Free King Oedipus Pride Essay Sample

The pride of king Oedipus is reflected by the initial question he asked his audience. He referred to them as the children, the latest generation born to him from Cadmus. He assumed ironic ridicule concerning the way they sat with wreathed sticks in supplication for him. He additionally identifies with pride by acknowledging that he was the most famous and that every man knows it. He goes ahead to identify the old man in the crowd and ridiculously tells him to be certain that he has found the help he so needed from Oedipus.

Oedipus was appointed to be the leader to in the Athenian kingdom around the 425BC. King Oedipus has been a stranger in the city for some time. However the citizens found it wise to appoint Oedipus as a king in the place of the initial king Laius. The initial king was murdered by unknown assailants and there was need to acquire a new king for the city. By this time Oedipus was a visitor and completely new to the city.

However the city dwellers preferred him over the other elite men in the society

He was their first choice since he was principled in all his endeavors. The city dwellers based their arguments on the past records that the stranger had. He was recorded to have saved the city from deadly sphinx.  This event was a very memorable one since it is severally mentioned in the pieces of work he prepared.  After being crowned king Oedipus was free to do anything he knew to excel. Therefore king Oedipus took for Himself Jocasta as his wife. Jocasta who was the wife the previous king Laius later turned out to be his own mother. It goes into record that the king was able to make a family with his newly acquired bride and they bore four children.

Additionally the priest’s comments correlate with his sentiments that he is that he is the greatest of all men. He was also pleased to hear that all those people gathered together in order to justify the aspect of him being overly proud. In return the king responded by saying that the he knew why the poor children (citizens) had come to him for help. However, he commented that their agony was so personal and never equaled his. He adds that having sent away his brother in law, Creon, the problems of the city would subside and that it was critical to have him consult and react to the revelation given to him by the gods.

On the return of Creon the king insisted to know whether the gods had sent him with any good tidings. However, the king claimed that although Creon was sent by the gods his words were not sufficient to instill in him fear or confidence of any kind. At one instance after allowing Creon some time to declare the message the gods had given out.  King Oedipus decided to avenge the murder case against the previous king Laius and in return protect the people of Thebes as well as his own life. Therefore the king opted to take a serious revenge action against the offenders.

The king meditated upon this matter for a while and chose to pass his final judgment

He courageously invoked curses on the specific unknown. On the other hand he requested the people to pray earnestly until the sin of bloodshed was fully avenged for in the whole land of Greece. However the king’s pride would be over within a short while. Creon came in to explain his knowledge and wisdom about the person who killed the king. However his suggestion to the king Oedipus was not accepted since the king suggested that Creon was jealous of the throne and planned to overthrow him. He was an equal to king Oedipus and Jocasta initially but did not enjoy similar privileges.

The two exchanged strongly until Creon exited but he suggested that the king invite Teiresias, a renowned prophet. The king disagreed with the prophet also on terms that he was being wrongly accused of murdering king Laius. King Oedipus got irritated by the increased accusation and vowed to punish the prophet as well as Creon. However, queen Jocasta came in time in order to address the accusation of murder. He explained the prophetic message passed a long time ago concerning the child who would be born to a woman, kill his father later in his life then get married to his own mother.

The queen also explained the incidences on how king Laius was killed at three cross roads and how a messenger brought back the news. After hearing this king Oedipus pride lowered as he now connected the story and the past happenings. The messengers involved were finally brought in to narrate the happenings in order to relive the king’s tension. However, the tension was heightened instead of being reduced.  The narrations revealed that his life was determined by fate and he lived to fulfill the prophetic words told to his mother a long time ago. The kings pride ends as shame, pain regret and humility as he is found telling his children that they were to relate with him as a brother and not as a father. He also agrees to be led by Creon since he is blind. 

 

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