Oedipus Rex
English 126
Prof McGee
November 23, 2013
Proper Punishment and Justice in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex
Within Sophocles’ play, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus’ destiny was to marry his biological mother and murder his biological father. Oedipus pointlessly tries to change his fate, but was powerless in changing anything. With no control over his destined fate, unaware of his family history, and unconscious of who his birth parents were, Oedipus is guiltless in killing his father and marrying his very own mother. Justice, which required the revealing and punishment of King Laios’ murderer, was served but was incomplete. King Oedipus is discovered to be guilty, which leads to his evacuation from the city and his voluntary punishment of blindness. Oedipus’s true intentions were to drive out the murderer and put an end to the plague within the City of Thebes, not to simply find out about his family’s history. Therefore, he did not deserve to punish himself at the end of the `play because his banishment was all that was necessary. Others may think differently by stating Oedipus may have been punished for his pride and confidence, which led to his very own downfall. Although he had too much pride and was over confident, he was still unaware and just as curious as any other human being would be. How can you punish someone who was unwillingly chosen as a victim of fate and only trying to be a good king towards his citizens? As Sophocles’ opens the play, the citizens of Thebes call upon Oedipus to help abolish a deadly plague that has invaded their city. “O mighty power, we turn to you: Find us our safety, find us a remedy. Noblest of men, restore/ Life to our city! “(709), desperately states the priest. This marks the beginning of Oedipus ’search for Laios’ murderer. His objective was to eliminate the plague and to do this King Laios murder had to either be punished or driven off the land. Towards the end of the play, Oedipus ironically discovers that he was the mysterious
Prof McGee
November 23, 2013
Proper Punishment and Justice in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex
Within Sophocles’ play, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus’ destiny was to marry his biological mother and murder his biological father. Oedipus pointlessly tries to change his fate, but was powerless in changing anything. With no control over his destined fate, unaware of his family history, and unconscious of who his birth parents were, Oedipus is guiltless in killing his father and marrying his very own mother. Justice, which required the revealing and punishment of King Laios’ murderer, was served but was incomplete. King Oedipus is discovered to be guilty, which leads to his evacuation from the city and his voluntary punishment of blindness. Oedipus’s true intentions were to drive out the murderer and put an end to the plague within the City of Thebes, not to simply find out about his family’s history. Therefore, he did not deserve to punish himself at the end of the `play because his banishment was all that was necessary. Others may think differently by stating Oedipus may have been punished for his pride and confidence, which led to his very own downfall. Although he had too much pride and was over confident, he was still unaware and just as curious as any other human being would be. How can you punish someone who was unwillingly chosen as a victim of fate and only trying to be a good king towards his citizens? As Sophocles’ opens the play, the citizens of Thebes call upon Oedipus to help abolish a deadly plague that has invaded their city. “O mighty power, we turn to you: Find us our safety, find us a remedy. Noblest of men, restore/ Life to our city! “(709), desperately states the priest. This marks the beginning of Oedipus ’search for Laios’ murderer. His objective was to eliminate the plague and to do this King Laios murder had to either be punished or driven off the land. Towards the end of the play, Oedipus ironically discovers that he was the mysterious