Character Analysis for Oedipus

                                                                                                                                                                     Zawodnaik 1

Hayden Zawodniak

Jamie Lail

Tcc English composition

Period 4

Character analysis for Oedipus

Sophocles remains one of the most outstanding playwrights of the classical period. Sophocles had a way of tabling his characters linking their actions with the thematic concerns in his literary oeuvres. The stylistic devices and the use of diverse character traits always made most of his artistic work thrilling. Oedipus the King is one of the most exciting masterpieces Sophocles has ever authored. Oedipus the King explores the role of fate, pride and the possible consequences of one’s actions about the societal myths and norms. In this text, Sophocles examines the atrocities that emanate from leadership wrangles, lack of discretion and the symbolic castration for Oedipus incestuous sin. The intent of this paper is to critically conduct a character analysis of Oedipus and his will to solve mysteries and control reality in Sophocles’ Oedipus the king.

As a young man, Oedipus, the king of Thebes salvaged the city of Thebes by unraveling the riddles of the Sphinx and destroying the monster. One of his most notable characters’traits is determination. Oedipus was determined to lead Thebes and find out the murder of the former king. As the protagonist in the tragedy, Oedipus is ruled by conflict and fate. He is determined to kill his father and inherit his kingdom. His determination leads him to his fate. Even after he learns about the dreadful fate from the Delphic oracle, instead of fleeing from his fate, he runs into it and kills King Lauis at the crossroads. After the murder of Lauis, he later ends up marrying Jocasta, who later learns that she was his mother.

Secondly, Oedipus can be depicted as temperamental. His short-tempered nature contributes immensely to his dreadful fate. It is through his hot temper that Oedipus lands into a fight with Lauis. He is impatient and lacks self-control when angered. It is this anger that makes him murder his father.

Thirdly, it is evident in the tragedy that Oedipus is judgmental. This character trait is evident when he abruptly blames Creon for conspiring against him. Moreover, he does not take time but immediately refers to prophet Tiresias as a traitor.  This drives him in making random errors through the text making him unable to heed to prophet Tiresias’ advice as is supposed to be for all the kings of Thebes (Cameron 23). This makes him an arrogant leader who is guided by his anger rather than truth.

Moreover, Oedipus is intelligent and eager to solve problems. His intelligence is evident in the fact that he can unravel complex mysteries that had not been understood in the city of Thebes over the years. However, this eagerness later drives him to his downfall. Ostensibly, the keynote of Oedipus character is within his will to know and control reality. Though he has all, it takes to be a good leader his lack of discretion and his inability to heed to advice drives him to his downfall. For instance, when Creon advises him that they discuss the news of the Oracle in private, Oedipus refuses and asserts that every

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action about corruption in the city of Thebes should be discussed in public. Impervious to advice and reason, Oedipus follows his intellectual passion and will to unearth the mystery. However, his intellectual feat before the entire city ends in horror. He later comes to discover that his relentless nature is his ruin.

Additionally, Oedipus can be depicted as shortsighted. Though Oedipus is willing and determined to lead and salvage the city from mysteries, his determination is guided by blindness and poor judgment. The fact that he cannot listen to any advice makes him self-centered and selfish.  Instead of taking the advice as a long term venture to help him in future, Oedipus wants what serves him immediately. Lack of patience makes him shortsighted and selfish in his decisions. All his intellectual passion that he at one time devoted towards solving the numerous mysteries in the city of Thebes later turns against him, and he realizes that all he was doing was wrong. His knowledge fires his heart and brings suffering in his life. Oedipus regrets that he could have listened to Creon’s and Tereisus’ advice. Oedipus realizes that he is the cause of his apparent suffering. These incidents are a clear depiction of shortsightedness that flooded Oedipus life. The fact that Oedipus is shortsighted reveals the aspect of metaphorical blindness (Mullahy 29). Oedipus views everyone around the city as blind and that he is the only one who can see. He sees the other people as failures not aware of what the city of Thebes wants to prosper. He says that he is the only savior and destined leader of the city.