The Downfall of Oedipus and Medea - Essay Example

Philosophy 16 April Downfall of Oedipus and Medea Introduction Any tragedy results because of the actions of an individual. As Aristotle also believes that that, “tragedy is a process of imitating an action which has serious implications… not presented through narratives; through a course of pity and fear completing the purification of tragic acts which have those emotional characteristics” (25). Sophocles and Euripides through the characterization of Oedipus and Medea present the readers with an interesting dilemma regarding importance of fate and destiny in an individual’s life and downfall. 2. Oedipus’s Downfall Oedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy about the life story of an orphan king, a warrior and a highly intelligent man who had a keen insight of life, human behaviors and nature and its phenomena. However, like all other tragedies this play also focuses on the downfall of Oedipus and interestingly enlightens the readers about power struggle between God and Man. Edith Hall also says, “Oedipus can only fulfill his exceptional god-ordained destiny because Oedipus is a preeminently capable and intelligent human being” (xvi). Although the ending of the play reiterates the fact that man is a puppet in the hands of fate and Gods. 2.1. Oedipus and his Intelligence The episode of Oedipus’s confrontation with the Sphinx is a testimony against his super intelligent brain. As Oedipus himself says, “When the Sphinx, that singing bitch, was here… Her riddle was not something the first man to stroll along could solve—a prophet was required. But then I came, Oedipus, who knew nothing. Yet I finished her off, using my wits rather than relying on birds” (Sophocles lines 469-478). From this point onwards the readers observe that Oedipus starts considering himself super human and the readers start realizing that he is forgetting his status of a mere mortal. The Priest also tries to remind him of his status of a human being by saying, “you are not divine so confine within your human limitations” (Sophocles 54). In contrast to Oedipus’s intelligence, Sophocles presents the readers with Teiresias who behaves like a man of wisdom yet he fears Gods and knows his place although he also attained his level of wisdom after losing his physical sight. Hence, regardless of Oedipus’s over intelligence Teiresias realizes that he is the most ignorant of men. Teiresias voices his opinion by saying, “How dreadful it can be to have wisdom when it brings no benefit” (Sophocles 374-376). 2.2. Oedipus and his Pride Oedipus because of his intelligence begins to consider himself invincible, which can be equated to his arrogance or pride. This invincibility can be interpreted from his dialogues with Teiresias where he repeatedly asserts his higher intellect as he also says at one point, “Mock my excellence, but you will find out I am truly great” (Sophocles 534-535). Sophocles strategically places Teiresias’s character in order to remind Oedipus of his follies though to no avail as he bluntly says to Oedipus, “That quality of yours now ruins you” (Sophocles 536). ‘That quality’ which Teiresias refers to can be perceived as both a reference to his over intelligence as well as his arrogance. 2.3. Oedipus and Fate Although it is observed that all the action that takes place in the play occurs according to the prophecies. Yet the readers cannot ignore the fact that the idea of fate or prophecy is an abstract idea. This conclusion can be drawn fro Teiresias’s comment that, “Yet events will still unfold, for all my silence. It is not your fate to fall because of me” (Sophocles 407-409). Teiresias here clearly declares that fate or prophecy has nothing to do with the Oedipus’s approaching suffering but it is Apollo is the actual cause of Oedipus’s suffering and pain. 2.4. Oedipus and Apollo The relation between the mortal and the God can be categorized as an apt explication of power struggle. Oedipus says, “When a man has no fear of doing the act, he’s not afraid of words” (Sophocles 350). This comment can again be categorized as a proof of Oedipus’s belief that because of his over intelligence he has not only become a prophet but can also compete with the Gods. However, he does not realize that he is still a puppet in this world that has been created to act according to God’s will. As it is stated in the play, “Apollo and Zeus are truly wise—they understand what humans do. But there is no sure way to ascertain if human prophets grasp things any more than I do, although in wisdom one man may leave another far behind” (Sophocles 598-603). This comment again shows that superior intelligence or wisdom does not promise ultimate enlightenment of mind and soul as only God have complete knowledge. A similar conclusion is also drawn from Teiresias’s dialogue, “It is not your fate to fall because of me. It’s up to Apollo to make that happen. He will be enough” (Sophocles 407-410). 2.5. Oedipus’s Downfall After reading the play the readers question the reason for Apollo’s silence for twenty years before declaring or seeking justice for Laius’s murder. Moreover the readers also seek an explanation for the fact that neither Oedipus’s killing of the Sphinx (which figuratively was a riddle about God and his hidden powers) and nor his marriage to his mother is looked upon as a sin but only Laius’s murder is highlighted. One explanation can be that it was Apollo’s intent to let Oedipus reach such level of superiority where he considered himself equivalent to God and then by destroying him set an example that no man can become a God because man is nothing but a weak creature governed by the God’s will. Hence, this led to Oedipus’s downfall. As Oedipus himself says before he makes himself blind, “It was Apollo, friends, it was Apollo. He brought on these troubles—the awful things I suffer. But the hand which stabbed out my eyes was mine alone” (Sophocles 1582-85). On the other hand, another cause of Oedipus’s downfall can be his quest for knowledge and his fear that ultimately led him to destruction. Throughout the play, Oedipus’s thirst for seeking the truth and sense of curiosity is so strong that even though Jocasta realizes that if Oedipus gets successful in solving the mystery of her late husband’s murder it is only going to lead to more chaos and misery. Therefore, she tries to stop him but he pays no heed to those warnings and hence has to face the bitter reality. As Jocasta tries to stop him by saying, There’s no point in trying to sort out what he said… In the name of the gods, no! If you have some concern for your own life, then stop! Do not keep investigating this. I will suffer—that will be enough. Listen to me, I beg you. Do not do this (Sophocles 1266-72). Then again, he also confesses that he fears that he has actually killed his father. This acceptance of his fears is apparent from the lines, “but then I was misguided by my fears But my mother’s bed—I am afraid of that. And surely I should be?” (Sophocles 1156-58). Since unconsciously Oedipus realized his folly on a sub-conscious level but is not willing to confront it in reality. Although when that happened, it not only led to remorse and guilt and destroyed him forever. As Kitto also believes that through this Sophocles wanted to make the readers realize that, It is wrong, in the face of the incomprehensible and unmoral, to deny the moral laws and accept chaos. What is right is to recognize facts and not delude ourselves. The universe is a unity; if, sometimes, we can see neither rhyme nor reason in it we should not suppose it is random. There is so much that we cannot know and cannot control that we should not think and behave as if we do know and can control (30). 3. Medea Euripides play Medea is a tale about a Priestess who marries a mortal and then avenges his betrayal by murdering his two sons so that he will suffer the loss forever. Euripides through this particular tragedy elevates the status of the women from being chattels or nameless creatures to givers as well as snatchers of life. 3.1. Medea: Priestess Unlike Oedipus who through out the course of the play was a human being Medea has been bestowed with super human powers due to which she is known as a Priestess. However, she chooses to step down from her status of a Priestess when she marries Jason and her distress and suffering, when she speaks from the inside of her home is a proof that during her marriage to Jason she has been living the life of a normal housewife. As it is stated, “from inside the house] The pain of this suffering—this intense pain” (Euripides 178). In addition, “[within] O great Themis and noble Artemis, do you see what I am having to endure, when I'm the one who bound that cursed man” (Euripides 188-190). From this point onwards, she begins to realize that for love she had let go of her powers and had forgotten that she is the powerful one and has the power to make others suffer rather than suffering this pain herself. Hence, from this point onwards Medea is reborn as Priestess as well as a woman who is burning with the fire of revenge as she says, “Alas, love's a miserable thing for mortal men. I'll turn three of my enemies to corpses—father, daughter, and my husband. Now, I can slaughter them in many ways” (Euripides 390-394). Medea leaving the sanctuary of her home and saying these dialogues to Creon outside her house also has a lot of symbolic significance i.e. it represents her figurative actions of shedding the garb of a docile housewife and transforming into a super human creature. 3.2. Medea: Fertility Goddess After Medea’s transformation Euripides further elevates her status to that of a Fertility Goddess when she offers to provide the King of Athens i.e. Aegeus with children. As she says, “Accept me as a suppliant in your home your native land. If you will take me in, may the gods then answer your desire to have children… I'll end your childlessness. I know the sorts of medicines to use, and I can help you have many children” (Euripides 845-853). Yet at the same time, she has also made the hardest decision of her life i.e. she decides to kill her own flesh and blood; her sons in order to make Jason suffer. As she says, “They must die—that's unavoidable, no matter what. Since that must happen, then their mother, the one who gave them life, will kill them. At all events it's settled. There's no way out” (Euripides 1250-54). Although her actions appear to be brutal and heartless, yet in the hindsight it also contains a lot of depth because here Euripides has portrayed her as the Goddess of Fertility as she has the power of giving life as per her agreement with Aegeus. Yet she can take away life as well, as she takes away Jason’s sons away from him. This elevation also highlights the fact that man has no power it is the woman who has been bestowed with this quality of making him powerful or render him helpless. 3.3. Medea and Fate In the last scene of the play, “Medea appears in a winged chariot, rising above the house The bodies of the two children are visible in the chariot” (stage direction). This chariot from the sun God holds a lot of significance because in the end her status from a Priestess has been literally raised to that of a Goddess. Moreover although the chorus laments and ridicules her as a “wretched heartless woman” (Euripides 1516) she is not just a mortal any more. Hence, under this context it can be inferred that Medea in the end becomes fate herself as she first killed her two sons and later Apollo sends him the chariot, which means her actions were justified in the eyes of the Gods. Moreover, in ancient times Athens was considered The City of Gods so since she is going there this further asserts her elevated status of a Goddess. Works Cited Hall, Edith. Antigone; Oedipus the King; Electra. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962. Print. Johnston, Ian. Viu.ca. Vancouver Island University. n.d. Web. 17 April 2012. Johnston, Ian. Viu.ca. Vancouver Island University. n.d. Web. 17 April 2012. Kitto, H.D.F. Sophocles: Dramatist & Philosopher. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1989. Print. Read More