The tragedy of Sophocles’s Oedipus the King is problematic because Sophocles did not provide a clear way to judge the actions of Oedipus. Sophocles in the play presented a conventional truth in which Oedipus like a detective sought out Laius’ murderer. Within the play also exists another truth that is different from conventional truth. Conventional truth is obtained by collection and analysis of evidence, usually by someone who did not commit the crime. Conventional truth attempts to piece together the sequence of events. The other truth presented in the play is the truth that is possessed only by the criminal. Only the criminal would know the full details of the crime and why the crime was committed rather than avoided. Oedipus is the criminal that possesses the unique truth about his crimes because he did not attempt to avoid his own fate. Initially, it was logically inferred that Oedipus is an innocent man, who has suffered the cruelty of the Greek god Apollo. The innocence of Oedipus would be uncontested if there was no evidence that would suggest that Oedipus did not really attempt to avoid his own fate.
Oedipus could have avoided his own fate by not leaving Corinth. Oedipus was told that he was not the son of
. . .
Therefore, Oedipus should have remained in Corinth. On the road to Delphi he killed an old man. Oedipus is the criminal that possessed the truth before hand and is guilty because he waited until he had no choice but to reveal the conventional truth.
The final conversation between Jocasta and Oedipus reveals that Oedipus indeed knew that he carried out the prophecy. It would make sense that Oedipus, to avoid his fate, leave Corinth immediately. Since Oedipus left Corinth then he would have guessed that he was bound to meet his true parents.
Oedipus could have avoided his own fate if he had not carried out the actions in the prophecy. Oedipus knew that he married and older women and killed an old man near the very place that he was told had a connection with his birth. Instead, Oedipus behaves blindly and continues to on the road to Thebes. Instead he behaves as if he is blind to his own actions. Oedipus would then be told that Thebes is connected to his birth, and he would kill an old man on the road to Thebes. By marrying an older woman and killing an older man it should have been plainly obvious to Oedipus that he was carrying out his fate, even if at that point he did not know whom his true parents were. However, Oedipus completely doubted his relation to Polybos in the first place that is why he visited the oracle. Oedipus traveled to Thebes because he found out that it was connected to his true lineage.
Oedipus knowing of his own guilt still continued to deny it to himself despite the evidence that was revealed to him.
Approximate Word count =
1053
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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