Oedipus foretold future leads him to the blind destiny he was trying so desperately to escape. At the beginning of this tragedy, Oedipus took many actions leading to his downfall. Instead of waiting for the plague to end, out of compassion for his suffering people of Thebes, Oedipus orders Creon to seek the oracle at Delphi. Oedipus is like many of us today, so caught up in the future that we fail to recognize our past. Oedipus looks for the truth from the beginning and at the end the truth destroys him. Oedipus is different from the beginning to the end.
He starts out as a king who is committed to solve the plague, which has cause the country harm. "Be sure that I would gladly give all aid." (9-10) He seemed determined to work as loyal as honest king. He puts all the respect he deserves at the beginning.
Cadmus Sowing the Dragon's teeth, by Maxfield Parr...
Oedipus and the Sphinx of Thebes, Red Figure Kylix...
English: Cottontop Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) in t...Both Creon and Joacasta are happy to see the new king. But they only don't know the truth behind Oedipus. The conversation with Teiresias best describes how he badly wanted to defend himself. "Know that thou seamiest to me to have helped in plotting the deed and to have done it, short of slaying with they hands." (485) He tries to put the murder on Teiresias, so he can move on and become more respected. In the beginning he starts out to be clever and smart king. At the end he is left with nothing. He suffered and locked as an animal by his father. "Father-citizens, having learned the Oedipus the king lay dire charges against me, I am here, Indignant." Ordipus victim number two is creon. He makes an important comment, where he disgustingly charges Creon for the wrong doing of the rumors and the killing of Laius. Oedipus really takes care of searching for the truth in the beginning. He fears that the oracles have spoken the truth and that he is no longer in shades of lies. Still at the point he denies that he had anything to do with slain of Laius. At the end, he is a man with no power what so ever. In defending his honor, he kills Laios. Unaware that the gods have used him, and that he has fallen into their trap, he completes the first part of the prophecy: "I should be my father's murderer"
"I know not with what eyes I could even have looked on my father, when I came to the place of the dead, aye, or on my miserable mother, since against both I have sins such sings and straggling could not punish."(1430) He has committed a sin, which there is no punishment but suffering. He says "my father be my father's much as one that's nothing to me? (1080). At the end, Oedipus certainly changes from a loyal and honest person to a defying son and a backstabber. It was in his faith to suffer and to live a lie. He ripped the eyes out, so he can not see the world the same as he did before. As you can see Oedipus changes from the beginning to the end as an evil being. He touches the hand of her daughter and is fully disgraced of what he has done. To marry you own mother and backstab your father is not even devil himself would think of. Oedipus definitely changes from loyal and honest to a lying and a hatred king. For example, he said he would help the people find the killer, and so he did at the end. Even thought the truth took his eyesight. His definitely changed from the beginning to the end.
He has an ability to change from sincere character to an untrustworthy character. Sure you can hide the truth but doesn't the truth always came back to haunt you? It did for Oedipus. Oedipus intelligence brought him to power but his stubbornness brought him blindness.
Oedipus slaying the sphinx. Attic red-figured leky...
Oedipus complex: Oedipus explains the riddle of th...
Oedipus (on the right), the Sphinx (on the middle)...