Oedipus Synthesis

How has your view of Oedipus developed and changed over the course of the play?

From beginning to end, Oedipus undergoes a dramatic change of once a self righteous king of Thebes to a letdown. My view of Oedipus from the very beginning was portrayed as an arrogant king who primary focus was on himself, rather than the welfare of his people. His position as king gave him authority to assert his superiority like, “You scum of the earth/ you’d enrage a heart of stones”(380-381) and “Out with it once and for all!”(383). Those were just some accounts of Oedipus enforcing his power, towards anyone who didn't share his same view. The play goes on, Oedipus mental stability slowly deteriorates as he finds about his tragic destiny since he was born. We see him once as a mighty ruler of Thebes to a fallen man in his own misery.  

Ultimately, what important understanding have you gained about family, society, leadership, etc., through Oedipus and his tragedy?

After going through Oedipus the King, it reshaped my perspective on society. The overall takeaway is that

an individual should not be pressured by society’s norms. We see that Oedipus is far from a perfect icon 

and his judgments are impaired based on his position in hierarchy. Although, the prophecy predicted that he 

may commit insect which is a social taboo, he still remains clouded by the bliss of his notoriety, “I count 

myself the son of Chance/ the great goddess, giver of all good things-/ I’ll never see myself disgraced”(1188-

1190).Towards the conclusion, Oedipus understands that his unfortunate choices led him to be banished 

from his kingdom. He remained under the ignorance until it was too late. Overall, society has a major impact

on Oedipus’s choices and it cost him his positioning as a father and as a father for Thebes.