Skip to main content

What is the nature of divine justice in "Oedipus the King"? Are the gods fair or unfair?

The question of divine justice is important in reading Oedipus Rex. One problem with thinking about this question, though, is that we must not impose modern religious ideas upon the Greek text, and we also must avoid looking at the text through the lens of sophisticated Greek philosophical thought. Instead, we should think about whether the gods in the play acted in a way consonant with the common religious beliefs of the period.


To...

The question of divine justice is important in reading Oedipus Rex. One problem with thinking about this question, though, is that we must not impose modern religious ideas upon the Greek text, and we also must avoid looking at the text through the lens of sophisticated Greek philosophical thought. Instead, we should think about whether the gods in the play acted in a way consonant with the common religious beliefs of the period.


To us, Oedipus is condemned to a horrible destiny due to the acts not of himself, but of his father Laius. In this way, he is condemned through no real fault of his own. He does everything possible to avoid harming his stepparents and is a good ruler who genuinely cares about Thebes. Although one could argue that he is somewhat arrogant, he is really in an impossible situation. If he does not seek out the murderer, the whole city will suffer. To us, this seems grossly unfair.


On the other hand, Laius fully deserves his punishment and the way Greek gods punished people who violated the bonds of hospitality did include destroying entire families. Thus the acts of the gods in condemning Laius were not unusually cruel by standards of the period. Moreover, as we discover in the play Oedipus at Colonus, Oedipus eventually does find peace and redemption. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why did Tybalt attack and kill Mercutio instead of Romeo, who he had originally been targeting?

Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio... Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio responds "And but one word with one of us?/ Couple it w...
Post a Comment
Read more