Examples Of Hubris In Oedipus The King
How would you feel if one day you woke up and found out your wife is really your mother? Oedipus the King is a play written around 430 B.C. by Greek author Sophocles. The story is about the King of Thebes, Oedipus, who was cursed to kill his father, Laius. In fear of this curse, Laius tried to kill his son. Oedipus survived and was adopted by Polybius. After years of believing a lie and many twists and turns, Oedipus finds out the terrible truth about everything. Oedipus is a tragic hero and displays hubris. He also shows much passion for the people he cared about, however in the end, he invokes pity because no matter how hard he tried he couldn't change his fate.
“You have your eyes but see not where you are in sin,” Teiresias says this about Oedipus, perfectly describing his hubris. The irony is that Teiresias is really the blind one in the situation. Hubris to greeks is excessive pride or self-confidence. It is also a characteristic of a tragic hero. Oedipus first shows these signs of pride while badgering Teiresias to reveal what he knows. This affects the story because if he would've simply listened and left the situation alone, he would've been better off. Furthermore, he continues these displays, even going …show more content…
The first example is Oedipus sending Creon to get word from Apollo. “I shall do all the god commands.” He did this because he wished to save his city and himself from the plague that they all were facing. Creon’s trip led to them learning there was a killer in Thebes. This is the rising action in the story. Oedipus’ final example of being just comes at the end of the story when he cuts the hanging Jocasta down and stabs his own eyes. He then proceeds to vanish himself saying, “voice. Let me live in the mountain which would have been my tomb so long ago. “ He fulfills the commands of Apollo after all and punishes himself. The moral is even with a grim fate awaiting you, you always should be honorable and do
“You have your eyes but see not where you are in sin,” Teiresias says this about Oedipus, perfectly describing his hubris. The irony is that Teiresias is really the blind one in the situation. Hubris to greeks is excessive pride or self-confidence. It is also a characteristic of a tragic hero. Oedipus first shows these signs of pride while badgering Teiresias to reveal what he knows. This affects the story because if he would've simply listened and left the situation alone, he would've been better off. Furthermore, he continues these displays, even going …show more content…
The first example is Oedipus sending Creon to get word from Apollo. “I shall do all the god commands.” He did this because he wished to save his city and himself from the plague that they all were facing. Creon’s trip led to them learning there was a killer in Thebes. This is the rising action in the story. Oedipus’ final example of being just comes at the end of the story when he cuts the hanging Jocasta down and stabs his own eyes. He then proceeds to vanish himself saying, “voice. Let me live in the mountain which would have been my tomb so long ago. “ He fulfills the commands of Apollo after all and punishes himself. The moral is even with a grim fate awaiting you, you always should be honorable and do