The life and fate of Oedipus, dating from approximately the 13th century BC, have come to represent the very foundations of human existence and our oh-so-limited control over it. The tragic story of Oedipus, as told by Sophocles in the play “Oedipus Rex,” is a mesmerizing tale that has captured and held audiences throughout history and even into our modern age.
The tale of Oedipus begins with an ill-fated prophecy that looms over his existence from the moment of his birth. The Delphic oracle warned King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes that their child would go up to kill his father and marry his mother. In a desperate attempt to elude the dreadful prophecy, they had the baby taken to the top of Mount Cithaeron, where they bound and pierced his feet, hoping to leave him to die.
To abandon Oedipus is the first of a series of steps that lead toward the prophecy’s fulfillment. Fate is altered neither by the attempted control of Oedipus’s parents nor by the act of leaving him on the mountain. That attempted control—that escape from an apparently predetermined path—is what so many of us strive for. But, like Oedipus, we may just be reenacting some accomplished writers’ outlines, or destiny’s outlines, of our lives.
Nevertheless, Oedipus did not perish on the mountain. A shepherd discovered him and turned him over to King Polybus and Queen Merope, who ruled Corinth. They raised the foundling as their own son. Oedipus came to believe that he was a prince, the son of the kings of Corinth. Like a privileged child, he received an excellent education. He developed his mind and his body and became a stupendous specimen of humanity.
When Oedipus reaches adulthood, he starts to have doubts about his real identity. At a drinking party, a man who is not in full command of his senses tells Oedipus that he is not the true son of Polybus. This pushes Oedipus to the edge. He is already on the brink because drunk people at parties are not usually good sources of information. And even if they are, how would one translate the words of a not-so-sober person into a reality that makes sense?
Instead of a comforting response, Oedipus is given an awful oracle that restates the original prophecy, which says he is fated to kill his father and wed his mother. Oedipus is taken aback and attempts to push the prophecy to the back of his mind. He is set on a course away from his known home of Corinth, steeling himself not to return to what he thought was the only place he could ever live. In reality, though, every step he takes is toward the expected, toward the horrible fulfillment of the prophecy Oedipus tries to outrun.
As S Das notes, the quest for truth can ultimately prove fatal. Oedipus cannot resist the curiosity and the desire to know—that are even more fundamental than our usual human traits, like greed or lust—even if this knowledge threatens to destroy his life. He is just so damn determined to uncover the truth that there’s no way he can avoid descending into pain and suffering. Yet, at the same time, this determination cements him as one of the most complex and unforgettable tragic heroes.
The Arrival in Thebes and the Rise to Power
As Oedipus travels away from Corinth, fate leads him to Thebes, the city of his true origins. Unknown and unsuspecting, the young prince faces a series of trials that will shape his destiny and lead him to the fulfillment of the prophecy in ways he could never have imagined.
Confronting the Sphinx
As he approaches Thebes, Oedipus encounters a terrifying creature known as the Sphinx. This mythical being, with the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a woman, terrorizes the city, posing a riddle to travelers and devouring those who fail to solve it. Undeterred, Oedipus confronts the Sphinx and, thanks to his ingenuity, manages to solve the famous riddle. Defeated, the Sphinx falls to her death, freeing Thebes.
The Marriage to Jocasta
As a reward for his heroism, the grateful Thebans offer Oedipus the crown of the city and the hand of the recently widowed queen, Jocasta. Unaware that Jocasta is, in fact, his mother, Oedipus gladly accepts these honors and marries the queen. This marriage marks the completion of one part of the prophecy, as Oedipus, unknowingly, has married his mother. His ignorance of his true identity and his relationship with Jocasta adds a tragic irony to the story, as every attempt to escape his fate brings him one step closer to its fulfillment.
Oedipus as King of Thebes
As king, Oedipus proves to be a wise and just leader, earning the love and respect of his people. He rules Thebes with kindness and generosity, bringing a period of peace and prosperity to the city. Together with Jocasta, he has four children: sons Eteocles and Polynices, and daughters Antigone and Ismene. However, despite the apparent happiness and stability, a dark shadow continues to hang over Thebes and the royal family.
Oedipus’s rise to power represents the pinnacle of his life, but also the beginning of his downfall. Although he has achieved great things and has won the admiration of his people, his true identity remains hidden, threatening to destroy everything he has built. The tragic irony of his situation – that he has already fulfilled the part of the prophecy he hoped to avoid – adds depth and complexity to his character as he is inevitably led towards the revelation of the truth.
The Revelation of the Tragic Truth
Despite the prosperity and apparent tranquility of Oedipus’s reign, a dark shadow looms over Thebes. A devastating plague strikes the city, bringing disease, death, and despair to its inhabitants. As king, Oedipus takes it upon himself to find the cause of this calamity and to free his people from their suffering. However, his quest for truth will bring to light secrets that will shatter his life and mark his downfall.
The Plague and the Search for Laius’s Killer
Faced with the crisis, Oedipus sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle of Delphi for guidance. The oracle reveals that the plague is divine punishment for the murder of the previous king of Thebes, Laius, and that the killer still resides in the city. Determined to find the culprit and restore order, Oedipus launches an intensive investigation, vowing to bring the murderer to justice.
The Prophecies of Tiresias
In his search for truth, Oedipus turns to the blind seer Tiresias for help. However, Tiresias, knowing the terrible truth, initially hesitates to speak. When Oedipus presses him, the seer reveals that Oedipus himself is Laius’s murderer and that he lives in an incestuous relationship with his mother. Enraged and incredulous, Oedipus accuses Tiresias of conspiring with Creon to overthrow him. He refuses to accept this truth, remaining determined to prove his innocence.
The Discovery of Oedipus’s True Identity
As Oedipus’s investigation continues, more and more evidence comes to light, finally confirming the damning truth. Testimonies from the messenger who had been tasked with abandoning the infant Oedipus and from the shepherd who rescued him and handed him over to the kings of Corinth reveal his true identity. Despite Jocasta’s desperate attempts to prevent him from investigating further, Oedipus insists on getting to the bottom of the matter.
When he confronts the inescapable truth, that he is indeed his father’s murderer and his mother’s husband, Oedipus is shattered by horror and guilt. Jocasta, unable to bear this revelation, commits suicide, while Oedipus, in an act of despair and self-punishment, blinds himself. This moment marks the completion of the prophecy and the downfall of Oedipus.
The discovery of the truth about his identity shatters Oedipus’s world, revealing the tragic irony of his existence. Bond observes that “the horror of Oedipus’s discovery that he has committed the very crimes he pursued with relentless dedication” is the essence of the tragedy (Bond, 2015). His relentless pursuit of truth, once the source of his strength, ultimately proves to be his undoing.
The Downfall and Exile
The revelation of the truth about Oedipus’s identity marks the beginning of the end for the once-triumphant king. Crushed by the weight of his actions and unable to face the consequences, Oedipus plunges into a dark world of grief, guilt, and self-loathing. His fall from grace is as sudden as it is tragic, as the man once revered as the savior of Thebes now becomes an object of horror and scorn.
The Self-Blinding and Lamentation
Confronted with the unbearable truth of his deeds, Oedipus turns to self-blinding as a form of punishment and atonement. By gouging out his eyes, he seeks to shut out the light and confine himself to a world of darkness, reflecting his inner turmoil and despair. This violent act of self-mutilation represents his desperation to escape the unendurable reality of his existence and to impose a kind of justice upon himself for his crimes.
As Oedipus laments all that he has lost – his family, his kingdom, and his very identity – he becomes a pitiful figure, a shadow of the proud and capable leader he once was. His anguish and despair reflect the fundamental tragedy of his situation, as all his attempts to evade his fate have inevitably led him to its fulfillment.
The Exile and End of Oedipus
Having lost everything, Oedipus is exiled from Thebes, condemned to wander as a blind beggar. Accompanied by his faithful daughter Antigone, the once-great king is now forced to rely on the charity of strangers as he aimlessly roams, seeking some kind of redemption or relief from his suffering. This journey into exile represents Oedipus’s final fall, his stripping away of all the power, prestige, and identity he once held.
According to the myth, Oedipus’s journey eventually leads him to the sacred grove of the Eumenides at Colonus, where he finds refuge and, ultimately, redemption. There, it is said that the gods received him as one of their own, absolving him of the weight of his crimes and granting him the peace in death that had eluded him in life.
The Legacy of the Oedipus Myth in Global Culture
The story of Oedipus, with its themes of fate, free will, self-knowledge, and the inescapable nature of human existence, continues to resonate across the ages. It has become an archetype of the tragic human figure, the individual trapped by forces beyond their control and doomed to suffer despite their best intentions and efforts.
From theater and literature to psychology and philosophy, the influence of the Oedipus myth is broad and enduring. It has been explored and interpreted by some of the greatest minds in human history, from ancient Greek philosophers to modern psychoanalysts, each adding new perspectives and insights to the rich tapestry of its legacy.
The legacy of the Oedipus myth lies in its ability to illuminate the most fundamental questions of human existence – the nature of identity, the limits of knowledge, the inescapable reality of pain and loss. Through Oedipus’s tragedy, we see ourselves reflected, our own struggles, fears, and imperfections. And through his journey, we gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be human in a world that often seems indifferent or even hostile to our desires and aspirations.
Conclusion
The story of Oedipus stands as a timeless symbol of the human condition, illuminating the deepest questions of existence. Through his tragic journey, we explore themes of fate and free will, self-awareness and delusion, and the inevitable limits of human knowledge. The myth of Oedipus offers us a prism through which we can view ourselves and the human condition in a new light, highlighting both the tragedy and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of life’s darkest challenges. As one of the most enduring and powerful narratives in world literature, Oedipus’s legacy continues to resonate within us, reminding us of the profound truths that lie at the heart of the human experience.
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- Das, S. (n.d.). Oedipus as Victim of Fate and Human Psychology: The Fatal Curiosity. Retrieved from academia.edu
- Feng, C. (2017). Oedipus-A Victim of Human Free Will. The 2nd World Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences. Retrieved from webofproceedings
- Bond, R. (2015). Seven Tragedies of Sophocles-Oedipus the King. Retrieved from ir.canterbury
