On Wednesday, we read the book, Oedipus by Sophocles. It was about a king who was prophesied to marry his mother and father her children after killing his own father. Now, just knowing this, the plot sounds like an awful time. I mean, who would want to kill their father and then marry their mother and be the father to her children, who are also your siblings in a way. Obviously, this isn’t good. So Oedipus attempts to avoid this prophecy.
Not only was Oedipus prophesied, but his mother was given a parallel prophecy. Her prophecy was that her son would kill his father and then marry her and father her children. Sound familiar? Of course she would hate for this to happen. Who would want their son to kill their husband and then marry them and father their children? So Jocasta, Oedipus’s mother, does everything she can to avoid this prophecy.
Ironically, in both of their attempts to not let their prophecies come true, Oedipus and Jocasta almost ensured that they would most definitely come true. Jocasta gave up her son to the wolves, bound by the ankles. Oedipus was shortly after found and adopted. When he found out his prophecy, he ran away from his adopted parents, whom he did not know were not his biological parents. On his way out, he was jumped. He blindly killed everyone who jumped him. In that group was his biological father.
He then met and married Jocasta the widow. Since he was bound up by the ankles when he was very young, Oedipus’s ankles were deformed. This should have been a red flag to Jocasta. But she paid no attention.
When they both figure out what has happened, Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus wishes to kill Jocasta, but she kills herself first, so instead, he gouges his eyes out. I was definitely not a fan of this part. It was so vivid and the detail was so realistic. I could feel the pain in my own eyes.
This story took tragedy to a whole new level. Tragedy usually targets the main character and makes them lose something significant. Not only did Oedipus target more than one person, it also projected tragedy completely differently. No one would want to accidentally kill their father then marry their mother and father their sons/siblings. The trauma that such a thing would ensue on someone is unimaginable. The trauma actually made Jocasta kill herself, she was so hurt.
Not only was Oedipus prophesied, but his mother was given a parallel prophecy. Her prophecy was that her son would kill his father and then marry her and father her children. Sound familiar? Of course she would hate for this to happen. Who would want their son to kill their husband and then marry them and father their children? So Jocasta, Oedipus’s mother, does everything she can to avoid this prophecy.
Ironically, in both of their attempts to not let their prophecies come true, Oedipus and Jocasta almost ensured that they would most definitely come true. Jocasta gave up her son to the wolves, bound by the ankles. Oedipus was shortly after found and adopted. When he found out his prophecy, he ran away from his adopted parents, whom he did not know were not his biological parents. On his way out, he was jumped. He blindly killed everyone who jumped him. In that group was his biological father.
He then met and married Jocasta the widow. Since he was bound up by the ankles when he was very young, Oedipus’s ankles were deformed. This should have been a red flag to Jocasta. But she paid no attention.
When they both figure out what has happened, Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus wishes to kill Jocasta, but she kills herself first, so instead, he gouges his eyes out. I was definitely not a fan of this part. It was so vivid and the detail was so realistic. I could feel the pain in my own eyes.
This story took tragedy to a whole new level. Tragedy usually targets the main character and makes them lose something significant. Not only did Oedipus target more than one person, it also projected tragedy completely differently. No one would want to accidentally kill their father then marry their mother and father their sons/siblings. The trauma that such a thing would ensue on someone is unimaginable. The trauma actually made Jocasta kill herself, she was so hurt.