The Setting of Oedipus the King - Essay Example

            The simple geography of the land is the most obvious part of any setting and in this play, that common element contributes to the tragic consequences that befall Oedipus.   Oedipus meets Laius at a crossroads that is not only metaphorical but geographical as well.  Had Oedipus not been traveling upon that particular path at the particular moment, he could perhaps have physically avoided the confrontation that leads to murder.  Indeed, even had this not been avoided, had Oedipus lived in a different geographical area, perhaps he could have jumped aboard a ship and traveled farther away from his date with destiny, or he might have been able to travel to an exotic and foreign land which would further undermine his ability to live out the curse.  Although it is a simple matter, geographical consequences factor into the tragic spin of Oedipus’ life.

            Geography plays in partnership with the times in which Oedipus lived to forestall his ability to successfully escape his tragic fate.   Oedipus’ tale is an ancient one and it has extended into contemporary times, but rather through the psychological strain of the Oedipus complex than as a plot mechanism.  The reason for this is that as a plot device, it would be almost impossible to tell this story and make it believable.  Had Oedipus lived in a time of more modern transportation methods, he would have been able to escape to a far more distant land and therefore would have had a better chance of escaping the Oracle’s horrific prediction.  Oedipus is as much a prisoner of time as he is of place.   Were he born in a different time he could have escaped the confines that his geography placed upon him.

            Time and place come together in the final element of the setting that determines the inexorable hardship of Oedipus.  Oedipus takes place when the Thebans and other peoples of that land believed in the mythology of gods and the ability of oracles to foretell the future.  The true tragedy of Oedipus lies in believing in the supernatural and superstitious.  Had Oedipus not believed fully in the same gods that all other people believed in back then, he might have had the strength to question the entire concept of fate and destiny.  He might, perhaps, have returned to the people he believed to be his parents and questioned them and would have found out the truth.  Instead, Oedipus blindly followed along the route of superstition until he ironically became truly blind by seeing the truth too late.

            The setting of a play often, though probably not always, has a part in determining the hardships of the characters.  Especially in the case of Oedipus the King, Oedipus is affected by the setting.  Had his story not taken place in the time and place in which it did, his reaction to events would probably different substantially, leading to a completely different outcome.