Oedipus, the King of These in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is guilty of both incest and patricide. The proof of Oedipus’ guilt can be found in what vague description of what he knew about Laius and Jocasta. As a man who knew about the oracle’s prophecy, he should have exercised caution when he was confronted by an old man. Oedipus’ failure to connect the dots is deliberate since people could have been able to decipher that the individual who was responsible for the death of Laius was Oedipus who makes his entrance into Thebes two days after the junction encounter with the old man. He even admits to Jocasta that he is guilty. “I was to slay my father. And he dies,/And the grave hides him; and I find myself/Handling no sword; unless for love of me/He pined away and so I caused his death” (Sophocles 1000-1003). This is an admission of guilt despite the circumstances.
In addition, observes that The Oracle does give him nothing to use in figuring out where his parents were. The mere knowledge that he was born of nobility might have been enough caution for him not to marry the widowed queen Jocasta. The same queen had a child in the past who was presumed dead and the child was of Oedipus’ age (Gould 52). If Oedipus did not know that Jocasta was his mother, he could have possibly suspected. It is from his sexual attraction to his mother and the incestuos outcome of four children that the concept of Oedipus complex is developed (Gould 50). Oedipus cannot exonerate himself from such an outcome.
Oedipus is guilty of killing his father because his life was not in danger when he encountered Laius and his party at the three road junction in Phocis (Sophocles 172). According to Oedipus’ account there is no evidence of attempted robbery or ambush. It was willful homicide. Oedipus had no legitimate reason to strike the old man, Laius. We should also take into account that Oedipus as a King and highly reasonable man was not supposed to strike the old man. There is a level of negligence in his conduct which makes him guilty of killing his father.
Works Cited
Gould, Thomas.“The Innocence of Oedipus: the Philosophers on Oedipus the King”, in
Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. Bloom Harold (ed.). New York: Chelsea House, 1988.
Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays. trans. Robert Fagles with an introduction by Bernard Knox.
New York: Penguin Books, 1984.
