Skip to main content

Were the gods fair to Oedipus?

It's tough to characterize a prophecy which states that one will kill one's father and marry one's mother as "fair," but Oedipus's incredible pride in thinking that he could outwit the prophecy qualifies him, certainly for the ancient Greeks, for some divine retribution. The prophecy came from the oracle of Delphi, the mouthpiece of the god Apollo. Regardless, Oedipus believes that he can avoid this fate by simply refusing to return home; this way, in...

It's tough to characterize a prophecy which states that one will kill one's father and marry one's mother as "fair," but Oedipus's incredible pride in thinking that he could outwit the prophecy qualifies him, certainly for the ancient Greeks, for some divine retribution. The prophecy came from the oracle of Delphi, the mouthpiece of the god Apollo. Regardless, Oedipus believes that he can avoid this fate by simply refusing to return home; this way, in his mind, he cannot somehow accidentally kill his father, Polybus, and marry his mother, Merope. The problem? These aren't his biological parents; they are his adoptive parents. In attempting to avoid his fate, he actually does the thing that enables it to come true: he moves to Thebes. He makes critical errors as a result of pride, and things never work out well for a mortal who believes that they can outwit the gods, or that their will could be more powerful than a god's will. Is it fair? To me, not particularly: Oedipus is proud, to be sure, but he isn't evil. However, such a story would have taught its original audience a key lesson about the crucial importance of humility and respect for the gods.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

What gift did Della buy for Jim and why in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which... Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.  Della is still willing to sell her hair so she can b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more