophocles reveals a new and even more tyrannical side of Oedipus. Prior to his encounter with the slave, it could be argued that Oedipus was a rational and just ruler. However, through his sudden threats of physical punishment, Sophocles reminds the reader of Oedipus’s dark temperament. The slave comes to the realization of his own power due to the knowledge he possesses of Oedipus’s origin, “Alas, I’m on the brink of speech with fearsome power” (1169). Sophocles uses this statement to depict the inherent power associated with the possession of knowledge. This is a contrast to Oedipus’s pursuit of knowledge- for as Oedipus increases his own understanding, his power slowly dwindles away from him. Oedipus continues to pressure the slave into sharing the information regarding his parents, until the slave indicates that it was the queen who gave him the child. At this point, Oedipus comes to the true realization of his own guilt and is stricken with grief. This is a major turning point in the plot as Oedipus’s role shifts from relentless investigator of Laius’s death to a man coming to terms with ghastly crimes he didn’t think himself capable of. The indicator of worthwhile pursuit in Oedipus’s exchange with the slave goes back to Oedipus’s prioritization of the truth above his own wellbeing. Oedipus would rather suffer from horrible knowledge than wallow blissfully in