Oedipus

Oedipus’ Curse of Curiosity

In Oedipus the King Sophocles concocts one of the most famous and intricate characters of Greek drama. Oedipus' desire for self-discovery and understanding, which can be described as his tragic flaw, leads Oedipus to the lucid realization of his ominous fate. In the end, it can be seen that Oedipus’ tragic flaw is his own determination and persistence. Contrary to Knox’s belief that Oedipus’ search for the truth is his only freedom or salvation, Oedipus unremitting need to know and his overbearing curiosity about his life traps him and leads to his demise.

Oedipus’s zealous curiosity is illustrated when Oedipus forces his prophet, Teiresias to reveal information that will lead to Oedipus’ knowledge about the fate that awaits him. Initially, Oedipus unknowingly inquires about his own fate by asking Teiresias the identity of the murderer of King Laios. With the knowledge that Oedipus was the murderer of King Laios, Teiresias decides that it in his best interest, as a servant to his King, not to tell Oedipus the truth. After being asked who murdered King Laios, Teiresias responded, “How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be When there’s no help in truth! I knew this well but made myself

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In his ignorance, Oedipus would have been shielded from the horrors of his actions, and it can be suspected that he would have gone on to live a happy life. Instead of remitting, Oedipus continues questioning a scared and sully Teiresias. The Shepherd finally “cracked” under Oedipus unending pressure and he revealed “…For if you are what this man says you are, No man living is more wretched than Oedipus. At this point Oedipus, being the wise king and man he was, should have had the foresight to heed the advice of “Teiresias… the holy prophet In whom, alone of all men truth was born” (Sophocles 16), and stop inquiring about the killer or King Laios. Teiresias’ attempts to warn Oedipus about the danger of answering Oedipus’ question fails. Eventually, Teiresias reluctantly gives in to Oedipus’s wish to know his own fate and Teiresias exclaims, “I say that you are the murder whom you seek. Oedipus’ persistence in questioning his originall!

y revered prophet, Teiresias, forces the first pieces of the puzzle to Oedipus’ horrible fate to fall in to place

As the play progresses and Oedipus’s curiosity progresses Oedipus meets a Shepherd who supposedly knows who his parents are. ”(Sophocles 62), and he told the shepherd that “You will die now unless you speak the truth”(Sophocles 62). However, it seems Oedipus' misfortune happens in the first place because of his unending search for the truth, and that ignorance would have served as his salvation. A heated verbal battle between an unremitting Oedipus and an unwilling Teiresias ensues. The shepherd continued his muteness about the awful truth a!

s he pleaded, “for God’s love, my King, do not ask me any more!”(Sophocles 63). Oedipus becomes a tortured old man; he gouges out his own eyes because he can’t bear the pain of living with the “truth” which he learned.

Approximate Word count = 924
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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