Ethos In Oedipus The King

870 Words4 Pages
As philosophy progressed during the 7th, 6th, and 5th centuries, a shift from mythos to logos slowly occurred. Mythos, which involves stories, myths, poetry, and inspiration, was connected with beliefs in the Greek gods. Logos, which involves reasoning, logic, language, and observation, began to replace philosophers’ beliefs in the gods. This did not mean that logic and reason completely replaced Greek myths. Instead, philosophers began to explain the world relying more on logic and less on mythos. While he does not demonize reason or logic, Sophocles portrays the need to accept the will of the gods. Sophocles not only believes the gods exist, but that they have significant control over peoples lives. In his play Oedipus the King, Sophocles…show more content…
While still portrayed as powerful, as is illustrated by the plague in Thebes and what happens to Oedipus, the gods are noticeably more distant than in the works of Homer or Hesiod. In Oedipus the King, the characters talk about and pray to the gods, but the gods do not appear in person anywhere in the play. To find out the will of the gods, they have to speak to an oracle. For example, to figure out what to do about the plague in Thebes, Oedipus sends Creon “to Delphi—Apollo the Prophet’s oracle—to learn what [he] might do or say to save [the] city” (Sophocles 82-84). Unlike the Iliad, in which Achilles mother comes to comfort him or Athena appears to Hector as his brother so Achilles can kill him, Sophocles does not portray the gods as coming to earth to speak or intervene in the lives of the characters. Sophocles may believe the gods to play an important but more distant role in his own life, than did previous writers. Clearly, the shift from mythos to logos, which affected philosopher’s beliefs in the gods, has also affected…show more content…
In the play, Oedipus tries to use reason to try to distance himself from his fate and the gods. Sophocles uses Oedipus to illustrate that the will of the gods cannot be avoided by using reason. In the play, Oedipus attempts to avoid his fate to “make love with [his] own mother, and shed [his] father’s blood with [his] own hands” by making logical choices (1091-1092). Oedipus, having solved the riddle of the Sphinx, is well known for his intellectual abilities. He clearly acknowledges his own acumen as well. After insulting Tiresias’s abilities as a prophet, Oedipus reminds Tiresias of his own cleverness in solving the riddle. Oedipus tells him, “Did you rise to the crisis? Not a word, you and your birds, our gods—nothing. No, but I came by, Oedipus the ignorant, I stopped the Sphinx! With no help from the birds, the flight of my own intelligence hit the mark” (249-253). Oedipus even believes that his reasoning skills have benefitted him. He tells a messenger, “So for years I’ve given Corinth a wide berth, and it’s been my good fortune too” (1093-1094). His life even seems to prove that his reasoned decisions have been beneficial. Not only has he become King of Thebes, but also he has a wife and children as a result of solving the riddle. He even seems to have avoided his fate. But Oedipus’s reasoned choices do not save him from his fate as
Show More
Related

  • Ethos Pathos And Logos In Oedipus The King

    475 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin with, Oedipus utilizes logos to justify stabbing his eyes. The Chorus accuses Oedipus, “How can I say you’ve chosen for the best? / Better to die than be alive and blind” (Sophocles 1497-98). The Chorus believes that Oedipus should have suicided instead of making himself blind. Oedipus retaliates, “What I did was best- don’t lecture me, / no more advice. I, with my eyes, / how could I look my father in the eyes / when I go down to death? Or mother, so abused… / I have done such things to

    Read More

  • How Does Tiresias Use Ethos Pathos Logos In Antigone

    264 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Prophet’s Proclamation In Antigone, a tragedy by Sphocles, Teiresias uses pathos, logos, and ethos to create a compelling argument, thereby revealing to Creon his own hubris and oblivion to the consequences of his actions. In his long-winded speech, Teiresias uses a mixture of anectdotes, religious beliefs, emotions, and reasoning to express the gods’ disapproval of Creon’s actions. Teiresias’ gruesome, vivid language evokes seriousness and fear throughout the passage. By expressing how “[the

    Read More

More about Ethos In Oedipus The King

Open Document