Prophecies in The Odyssey and Oedipus the King - Research Paper Example

Prophecies in The Odyssey and Oedipus the King An creative works will start from an idea that may get seeded into his/her mind. That ‘seeding’ of thought could be initiated or influenced by the culture in which the author lives or lived. One of the key aspects of ancient Greek culture was prophecies, and so authors of both fictional as well as non-fictional works have incorporated prophecies or prophetic elements. Prophecies as well prophets were abundant in the ancient Greek culture, and Greek authors have used fictional prophecies as part of their plots or to take forward their plots. One of the key purposes of using the prophecies is to reveal to the readers at the outset itself, the course, the work or the main protagonist will take. Although, it may reveal the crux of the plot, on the other level, it will heighten the curiosity of the readers regarding whether the prophecies will come true or how the prophecies will come true. Another key perspective of using prophecies is to state the fact that human lives will always be controlled by superior powers or external forces, without any chance of them controlling it. This perspective of prophecy was aptly used in the Greek works, Oedipus the King and The Odyssey. This paper will discuss how the lives of the main protagonists Oedipus and Odysseus were dictated by these prophecies, with Oedipus’ prophecies leading to his downfall and tragedy, while prophecies for Odysseus leading to success. Oedipus’ downfall and the role of prophecies Oedipus fate, it seems, has been sealed even before he is born, with the prophecy coming from Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. As King Laius and Jocasta did not have any children after many years of marriage, they consulted the Oracle at Delphi regarding their childlessness. The Oracle gave out the prophecy that if Jocasta bears a son, that son would kill her husband King Laius and will also marry her. This prophecy was recollected by Jocasta later, “An oracle once came to Laius declaring he was doomed/To perish by the hand of his own son, A Child that should be born to him by me” (Sophocles 51). To prevent his prophecy from actualizing only Oedipus was ordered to be killed. However, he survives and was cared by King Polybus of Corinth and his wife Merope, who raise him as their own. After hearing rumors that Polybus and Merope are not his real biological parents, he coincidently meets the same Oracle at Delphi to clarify his doubts. Without directly answering Oedipus’ question on parentage, the Oracle again repeats the earlier prophecy but in different words, from the perspective of Oedipus. Oedipus recollects this prophecy in later part, “I should mate with mine own mother, and shed/With my own hands the blood of my own sire” (Sophocles 69). Assuming that Polybus and Merope are his real parents and fearing that he could kill them, Oedipus leaves Corinth. However, the first part of the prophecy comes true, when he meets his real father King Laius on his journey. During the unintentional meeting, a quarrel ensues between them and that leads Oedipus to kill Lauis. While continuing the journey, he solves the Sphinx riddle, thereby freeing the kingdom of Thebes from the Sphinx’s curse. Because of that action, he is made the king of Thebes (which is without any king, after Laius’ killing) and so gets married to Jocasto, his biological mother. Thus, the second part of the prophecy also comes true, with Oedipus getting no chance to avert it, thus proving that prophecies clearly dictated his life. That is, first he kills Laius without knowing that Lauis is his biological father, and also he marries his own mother, ignorant of his parentage. Even after the prophecies gets fulfilled, some more prophecies come from Teiresias, which reveals to Oedipus the truths behind Oracle’s prophecies, thus leading to grave guilt and eventual blinding. In the kingdom, there was onslaught of plague. To prevent it, Oedipus seeks the counsel of Oracle at Delphi, who states that he need to find Laius’ killers, although he is the actual killer. To help him find the king’s murderers, he approaches Teiresia. It is Teiresias who reveals the truth to him, but Oedipus does not accept it and even threatens Teiresias in the initial stages. That is, he refuses to tell him about the murder and so getting angry, Oedipus blames Teiresias to have been involved in the murder. However, Teiresias counters King Oedipus for the insult and tells him he is to blame for the pollution of the land as he is the murderer. " To twit me with my blindness-thou hast eyes, Yet seest not in what misery thou art fallen." (Sophocles 28). These words indirectly foretold the final fate of Oedipus as well. That is, when Oedipus becomes aware of his past actions, he falls into a state of depression and shock. He is unable to handle the terrible fate that has befallen him due to the predestined prophecies, which he thinks is the acts of god. So, he decides to blind himself, as he did not want to see the miseries that his actions have brought upon him. "The alternative of suicide is directly before him. He takes up her golden pins...blinds himself. It is Sophocles point that Oedipus sees two possibilities and chooses the harder and more painful course" (Smith 92). After one reads Oedipus the King, one can get the feeling that whatever Oedipus does, he destined by prophecies to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus did not had any intentions to kill his father or marry his mother, however those ‘crimes’ could not be stopped from occurring with some external superior forces acting and making the prophecies come true Odysseus’ success and the role of prophecies Homer’s The Odyssey recounts Odysseus’ adventurous ten-year voyage to his home in Ithaca, after his victory in Troy, which was also predestined by prophecies. The first four chapters of The Odyssey detail the plight of the house of Odysseus and how Telemachus is fighting alone. The house of Odysseus has been overrun by eager suitors and zealous usurpers of power who wait desperately for news of his death. However, Odysseus is alive and after successfully surmounting all the obstacles, kills all the occupiers, on the lines of the revealed prophecies. The main prophet in The Odyssey is Tiresias, who clearly prophesied that Odysseus will emerge victorious although odds were stacked against him. Tiresias was actually a dead prophet, and Odysseus met him in one of his ‘visions’ in the underworld for dead. During that vision, Tiresias gave prophecies about many aspects of Odysseus journey, and how he will have to avoid certain things and how he had to carry out certain actions, to remain alive and reach his home. “He prophesized most aspects of Odysseus’ journey accurately and because of him, Odysseus was able to survive his wanderings.” (ancientgreece.com). One of the important prophecies given by Tiresias and also by another prophet Circe, and which controlled Odysseus’ action in the positive direction, is regarding the landing on the island of Thrinacia. Tiresias has warned Odysseus to avoid Thrinacia and mainly avoid killing any of the Helios cattle there, or he will suffer a fatal end. But he was forced to land, due to the insistence of his men, who despite the oath to Odysseus not to kill the cattle, slaughter them fearing starvation. However, Odysseus plays no part in the killing trusting the prophecy of Tiresias, and that prophecy came true as thunderbolt which struck their ship did not kill Odysseus, while all his men get killed. It was Tiresias who also prophesied that he will be able to kill all the occupiers in Ithaca and restore order, thereby reclaiming his position. Thus, it is clear that prophecies in The The Odyssey, gave Odysseus a clear path to travel and make sure there is no other outcome, which was accepted by Odysseus as well, who says “no doubt these are the threads of destiny which the gods themselves have spun.” (Homer 143). Although, it appears that Odysseus have heroically surmounted all the innumerable odds including the battle with the magical monsters with his power, strength and will, the subtext is, he was prophesized to do that. “These prophecies, sprinkled liberally throughout Homer’s tale, seem to lend support to the idea that Odysseus’ fate was already sealed twenty years ago.” Conclusion From the above analysis of how prophecies could dictate the human lives, it is clear that Oedipus and Odysseus meet different ends mainly because of their prophecies or prophecies related to them. That is, Oedipus’s prophecies mainly bordered on negativity, mistakes and depression, while Odysseus’ prophecies bordered on solutions, help to answers and escape from troubles. Oedipus is not accountable for his wrongs for he was a prey of his fate or prophecies which was dictating his actions. On the other hand, although Odysseus exhibited his valor and acumen while overcoming the obstacles, it appears he was guided and destined by prophecies to achieve it. Works Cited ancientgreece.com. Greek Life as Depicted in Homers Epic: The The Odyssey. 10 November 2010. Homer. The The Odyssey. Trans. By Emile Victor Rieu, D. Christopher H. Rieu. New York: Penguin. 2003. Morgan, Delia. Gods, Fates, and Men: The Tangled Strands of Destiny in The The Odyssey. 26 April 2000. 10 November 2010. Smith, Helaine L. Masterpieces of classic Greek drama. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 Sophocles. Oedipus the King. London: Filiquarian Publishing, LLC. 2006 Read More