How Did Oedipus Solve The Riddle Of The Sphinx

“You came and by your coming saved our city, freed us from the tribute which we paid of old to the Sphinx, cruel singer”(39-41), This tells us Oedipus’ pasts and how his insight helped him become king of Thebes. “Not twice you shall say calumnies like this and stay unpunished”(417-418), Here Oedipus claims that Teiresias accusing him of the murder is wrong and impossible. Due to his ignorance, Oedipus believes that Creon and Teiresias are plotting to overthrow him from the throne. Even later in the play there is a point when he absentmindedly remarks, "Strange, hearing you just now . . . my mind wandered, my thoughts racing back and forth”(800-802), where he is maybe considering that he may actually be the murderer. Yet Oedipus does not blame himself for the plague of the city, instead he tries to place the burden onto others as he continues his investigation, blindly trusting his own superior ability while ignoring the obvious evidence that surrounds him. Continuing the metaphor of sight and blindness, Sophocles uses it to shows how Oedipus is unwilling to accept his true fate and is blinded, and ignorant to his past actions. This also brings about irony due to the fact that Oedipus was made famous in Thebes for his keen insight, by solving the riddle of the Sphinx, but is unable to clearly see his current

Sphinx.  Oedipus  helps  the  lives  of  many  by  taking  out  the  Sphinx,  this  act  causes  many  to  see

Remaining true to the characteristics of Ancient Literature, Sophocles reveals Oedipus’ identity and something about his character when the Queen reveals a prophecy that was spoken to King Laios about his son, “It said that Laios was destined to die at the hands of a son born to him and me. Yet, as rumor had it, foreign bandits killed Laios at a place where three roads meet”

In Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses his protagonist, Oedipus, to explore his pursuit of knowledge, which leads to his tragic destruction. Oedipus is a favorable king who is determined to end the curse that has been brought upon the city because the murderer of his predecessor, Laius, still lies in the city. Ironically, Oedipus delivers the curse to the city because he murdered his father, Laius. Oedipus’s desire to gain knowledge and bring the murderer of Laius to justice, results in his downfall, which causes the people around him to be greatly affected as well.

“Come then, my seer! Tell us: of what consists your qualification? Where were you when the Great Bitch, that Sphinx who sang her deadly puzzles outside this city and who needed the art of a genuine seer to answer those puzzles, where were you then? Why did you not save the city then? Where were your gods then? Where were your birds? It was I! Yes I, Oedipus, who knew nothing of such things who shut that monster’s mouth; not by magic or by signs of birds but by my own brain. So! Here you are, now! Intending to send me away from here, hoping to hang around Creon’s throne! For this outrage, Teiresias, you shall pay with tears; you, Teiresias and he, the chief plotter. And were it not for your advanced years,

In this passage Oedipus questions whether or not he is truly to blame for the murder of Laïos, but in his heart, he doesn’t think it could be his fault. Sophocles uses this moment to allow the reader to see what is really going on in the play. Because of this, the plot becomes a little clearer and we begin to see how the story will play out in the end. After making the oath to kill the man who murdered Laïos, his pride allows him to feel obligated to do what he can when he finds out that he is the reason the king is

During his interaction with the priest, he boastfully says, “I Oedipus whom all men call the Great.” (Oedipus the king, Sophocles line 7). Also, Giving the right answer to the sphinx’s riddle thus saving Thebes from the tribute which they paid to the sphinx, which no man before him could do, and the manner in which the Priest present his request to Oedipus to rescue them from the plague makes him haughty. While requesting for Oedipus’s help, the priest makes him feel as a superior being, which boast him and this is seen from Sophocles’ choice of word in the priest’s speech referring to Oedipus as “You the first of men”, “Greatest in all men’s eyes”, “Noblest of all men”, “You its savior.” Most of his speech is aimed at boasting Oedipus and it eventually works because as the plot develops, we see Oedipus being blinded by his pride. Being able at first to see a truth which no one else could, gives him the impression of being clever and full of knowledge, but throughout his investigation to find Laius’s murderer, he will come out of his illusion and discover his internal blindness and ignorance but way before he realises it, we see Oedipus going through a series of event during which he chooses to remain blind to the

When the events of Oedipus begin to unfold, and when Oedipus is slowly realizing that he has fulfilled the prophecy, he still maintains his pride. When Tiresias is trying to explain to Oedipus that he was, in fact, the killer of Laius, Oedipus disregards him, stating that he is merely "spouting riddles"(25). Tiresias rebuts, stating that Oedipus of all people, the one who bested the sphinx, would have no problem solving riddles. Oedipus cannot ignore this taunt, and allows Tiresias to continue, since he "challenge[d] there [his] strongest point"(25). Oedipus' pride prevented him from listening to Tiresias, but it allowed him to continue listening to him at the same time. By acknowledging Oedipus' feat of besting the sphinx, Tiresias was allowed to continue talking to Oedipus, which begs the question of whether or not Oedipus truly desired to hear the rest of Tiresias' words. One thing is for certain, yet again. Oedipus; pride is preventing him from solving his problems. Closer to the end of the story, when Oedipus finds out that he was abandoned by his true mother and father and left in the wilderness to die as an infant, his pride seemingly increases. His

In the play Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses dramatic irony to frustrate the audience and create suspense. After the first chorus, Oedipus vows to avenge the death of King Laius and “become [the] son” that Laius could have had if his life did not end (I.i.681). This scene frustrates the audience because they know Oedipus is the murderer, but he is either completely clueless or in denial. Oedipus’ refusal to accept the truth engages spectators by building the urge to witness the realization of his wrong doings. While Oedipus is speaking to Tiresias the prophet, he accuses the prophet of taking the life of the king. In response, the prophet told Oedipus he is “living in [dark] shame with the closest of [his]

Oedipus was in denial when Teiresias told him that he was the murder. I noticed that my patient suffers from hubris, the dangerous excess of pride. When he was told that he was the murderer he was in denial, which could be expected as he had know idea of the deed that he had done, but he began to snap at Teiresias. He said, "When the dark singer, the sphinx, was in your country, did you speak word of deliverance to its citizens? And yet the riddle's answer was not the province of a chance comer. It was a prophet's task and plainly you had no such gift of prophecy...I solved the riddle by my own wit alone." (Sophocles 7). Oedipus was arrogant and had too much pride, he accused Teiresias, the man that came to help him, as being inferior and questioned his gift of prophecy. I believe his hubris also impacted how he treated people. As King he was cornered of other people and was also very noble, after his name was in question he became very defensive. He began only listening to himself and his arrogance also lead to his demise. I believe that his hubris impacted his fall down Maslow's Hierarchy as well. It eventually lead to him losing his needs of self esteem and loving and

In the opening lines of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus introduces himself saying “Here I am myself—you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus” (7-9). With this declaration, Oedipus asserts his importance and universally renowned identity as the man who solved the riddle that freed the city of Thebes from the Sphinx. A large part of Oedipus’s character, therefore, is to determine the answers to questions unknown; his ambition stems from his desire to realize the truth. Oedipus recognizes that he must do something to save his people from the plague that is slowing destroying them because he “would be blind to misery not to pity [his] people kneeling at [his] feet” (14-15). Oedipus sends Creon to seek out the oracle for guidance, and Creon returns with a message and suggests that he tell Oedipus the news in private behind closed doors. Oedipus, however, wants to show his openness to the truth and tells Creon, “Speak out, speak to all us. I grieve for these, my people, far more than I fear for my own life” (104-106). When Oedipus learns that he must find the murderer of Laius in order to rid Thebes of the plague, he declares that he will “stop at nothing” to “lay [his] hands on the man who shed [Laius’s] blood …” (302-203). Oedipus declares that he will fight for Laius as if the man was his father, a statement that contains a

All throughout Oedipus the King, Sophocles has Oedipus on an unknown journey from ignorance to knowledge. Oedipus believes that he has nothing to do with the murder of King Laius even though the truth is laid out in front of him multiple times. As the story goes on, Oedipus begins to become more open-minded to new information that has an unknown cost. Therefore, through the journey to recognition, the once great and powerful Oedipus, can cause his own demise. Sophocles demonstrates that ignorance will blind one from the truth and knowledge will open one's eyes.

It is the responsibility of man to take ownership of his destiny which separates the human condition for that of other earthly beasts. From birth, Oedipus, the tragic hero of Sophocles’ Greek Tragedy Oedipus Rex, is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Although by the opening act of the play, Oedipus has earned the throne of Thebes for solving the riddle of the Sphinx, the eponymous character is unaware that he has already fulfilled his prophecy. Meanwhile, the people of Thebes are dying of a plague that will only end when the unknown murderer of Laius, the previous Theban King, is punished. Through retrospection, Oedipus believes that he might be responsible for Laius death and is told that the King and Queen of Corinth who

Sophocles’s reliance on dramatic irony is apparent throughout the entire story. From the start of the play—where Oedipus searches for the murderer of the fallen king—the audience is already aware of Oedipus’s story. Ironically, readers grasp that Oedipus was the murderer of Laius and therefore the cause of the plague. Oedipus himself, however, lacks any knowledge of his participation in the event and believes that he has managed to avoid the prophecy’s fruition. As such, Sophocles’s use of the device affects the way the plot progresses. Mainly, the author bases the conflict on Oedipus’s “blindness”. It draws out the story until it reaches its climax. Throughout the play, Oedipus is in denial of his involvement in the death of Laius despite being told several times of his guilt. One such time occurred when Teiresias, an old blind prophet, reluctantly told Oedipus of his actions. As to be expected, Oedipus reject his words with scorn, threatening the old man. “Do you imagine you can always talk like this, and live to laugh at it hereafter?” (lines 425-426) Oedipus further insults Teiresias physical blindness, not realizing his own metaphorical blindness. As per dramatic irony, however, readers know the one who is truly blind was Oedipus. Teiresias further makes this apparent. “You have your eyes but see not where you are in sin, nor where you live, nor whom you live with. Do you know who your parents are?” (lines 482-484) Events such as these seem to be a recurring theme in the play. Oedipus is made aware of the truth by another character, and then he fervently accuses them. Because of this, the audience becomes familiar with the pattern. The dramatic

Sophocles Oedipus the King is a tragic play which discusses the tragic discovery of Oedipus that he has killed his father and married his mother. The story of Oedipus was well-known to the Athenian's. Oedipus is the embodiment of the perfect Athenian. He is self-confident, intelligent, and strong willed. Ironically these are the very traits which bring about his tragic discovery. Oedipus gained the rule of Thebes by answering the riddle of Sphinx. Sophocles used the riddle of the sphinx as a metaphor for the 3 phases of Oedipus' life and to further characterized him as a tragic man. The Sphinx posed the following riddle to all who came to obtain the rule of Thebes: “What is it that walks on 4 feet and 2 feet and 3 feet and has only one voice, when it walks on most feet it is the weakest?” Oedipus correctly answered “Man” and became the king of Thebes. This riddle is a metaphor for the life of Oedipus. As a child man crawls on his hands and knees this is the four feet to which the Sphinx refers. Also, man is at his weakest as a small child. He depends solely on others for his nourishment and well-being. Oedipus was the child of Jocasta and King Laius who was taken to the mountain by a Shepard to be killed so the omen of the god Apollo that Laius' son would kill him and lay with Jocasta would not come true. Oedipus was the weakest of his life at this point.