Oedipus the King- Page Summary

A father's love for his family and son


A father is still full of love for his family and son. After learning of the prophecy that he will grow up, kill his father, and marry his mother, he decides to flee his homeland to avoid the fulfillment of the prophecy in context.

Oedipus shows positive characteristics as a parent that equate to those of a king


Fathers are known to exercise a high level of responsibility to act as role models to their children. It is clear that Oedipus shows a high level of responsibility trying to prevent a horrible fate which was meant to pass.

Fathers do not blame their mistakes on their children


When he eventually kills his father and marries his mother, Oedipus cannot bear to look upon himself. Instead of releasing his anguish and anger to the people of Thebes, Oedipus felt as a total failure after his actions and felt responsible for it.

How Oedipus Governs Thebes


Oedipus governs the people of Thebes by exercising fairness and showing great love for his subordinates. Oedipus always associated and related with the pain of the people as evident when he learnt about the plague that hit Thebes during his absence. The great love that he has for the people of Thebes manifests itself through his unselfish nature and deeply concerned attitude when he learns that someone caused the plague in the region.

Honesty


Strong ego


Strength as a leadership quality

Oedipus the King


Introduction


Fate plays a central role in the play Oedipus: the King. Oedipus as a character is doomed to be a victim of fate even though he does everything in his power to avoid it. In order to understand the character of Oedipus better the play Oedipus Rex or “Oedipus the King” will be analyzed, discussed, and evaluated. Oedipus as a character symbolizes human life that is bound by fate and cannot be changed. Concept of fate was very highly respected and often cited in ancient Greece. In the play Oedipus comes through a lot of different challenges pursuing, as he thinks, his own motifs but everything turns out to be otherwise. Oedipus is a play about free will as it shows what role plays fate in human life and to what extend is a human person really free and independent. Oedipus’ position as a good king is paid by the suffering he experienced when he reveals with what price he obtained his power. Despite his downfall, Oedipus still showed desirable qualities as a father and as the king of Thebes. In the play, Oedipus the King, it is evident that Oedipus is as good as a father as he is as a king. Oedipus has shown various features as a king that reflect his personality as a father. Not only is he responsible but also shows great love for the people he considers as his children and family.

Reasons Why Oedipus Is as Good as a Father as He Is as a King


Oedipus expresses desirable qualities as a father which match those of him being a king. Fathers are known to exercise a high level of responsibility to act as role models to their children. It is clear that Oedipus shows a high level of responsibility trying to prevent a horrible fate which was meant to pass. The fact that he was willing to kill the man who caused the plague is also an indication of Oedipus's love for the subordinates who act as the children within the outlined context.

A father always exercises great love for his family and children. After learning of the prophecy that he was going to grow up and kill his father and marry his mother, he opts to leave his homeland to prevent the manifestation of the prophecy in context. The fact that Oedipus was willing to leave his home to prevent the manifestation of the outlined prophecy of doom proves that he is indeed an unselfish man. His option to flee from his homeland was a way of protecting his parents, therefore showing that the love he had for his family was greater than his self-love.

Fathers do not blame their mistakes on their children. When he eventually kills his father and marries his mother, Oedipus cannot bear to look upon himself. Instead of releasing his anguish and anger to the people of Thebes, Oedipus felt as a total failure after his actions and felt responsible for it.

Through the implementation of the Freudian Theory, it is evident that the father figure is brought out as an inconsistent idea which is also elusive at the same time. The father is considered a prerequisite for all desiring human beings. Looking at the desires of a father as presented by Freud in his theory, it is apparent that the father figure and the roles that he plays are constrained within the reciprocal nature of the investments noted within the parental couple.

How Oedipus Governs Thebes


Oedipus governs the people of Thebes by exercising fairness and showing great love for his subordinates. Oedipus always associated and related to the pain of the people as evident when he learned about the plague that hit Thebes during his absence. The great love that he has for the people of Thebes manifests itself through his unselfish nature and deeply concerned attitude when he learns that someone caused the plague in the region.

It is also a fact that Oedipus governs Thebes based on honesty. His high levels of honesty make him a good leader. The fact that he cares greatly about the land and the people of Thebes provides an illustration of why he is considered a desirable leader. According to Sophocles, Oedipus indicated that "but my heart at once/Groans for the city, and for myself, and you" (Sophocles 3). This statement illustrates that Oedipus is a man of action. Furthermore, the fact that he is willing to kill the man who caused the plague also indicates that he is an aggressive leader. One of the common features of a successful leader is being aggressive. His aggression instills a bit of fear among the people, making them ready to obey the law.

Oedipus also rules Thebes by showing them strength as a leadership quality. It is evident that Oedipus did not choose to take his own life even after fate had its way. On the contrary, he opts to blind himself as a way of preventing him from looking upon the world. Making a choice to stand against his pain suggests his strength as a leader, which makes the people of Thebes respect him even more.

Oedipus is also known to have a strong ego, which he implements to rule over the people of Thebes. From the beginning of the play, Oedipus is always self-assured that he can resolve all the problems facing the people of Thebes on his own. An illustration of his ego is evident in his statement, "Children, you modern brood of Cadmus old" and "Known far and wide by name" (Sophocles 1). These statements indicate that he is a self-determined king. Additionally, it is clear that he is a straightforward king who does not sugarcoat his words when addressing issues, as in the case when he was consulting his brother regarding the accusations made against him. Oedipus' words were, "When he who plots against me in the dark comes swiftly" (Sophocles 22).

Conclusion


In summary, it is evident that Oedipus shows desirable characteristics as a father and as the king of Thebes. He exercises a high level of responsibility, great care, and love, which suggests that he is a great father. As a king, Oedipus has shown great leadership qualities, indicating that he governed the people of Thebes based on equality and a strong ego. Furthermore, he also exercised strong power over the people of Thebes, making them responsible for their behavior, including abiding by the provisions of the law.

Work Cited

Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama. Ed. X. J. Kennedy. 5th ed. Harper, 1991.

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