Oedipus at Colonus” Age
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AWARD WINNINGthree-footed being. BeforeESSAYS Laius sent him to be de stroyed, his ankles were fastened together, an act Alienation,Homecoming,Departure which decreased his limbs by one. The stage of life where three-footedness is the norm, though, is old Told In "Oedipus at Colonus” age. Oedipus, from the time of his birth, is at a distance from understanding the source of his being Editor’s Note: This is a continuing series of award equivalent to the temporal distance of an elderly winning essays from the previous school year. man from his birth. Following is the first part of Galen Breningstall’s The most blatant evidence of this alienation from best freshman essay. his source of being is Oedipus’ ignorance of his own “1 YEARS HAD BEEN FROM HOME AND NOW, name. Names are bestowed on one at birth and are BEFORE THE DOOR 1 DARED NOT OPEN, LEST Indicative of the recognition of the creation of a unique A FACE 1 NEVER SAW BEFORE STARE VACANT human being. They symbolize the source of one’s INTO MINE AND ASK MY BUSINESS THERE.” being in both a physical and metaphysical sense. PART I Since he does not know his name, Oedipus does not The riddles supplied by Sophocles in‘‘Oedipus at know his relationship to Laius and Jocasta. Con Colonus” are as baffling as the riddle of the Sphinx sequently, his reaction to the message of the oracle itself. Before one even begins to pursue the riddles, is directly opposed to the reaction he would have had though, he must consider the gravity of his actions. had he reacted with knowledge. All the perverse The tragic life of Oedipus has exemplified the risks acts Oedipus perpetrates, he performs under an aegis involved in pursuing the riddles of gods and demi of ignorance. He does not realize his actions have gods. Yet, the tragic life of Oedipus has also exem this perversity until the old shepherd is forced to tell plified that great risks may lead, however painfully, the painful story of Oedipus’ origins. Even then, to great gains. Sophocles relegated the revelation of Oedipus is victimized by an edict he made while in Oedipus to Theseus as a secret and a source of Ignorance of his name. A name always accompanies power. Perhaps, then, from the benighted point of one and if it remains in darkness may covertly view of one who has not been indoctrinated in the foil the noblest intentions and aspirations. Oedipal mysteries, any attempt at solution would be Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” at first lacks the feeble image-guessing. Finally, one might assume perseverance in investigating his own origins that that Oedipus’ assumption of a mantle of suffering he later shows while indicting himself. When the precipitated a revelation which excuses the rest of elusive oracle prophesies his murdering his father humanity from having to travel the same course for ^and marrying his mother, Oedipus flees in terror. the same result. The alternative possibilities are This is opposed to his resolute refusal to flee as pain, frustration, pleasure, and revelation. Inaction intimations arrive that he has indeed killed his father is manifestly the safest course. It is also contrary and married his mother. Oedipus’ flight results in the to the imperatives of the inquiring spirit. There deferring of the irritating question of his origin. The fore, with the regal Oedipus’ preference for truth question may be raised about why Oedipus should and understanding before all consequences, embarks have remained in the proximity and pursued his ori this quest for the answer to Sophocles’ riddles. gins in the shadow of such a gruesome prophecy. In response to this query, two replies obtain. Firstly, When the chorus receives the reply of “Oedipus” Oedipus was apparently uncertain enough about his to their insistent inquiry about the name of this genealogy to doubt his foster parents and journey to unfortunate stranger in “Odeipus at Colonus”, they Delphi. How, therefore, could he be certain to whom exclaim, “ Oedipus 1 You I 1” The tale of Oedipus’ this prophecy applied? Also, one wonders if Oedipus woe spread quickly throughout Hellas. On the most could not have continued his investigations into the patent level, it was a delicious tale of horror. rumors which had reached Jiis ear about his origins Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx with his apart from his supposed parents. It is inconsistent insight into human transience, the journeying from with the respect Oedipus has Inspired for his Infancy to age and its effect on the human anatomy. shrewdness and insight to deny that he could have All human action occurs between infancy and age. It devised a scheme to accomplish his ends at a dis would then appear that an insight into human tran- tance. science would extend to human activity as well. The Finally, Oedipus prior to his tragic fall lacks a perceptive Oedipus, however, is blind to his own feeling of guilt for the horrors he has committed. actions. Oedipus unknowingly flees from his foster It is obviously wrong to wholly censure Oedipus in parents, kills his father, and marries his mother. this respect since he is at this time unaware of the By his presence in Thebes, he unknowingly brings wrongs he has committed with the exception of one. a plague upon the city. The culmination of this un When Jocasta tries in vain to allay the fears knowing horror occurs when Oedipus’ perservering Tiresias’ prophecy has incited in Oedipus, she sets Investigation of the death of Lalus reveals hjlmsefi the scene on which occurred Laius’ slaying. Oedipus, as Laius’ son and slayer. A tale of patricide, in in the horror of recognition, states, "What have you cestuous love, and the agony of recognition such as said Jocasta? What have you said? The past comes this is grotesquely entrancing. Yet, Oedipus’ tale back to me. How terrlblel 2” At the time of the inci has great depth and within this depth are clues to dent, Oedipus felt justified in exacting his ven the unraveling of Oedipus’ marvelous and puzzling geance, having been shoved and assaulted over a death. right of way dispute. However, it is difficult with the Oedipus, unlike humanity around him, is at birth a material given by Sophocles to establish exactly Page 3 who was culpable during this incident. Both Laius and The immediately puzzling aspect of Oedipus’ em Oedipus evidenced obstinate pride. Laius and his brasure of the Dread Goddesses is that he is to find driver struck first, butt it is doubtful if Oedipus did rest in a forbidden garden under such unlikely not excessively avenge his injuries. This inability auspices. The Eumenides, formerly terrifying de of the reader to establish blame reveals something mons of vengeance, have at this time altered their blameworthy in Oedipus himself. There is no hint function sufficiently to be called the Goddesses given in “Oedipus the King” that Oedipus ever pon Benignant as well. Now holding sway over the city dered whether he was not partially culpable for the, of Athens and its households, the Eumenides seem to murders. When Oedipus states, “The past comes be strange comforters for the king who brought a back to me, 3” there is an intimation that he had plague upon his city and the son who destroyed his placed the incident beyond his retrospection. household. When the duality of their dread and Tiresias states to an unbelieving Oedipus, benignant nature is considered, however, the Eume Therefore, 1 tell you this: you have your eyesight nides are appropriate providers of succor for Oedi And cannot see the sin of your existence. pus. Cannot see where you live or whom you live with. Are ignorant of your parents, bring disgrace As was mentioned, the original function of the Upon your kindred in the world below Eumenides was to plague those who had spilt kindred And here on earth. 4 blood. They relentlessly pursued their prey through Sightless Tiresias can see origins to which the out the world. There is a close correspondence perceptive Oedipus is blind. By knowledge of this between the function of the Eumenides and that of truth, Tiresias the blind prophet is more powerful guilt. Like the Eumenides, guilt plagues and pursues than Oedipus the king. Oedipus is apart from his those possessed by it. Oedipus, as much as any rnan, source of being and until this point in “Oedipus the has become a victim of this painful sensation. King” has not been persistent in its pursuit. Oedipus Chorus: It is dreadful, sir, to waken long-slumber is not troubled by the question of guilt in the recog ing sorrow nized actions of his past and has not recognized Yet high are our hopes that the truth will be told much of his guilt. The state in which Oedipus finds at last. himself cannot stand secure against circumstance. Oed.: What now? According to Tiresias; Chorus: Of your anguish beyond all relief, all cure. And other horrors you could never dream of The grief that has held you fast. Will teach you who you are, will drag you down Oed.: As a stranger, a gues% I implore you not to To the level of your children. 5 uncover If the analogy evoked earlier between Oedipus and The shame I have had to endure. the elderly man is recalled, this passage as well as Chorus: Wide spread is the story and grows no less foreshadowing Oedipus’ disgrace foreshadows Oedi in the telling pus’ lessening the distance between his understand-^ Let us hear it rightly told; we are eager to learn.