One day in class, we discussed how self-importance was a characteristic of existentialism. Well, after reading the first par of Oedipus Rex today, I can't help but to notice the selfishness that Oedipus Rex displays.
Take, for example, his talk with Kreon. Kreon claims that he is a sane man, so he would never want to take over he throne because it would result in a lot of stress. He wants to have extra freedoms, but he does not want to be overwhelmed by too much authority. Oedipus thinks that Kreon is trying to sabotage him so that he can win the throne. After all, it is hard to believe a seer who says that you killed your own father. Eventually, though, this conversation exposes how self-centered he is because he wants to banish Kreon from the kingdom without taking his story into account. His greed for power blinds him.
Another example is the discussion the priest had with the Oedipus prior to Kreon's arrival to the kingdom. Oedipus claims that he feels the pain and suffering much worse than every other citizen because he is the people's king. This isn't exactly vanity, but it shows that Oedipus lies in order to connect with his citizens. He is living a comfortable life in the palace, while all the average citizens are struggling to survive through the plague. Stretching the truth can relate to being selfish because it shows how he is trying to maintain a reputation so that he won't be overthrown as king.
My DI group discussed existentialism in Oedipus Rex and we all concluded that there are plenty of examples that show this philosophy. I guess Jean-Paul Sartre wasn't the first to invent existentialism. That honor goes to Sophocles.
I see how existentialism applies in this story, partly. The selfishness is present, but one key element is missing. Existentialism states that one's actions make one's future. Oedipus does everything he can to avoid his fate, but he can't get away from it. If Oedipus had been able to control his destiny, I think existentialism would really be in play here.
ReplyDeleteI am years late in replying, but I have a contrary interperetation. His actions do make his future. When he chooses to kill someone (a part of the story we do not learn much about-- perhaps intentionally), he played into his fate of murdering his father. If he wanted to avoid it he could've refrained from ever killing anyone. Same goes with marrying his mother
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