The Decline of Oedipus
The Decline of Oedipus in Oedipus Rex Oedipus began Oedipus Rex as a king, only to end the tale as a blinded beggar. Oedipus' fall from his kingly status is not by accident or because of some other person. Oedipus is the only one that can be blamed for his misfortune. Oedipus' character traits of haste, anger, and truthfulness are shown most clearly during his spiraling downfall where he thinks he is a simple man who knows nothing, yet knowing more than he realizes by the end of the story. Throughout the story, Oedipus' haste or lack of patience is most evident in his stichomythy with Teiresias. Wishing to end this mystery of the death of Laios as quickly as possible, Oedipus passes an edict to kill or exile anyone who withholds information. Teiresias tested Oedipus' patience in the beginning of the story with the information he is holding; "you could provoke a stone to anger! (339)" The impatient accusations against Teiresias proved to be dreadf
If Oedipus hid all the facts concerning his self, then he could have easily buried this; nobody would know that he neither killed his father nor slept with his mother. However, that one trait alone did not take away his position of high authority. (1152)" Truthfulness is the binding trait that brought Oedipus' downfall. Life is waiting until the end, scrutinizing the dying day, and not calling it happy until the crossover into another world (wc 610). (352)" Oedipus' respect for Teiresias quickly changed as Teiresias refused to tell the trouble's cause. The decline of Oedipus' power is initiated by his traits of anger, haste, and truthfulness. father who is also brother; to the one who bore him, son and husband; to his father, his seed-fellow and killer. If Oedipus had been more patient and waited, he might have not been quite so upset about the future, nor shaken up about what was to come. Oedipus' anger throughout the beginning of the play hindered him. "you, I think, helped plot the deed; you did it-even if your hand cannot have struck the blow. Later, this passerby whom he angrily and quickly killed, was revealed to be Laios, Oedipus' father. Oedipus' anger is also shown as he begins to insult Teiresias by calling him "stupid (438)".
Common topics in this essay:
Teiresias Wishing,
Oedipus Oedipus',
Stop Don't,
Laios Oedipus',
Oedipus Rex,
Teiresias Blind,
oedipus' anger,
oedipus oedipus rex,
Oedipus Oedipus,
throughout story,
oedipus rex,
anger throughout,
oedipus oedipus,
kingly status,
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