How Is Pride Shown In Oedipus The King

Oedipus’ pride, drawn from his own heroic qualities, is one factor of his ruining. A hero characteristically prizes above all else his honor and the excellence of his life. When his honor

621 ln. 149-150) after Creon tells him why they stopped searching for Laius’s killer. Dramatic irony is present when Oedipus tries to skirt the horrible prophecy of him killing his father and coupling with his mother, because in fleeing Corinth to avoid murdering Polybus, he is actually taking the correct path to fulfill the prophecy. Again his overconfidence and pride contributes to his impending doom; in believing that he has outwitted the gods he challenges his fate. Although he has enough reverence to the deities not to assume himself to be an equal with the gods, but greater than them it is clear through the word usage that Oedipus perceives himself to be of a greater importance than the lesser mortals that surround him “One of you summon the city here before us, tell them I’ll do everything. God help us, we will see our triumph-or our fall” (p. 621 ln. 163-165). He is conceited to think that he can shape his own destiny and the gods punish him for this arrogance.

Oedipus’s tragic flaw is gained once he obtained his greatness and became king. Oedipus’s knowledge contained arrogance, and a metaphorical blindness that fosters his urge for the truth. Hence, Oedipus’s tragic flaw was his own intelligence, which later became curiosity for the all the burdens that is be fallen over his kingdom. He had a troubling obsession for learning the truth, so he could not sit aside so he went on a menacing quest for answers. Oedipus stated a message that reveled his flaw, “Then once more I must bring what is dark to light, but for my own sake to be rid of evil” ( Sophocles 134; 140). His pride and determination clouded his judgment to see the surface of the whole truth. The truth is Oedipus wanted to avoid his fate, but instead his own tragic flaw walked him into it. Even after Oedipus learned of the truth from the prophecy, his mind continued to deny what was the actual truth. The prophet spoke these words to Oedipus, “I say that you, with your eyes, are blind / you can not see the wretchedness of your life” (Sophocles 196-197). He still ventured on to find the alternative to his fate and he only became worse. Soon Oedipus’s pride corrupted his intelligence increasing his flaw. He now accused anyone who restated the prophecy and told all they were only after his crown.

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

The first incidents of Oedipus’ arrogance and pride were when he went to the Oracle of Delphi about his lineage. Even though the Oracle did not answer the question about his lineage, the Oracle did give him a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Thinking that he was doing the right thing by putting as much distance between his parents and himself, it was arrogance and pride that ruled him. He believed that he could out run the gods and defy prophecy. Another example of Oedipus’ arrogance was when he was forced off the road by another chariot; he lost his temper when the old man angered him causing the death of the old man and his aides. Because of his intelligence and his keen sense being able to solve riddles; again, his arrogance was when he solved the riddle of the Sphinx. The Sphinx was so distraught that

Blinded from his pride from his people and accomplishments, Oedipus is now

In this play Oedipus king of Thebes by Sophocles, Oedipus was full of pride he faces several number of consequences throughout the play. He challenges people, and the Gods, and told them he did not need them anymore, he is better than everyone, it turns out he was not. He needed help from the Gods, and Laius to help make decisions in life that he would not have regret. Oedipus ended up needing Gods help, he wanted Laius to care of his daughters and be the new king when Oedipus died. If Oedipus was helpful to everyone and not full of pride, he would never faced the challenges he did in life, like losing him mom forever and losing his eyes at the end.

The importance and development of pride within Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King causes Oedipus to reveal his true identity and learn a lesson of the unchangeable power of destiny. In the beginning of Oedipus’ journey, Oedipus decides to run away from home to escape his destiny in which he will marry his mother and kill his father. From this simple decision to run away from his fate, pride is introduced within Oedipus and it creates a mindset that he is far more superior than the gods as well as having the ability to choose his own path different from the gods’ will. Oedipus’s view of being set apart from the gods and his ambition to overcome his destiny sparks a desire for control, gradually instigating a self-centered attitude. As Oedipus impulse for control increases, it ignites a series of destruction and

Pride and arrogant dispositions appear in Oedipus the King from the main character because he believes he is the best. Oedipus’ prideful attitude causes his own fate, which is not what he expected. On the other hand, Oedipus’ pride is the result of his power he possesses. Subsequently, his arrogance causes him to become paranoid because he is scared of losing his hierarchical position. Hence, in Oedipus the King, the main character shows arrogance in the event of how he achieved the title that he holds.

When certain things happen, placing blame on a specific character can be a challenging task. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus’ arrogance and self conceit and uncontrolled temper, is what caused him to be mentally “blind,” resulting in him not being able to see the results of the prophecy unfolding right in front of him; and that he was his father’s murderer although he was unwilling to believe it. Even though many characters play a part in this prophecy, Oedipus’ is to blame for his own downfall. Being crowned king after solving the riddle of the murderous Sphinx, Oedipus carried a lot of self pride. Being told that a plague had cursed the city, he made it well known that he was willing to find and kill this “murderer,” until he later on realized he had cursed himself and also the city in which he swore to “free,” resulting in him gouging out his eyeballs and exiling himself from the city of Thebes, and his wife, also his mother; had hung herself before Oedious could figure out that she was his mother.

Throughout the playwright Oedipus displays two tragic flaws, wrath and pride. The most prominent of which is pride. This is shown when Oedipus speaks with Tiresias and boasts how he was the one who saved the city from the Sphinx. The other flaw wrath is displayed when he kills the group of travelers, who turned out to be Laius his blood father and his servants, that were harassing him. In addition, wrath is displayed again in unison with pride when Oedipus threaten to kill Creon for conspiring against him. As a result of these flaws Oedipus ends up fulfilling the prophecy given to him by the oracle at delphi. This effectively argues that Oedipus could have avoided his

Oedipus was certain that Tiresias would be a great help and share some important news. This is when the reader first starts to read the phrase that Oedipus is blind. In the text it states that Oedipus says, “ ‘It does but not for you, old man. You’ve lost your power, stone-blind, stone deaf-senses, eyes blind as stone!’ ” (Sophocles 420). This is important because the reader starts to understand that there is something important that Oedipus is missing. Yet, he can not figure it out because he can not get past his pride. Oedipus rejects every idea of fate and the idea of the Gods being in control. This makes a connection to his hubris as well and his downfall. Oedipus also mentions,” ‘Thou hast not spoken so loyally, nor friendly toward the State that bred thee, cheating her of this response.’ (Sophocles 430). At this point Oedipus’s ego is above the rood and he is declaring Tiresias as a

Pride like that of Oedipus had been the downfall of many great leaders. Oedipus is blinded by his arrogance and won’t accept the fact that he can’t avoid his fate. His pride first affects him when he is told about what his fate has in-store for him. Oedipus

Oedipus’s world revolves around the realms of power, truth, and ego. Throughout the play the astounding sense of pride is apparent, Oedipus’s crucial belief that he can overcome his fate through the play shows his pride and ego. “I thought it wrong, my children, to hear the truth from others, messengers, Here I am myself- you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus” (Oedipus the king p.159) Oedipus calls his people “My children” this suggests his sense of condescending control. Oedipus refers himself as “I, Oedipus, a name that all men know” this shows the audiences that he is aware of his power and reputation. All of Oedipus’s pride may have come from the belief that he has escaped his fate.

Oedipus is very full of himself, he is always trying to figure out what is best for him. At the end he was still trying to be pitied by the people. He stabbed his eyes out and asked to people to look upon him with envy and feel sorry for him. Also when he was talking to Teiresias he said I am the one who solved the sphinx’s riddle not u or u little gods. He thinks he is the center of almost every conversation he has.