In the face of adversity, what causes some to prevail while others fail?
'Oedipus', by Sophocles, is a play based on the relationship of actions and fate. At birth, Oedipus is doomed with the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother. When he becomes aware of his "future", he flees in the hopes of avoiding it. As he fulfills the prophecy, he is completely unaware of doing so, since, he does not know who his "real" parents are. Disregarding his circumstances, Oedipus is a very well liked man. He is strong, intelligent, and courageous. Oedipus believes in himself, and rules Thebes as a wise King. When there is no adversity in Oedipus' life, he accomplishes greatness by saving the city from the curse of the Sphynx. When the truth is revealed as to who Oedipus "really" is, everything changes. His downfall dooms him when he recognizes who he is and what he has done. He feels he has failed himself, his wife/mother, his children, and most importantly, his city. He never wants to go on again to see the light of day, and he feels terrible that his children must carry on their lives with such a shameful reputation. He essentially failed himself. Though his circumstances are difficult, he could have made the choice to change his reputation. What Oedipus does not realize is that what he did does not change who he is. In his perspective, he chose only to focus on the terrible aspects of the situation and grieve. A positive outlook could have saved him; but rather, he let the adversity get the best of him.
An interesting claim:
ReplyDeleteWhat Oedipus does not realize is that what he did does not change who he is.
Perhaps this is precisely his problem--he is what he does. Certainly, if we all live by this precept, in a moral manner, we would have much to answer for.