Antigone
Oedipus' Curse of CuriosityIn 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
"(Sophocles 62), and he told the shepherd that "You will die now unless you speak the truth"(Sophocles 62). 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. As was the case when he was questioning Teiresias, Oedipus' ears seem closed to the pleas of those who are trying to protect him from the truth of his awful fate. At the end of Oedipus's search for the truth, instead of gaining salvation through truth, Oedipus gains misery. Just as before Oedipus did not take the advice of those had no reason to lie and were trying to protect him. Teiresias' attempts to warn Oedipus about the danger of answering Oedipus' question fails. A heated verbal battle between an unremitting Oedipus and an unwilling Teiresias ensues. The revelation of who Oedipus really was also has an effect on his children. For if you are what this man says you are, No man living is more wretched than Oedipus. The Shepherd finally "cracked" under Oedipus unending pressure and he revealed ". Instead of remitting, Oedipus continues questioning a scared and sully Teiresias. the holy prophet In whom, alone of all men truth was born" (Sophocles 16), and stop inquiring about the killer or King Laios. 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.
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Acceptance Essays
