Character Determines Destiny：Analysis of Oedipus’s Tragedy

刘瑞文

Oedipus The King， written by Sophocles， is adopted from Greek mythology. In the play， the hero Oedipus tries his best to fight against his incestuous destiny but he finally cannot get rid of his tragic fate. Oedipuss miserable ending excites our pity and impresses us deeply. Though his tragic fate is doomed， his final ending of striking eyes and self-imposed exile is his own choice. In the play， the choices Oedipus has made， such as leaving Corinth and killing his real father， are all depended on his character. Oedipuss characters， both his good qualities and shortcomings， as well as his courage to fight against the fate， lead him to his tragedy.

Oedipus is a hero and a good monarch. He is kind， brave and intelligent to decipher Sphinxs riddle to save people in Thebes City. Thus， he is regarded as the “saviour” （OT 1.1.53） and marries their queen Jocasta. Besides， Oedipuss high sense of responsibility for the city and its citizens makes him keep pursuing truth and find out the “infection of the land”（OT 1.1.104）. He also pays attention to peoples hardship and observes their feelings. For example， when the priest ask Oedipus to save their city and their people from plague， Oedipus says “my heart mourns for the peoples sorrow and mine own”（OT 1.1.68-69）. Then， when Creon is back with the answer and wants to tell it to Oedipus secretly， Oedipus says “speak out to all. I sorrow more for them than for the woe which touches me alone” （OT 1.1.100-101）. Later， when he realizes that he is the killer of Laius， he keeps his words and strikes his eyes to eliminate disasters for the citizens. In addition， Oedipuss spirit of pursuing truth blinds his mind and finally leads him to the miserable ending. These good qualities of Oedipus are impetus of his tragedy.

Also， Oedipus is a man who has shortcomings. He is arrogant， conceit and irritable. He count himself “the child of Fortune” （OT 3.1.1236）. Oedipus cannot tolerate the old man and the driver to insult him “with rough and hasty words” （OT 2.1..944）， so he kills them. After Teiresias accuses Oedipus to be the “accursed plague-spot” （OT 1.1.475）， he curses Teiresias “so shameless as to vent such words， and thinkest to escape thy righteous doom？” （OT 1.1.476-477）. He also suspects that Teiresiass censure is Creons device to take his throne. His suspicious makes him irrational and not believe in other people. Thus， when Jocasta advises him to stop inquiring， he thinks Jocasta is shamed of his low birth， he says “Take heart； though I should turn out thrice a slave， born of a thrice vile mother， thou art still free from all stain”（OT 3.1.1211-1213）. As he is always in fear of being involved in the prophetic fate， he cannot make rational judgments. These weaknesses of his personality give rise to his tragedy.

Though Oedipus is a human being who has strengths and weaknesses， he dares to fight against the fate. He tries to escape from the destiny preordained for him， so he leaves Corinth where he regards as his motherland. At last， when he find out the truth in the end， he doesnt ask gods for help or choose to die to get rid of his fate. Instead， he takes the responsibility himself. His behavior shows human independence and demonstrates that fates or gods cannot control human beings free will. However， during the process of Oedipuss fighting against the fate， he gradually approaches to his destiny.

Oedipus The King is regarded as the perfect tragedy by Aristotle. In Aristotles Poetics， a perfect tragedy should remains the character of a man who is not eminently good and just，-yet whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity， but by some error or frailty； He must be one who is highly renowned and prosperous （58）. In this way， Oedipus is the epitome tragic hero. Each aspect of his character is the cause of his errors and finally leads him to his tragedy： his arrogant causes him to kill his father； his intelligent makes him to marry his mother； his sense of responsibility drives him to find out the killer； his suspicious and his spirit of pursuing truth blinds him and leads him to the tragic ending. All in all， his character makes him fall into destinys trap step by step. While fate in the play only plays the role of catalyst. It is the plot that Oedipus makes efforts to escape from his fate， but finally gets trapped in the destiny that increases the plays dramatic color and makes the play become thought-provoking. But if Oedipus does nothing， he cannot actualize the oracle. Only through actions， which is the outward manifestation of his characters， Oedipus fulfills the prophecy.

References：

[1]Sophocles.Oedipus The King.Trans.E.H.Plumptre.Gloucester：Dodo Press，2009.

[2]Aristotle.Aristotle's Poetics.Trans.S.H.Butcher.New York：Hill & Wang Pub，1961.