Choices In Sophocles 'Oedipus The King'

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Wandering Blind Poor choices and personal flaws can be an intricate factor in one’s deciding fate and that’s exactly what author Sophocles showed in his character Oedipus in, Oedipus The King. Sophocles shows his character’s trials and tribulations throughout the story and using Oedipus’s specific characteristics, gives the reader a distinct picture of how choices can affect the ultimate reality of decisions. His struggles and the appalling plot, that leaves the audience on the edge, reveals the detailed and harsh life of a king. Although Oedipus’s personal pride plays a part in his downfall, his appetite for knowledge and stubbornness ultimately brought about his own destruction. Pride once explained by adventure enthusiast Bear Grylls is,…show more content…
Listen to you? No more. I must know it all, see the truth at last" (Sophocles, “Oedipus Rex” 388-391). Through the whole of the play, Oedipus consistently pleads with Teiresias, Jocasta, Creon, and the messenger for information on regarding his fortune and childhood. As he gets closer to revealing the answer, many people in his life try and save him from his destined future. But driven by his appetite for knowledge, Oedipus continues moving on even though many warned him not too. This evidence illustrates that Oedipus persistence toward finding his prophecy may have pushed the prophecy onward. His desire for the truth ultimately led to his downfall. Even Jocasta begins to stress as her husband is digging a deeper hole for himself. “Stop! In the name of god, if you love your own life, call off this search! My suffering is enough” (1161-1164). Oedipus does not have to keep the search for his fortune going, but he decides to use his free will to look on despite what Jocasta asked of him. In other words he was not forced to search for the truth, but made an unsuitable decision…show more content…
This description fits Oedipus perfectly as he is shown in the story refusing to take advice. For example, in the play, Oedipus refuses to listen to Creon’s reasonable explanation as to why he would not betray or commit treason to Oedipus nor the kingdom. Ironic or not, his stubbornness ultimately leads to his own personal destruction. Even in the rising action of the story when Oedipus is interacting with a herdsman. He asks, “Which of our citizens [did you give the baby (Oedipus) away too]? Whose home was it?” the herdsman replies, “In the name of the gods, my lord, don’t ask! Please, no more questions!” Oedipus then responds, “If I have to ask again, then you will die” (Sophocles, “Online Oedipus Rex” 1395-1399). This quote solidifies that his obstinacy blinds himself from the signs of disaster that evolved in his journey and that Oedipus won’t stop till he’s found the truth behind his
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