Is what happens to Oedipus fair Are we supposed to respect him Would Sophocles original audience have agreed with your conclusions Why
Sophocles uses a mixture of both visual and emotional imagery to create the morally questioning, Greek tragedy 'Oedipus Tyrannos'. He presents the audience with an intense drama, which addresses the reality and importance of the gods that the Greeks fervently believed in. The play also forces the audience to ask themselves if there is such a concept as fate. From the very beginning of Oedipus, it is made clear "that his destiny be one of fate and worse". The irony is that Oedipus unknowingly repeatedly predicts his own fate: "It was I who called down these curses on that man." Oedipus has unconsciously married his mother and killed his father, just as the Oracle predicted. Fate is proven to be unavoidable to Oedipus as the play shows a devout belief in the Greek gods. The Gods are seen as both "protectors" and "punishers", who can "turn fate back away". The gods are shown to have power over everything and everyone, and whoever ignores them will be cursed by the "darts no one escapes". Oedipus is one of these people who is seen to have ignored the gods' warnings and therefore has brought a curse upon himself, and all those around him: "Nothing grows in the earth, nothing in the wombs of the women." With the idea of
Oedipus represented both the idealistic lifestyle and the most commendable leadership qualities and so the chorus relays their obvious confusion on how to judge him: "I can't agree, I can't deny. He is seen to have had the support of the gods previously when they "helped" him "to bring order back into" the lives of his followers. Sophocles uses strong language to create the emotions that flood this play, and even the chorus asks: "Whose life has twisted more painfully" than Oedipus', a man who had "luck, happiness and wealth". When Oedipus gouges out his own eyes, the difference between visual sight and insight is clearly represented: "Light, let this be the last time I look on you". " Due to the fact that 'Oedipus Tyrannos' is a typical Greek tragedy on which most other tragedies are based, the audience is prepared for the sorrowful ending that befalls upon Oedipus. " Oedipus' blatant disregard to hear the truth about himself could be seen to be both ignorant and arrogant, and his reactions to the prophet's wise words are often ill-judged and hasty; as he passes them off as "moronic words". This is what makes the Oedipus story so tragic, the fact that his doomed fate was so decided, so unavoidable, and Oedipus when trying to run away from the truth, ran straight into it. When Sophocles wrote this play in 429 BC, the Greek audience to whom it would have been performed to would not have been shocked either, but their reactions to Oedipus' behaviour would have been less sympathetic due to their belief that one should listen to the Gods. In the end he uses his power one more time to pass judgement on himself by first gauging out his own eyes, "Ranting, they would not see what evil he was suffering, what evil he was doing", and by then ordering his people to "Expel me from this land as quickly as you can. "Do I have to listen to any more?" He refuses to hear the truth or listen to the prophet's warnings, stubbornly claiming to "have nothing to learn". He shows great courage when he says: "My evils are mine and will affect no one but me. There is an alternative expected reaction from the audience and that is to blame Oedipus, and to take little or no pity on him. Sophocles uses the chorus to represent the audience and reflect their thoughts and emotions. Both the language and the structure of Oedipus shows just how ironic Oedipus' life is, and just how drastically his luck reversed. He is given many warnings and he often chooses to ignore them.
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Acceptance Essays
