Sophocles’ Oedipus the King portrays the tragic fall of Oedipus from his paramount position of the king of Thebes as he gets to know of his real identity in the chronology of events. The fall of the transcendental figure can be analyzed into definite transition phases. The literary work documents the omnipotence of fatalism and mocks the human strength which is exposed to be futile. Oedipus’ fall can be analyzed into three transitions.
In the beginning, Oedipus is found in the midst of a testing time when a plague hits the land and he sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to seek the advice of the oracle at Delphi. He comes to know that the plague would stop haunting the people when the murderer of Laius, the previous king, is expelled from the land. Oedipus says, “Speak before all; the burden that I bear / Is more for these my subjects than myself.” (Sophocles) Oedipus then vows to drive out the person responsible for the murder. The declaration of Tiresias perturbs Oedipus as he gets to hear that the truth would bring pain. The blind prophet then goes on to say that Oedipus himself is the murderer at being provoked. Tiresias says, “I say thou art the murderer of the man / Whose murderer thou pursuest.” (Sophocles) At this Oedipus gets enraged and accuses the prophet of conspiracy. Tiresias further lets theking know that the murderer would be father and brother to his own children and son to his wife. Oedipus now threatens Creon of exile.
Next, in a conversation with Jocasta, he comes to know of the previous king’s murder which makes him recall the incident of his killing a man. He says that after overhearing that he was not the real child of the king of Corinth, he travelled to the oracle at Delphi. While returning, he murdered a man on being harassed. He enquires of Jocasta about the king, “Ask me not yet; tell me the build and height / Of Laius? Was he still in manhood's prime?” (Sophocles) He starts doubting if he had actually killed the previous king.
A messenger from Corinth arrives to let Oedipus know that the king had died and had wished him to take over the kingdom. This makes him feel relieved as a part of the prophecy seems to be wrong now. But, the messenger goes on to say that he was not born of the king of Corinth and had been given to the regal family by a shepherd. Oedipus blurts out, “Who did it? I adjure thee, tell me who / Say, was it father, mother?” (Sophocles) He asks about the man who carried him saying, “Who was he? Would'st thou know again the man?” (Sophocles) On enquiring the shepherd, Oedipus comes to know that he was actually the son of the deceased king of Thebes. He now rushes to Jocasta to find her dead, as she has already comprehended that Oedipus is actually the murderer of Laius and her son. He blinds himself out of guilt and begs of Creon to send him away from Thebes and take care of his children.
Thus, Sophocles aptly brings forth the eventual tragedy of Oedipus who gets to see the horrendous truth unfold in front of him in the course of events. The story of Oedipus the King how the king first shows rage on others for insinuating that he is the one to be blame for the fate of Thebes. Then, on conversing with Jocasta he is finally led into doubting himself. The messenger from Corinth and the shepherd are like the nails in the coffin with their testimonies which shatters the king.
Works Cited
Griffith, Drew. Theatre of Apollo: Divine Justice and Sophocles' Oedipus the King. Montreal:
McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1996. Print.
Rámfos, Stélios. Fate and Ambiguity in Oedipus the King. Massachusetts: Somerset Hall Press,
2006. Print.
Sophocles. Oedipus the King. New York City: Simon & Schuster, 2005. Print.
