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"Born thus, I ask to be no other / Than that I am, and I will know who I am." Although this may be interpreted as King Oedipus being a play about the search for identity, the plays complexity is also revealed in its underlying exploration of Divine Will vs. Human Will. In this fascinating, ingenious yet tragic play, Sophocles conveys his religious belief that man must know their limitations within the 'cosmic order', whilst accepting responsibility for their actions and the consequences which follow. The main character, Oedipus, finds in his search for identity, a catastrophic conclusion. This tragic downfall adds to the dramatic irony as it is impregnated with his own dangerous pride, willful blindness and an inability to accept Divine Will.
Oedipus' search for identity was initiated through a riddle set by Apollo. "There is an unclean thing, / Born and nursed on our soil, polluting our soil, / Which must be driven away, not kept to destroy us." Oedipus being renowned for solving riddles, set out immediately in finding the killer of Laius. "If any one of you know whose hand it was / That killed Laius … / Let him declare it fully, now, to me." Oedipus is being a decisive man, is quick to act and has already taken preemptive action in calling for Teiresias. "I have not overlooked it. I have sent for him." Oedipus is quick to ask questions of Teiresias, but he is also quick to jump to conclusions when the answers aren't the ones he seeks. This is ironic as the answer is right in front of his face, "Have you eyes, And do not see your own damnation? Eyes, And cannot see what company you keep?" Oedipus just cannot conceive he is the killer of Laius and thus is blind to the truth.
Oedipus' search for the killer of Laius brings him to a new riddle. Who is Oedipus? This search compels Oedipus to become even more determined and thorough in his investigation. "I must. I cannot leave the truth unknown." Rather than accepting his pre-ordained fate and succumbing to the will of the gods, Oedipus continues to dig deeper into the mystery of his life. Against initial advice from Teiresias and now Jocasta, Oedipus endeavour will not be thwarted. "Nonsense I must pursue this trail to the end, Till I have unraveled the mystery of my birth." His lack of care for the consequences of his actions shows he values his pride and reputation over his well-being.
Throughout the play, Oedipus is ignorant of his true identity; he is constantly trying to be more than he is meant to be. He is just a mere mortal, yet his actions reflect those rivaling the gods'. "You have prayed; and your prayers shall be answered." Here he takes over the role of the god's, when the people prayed to the gods, it is Oedipus who answers. When Oedipus killed King Laius and his entourage at the place where three roads meet, he did not show remorse, nor did he even accept the responsibility of his actions. Instead he shows pride in his skills and contempt for the victims. "He paid for his temerity; Quick as lightning, the staff in this right hand did its work… And every man of them I killed." There can be parallels drawn from Oedipus' actions and the gods' actions, but the result is unmistakably contrasting. Oedipus sees his people as his "own" and he views their welfare as his responsibility, just like the gods. Oedipus commits incest, just like Zeus and Hera, who are brother and sister. But the difference between Oedipus and the gods is that Oedipus is not a god and thus will be punished for trying to be more than a humble and reverent mortal.
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Sophocles' use of Oedipus' search for his identity can be viewed as just a plot in which to communicate his religious and philosophical ideas. The idea of Divine Will vs. Human Will is ever present throughout the play. It was the Divine Will of Apollo which laid the terrible curse upon Oedipus for Laius' transgression. Jocasta and Laius through their Human Will, defied the god's will and tried to avoid their tragic fate by casting Oedipus out when he "was just three days old". Oedipus also has moments of conflict with the gods. After being told by the Delphic oracle that he would murder his father and marry his mother, Oedipus attempts to circumvent his fate by fleeing from Corinth. This action is a direct defiance of Divine Will. In the altercation with Teiresias, Oedipus again defies Divine Will as he does not heed the words of Teiresias "I mean to spare you, and myself. Ask me no more. It is useless. I will tell you nothing." Instead Oedipus insults and accuses Teiresias, a symbol of Divine Will, and in turn condemning himself to his fate.
Sophocles' King Oedipus is a very complex and riveting play with many underlying themes and possible interpretations. To simply see it as being about the search for identity would be an injustice to Sophocles' marvelous work; we must also consider the elements of Divine Will vs. Human Will and the role of mortals compared to the role of gods to fully appreciate this play.
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