Question 3: "'According to critic Northrop Frye, “Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divine lightning.' Select a novel or play in which a tragic figure functions as an instrument of the suffering of others. Then write an essay in which you explain how the suffering brought upon others by that figure contributes to the tragic vision of the work as a whole."
While Sophocles's Oedipus the King is a captivating tale of a seemingly charming king, it is viewed as one of the greatest Greek tragedies. The hamartia of the tragic figure, Oedipus, is unwittingly revealed through his relentless search for his identity. The king's great demise unintentionally bears suffering upon all levels of people: the citizens of Thebes, those closest to him, and himself. Through Oedipus's helplessness from the unforgivable and brute force of fate, Oedipus the King is engulfed in a vision of tragedy and suffering.
One of Oedipus's tragic flaws, his hero-complex, is first introduced and ultimately brings suffering to the people of Thebes, depicting the tragic vision of loss. Oedipus is introduced earnestly listening to the Priest. He enjoys being the hero for his people after saving them from the Sphinx. Emphasized by the the dramatic irony, Oedipus's desire for recognition from his people, driven by his persistent searching, causes his great downfall. The people of Thebes have placed their devotion and respect in him as seen by the Chorus's constant praise. However, it is Oedipus who is at fault for the plague after murdering the prior king, Laius. His fervent and zealous intentions as well as his unwavering need to save his people actually dooms him from the very beginning. The irony of this situation contributes to the tragic vision of the play as Oedipus is doomed either way. The citizens of Thebes are left to suffer as their great king and hero has failed and unknowingly betrayed them.
As Oedipus overlooks the many warnings presented to him due to his pride, the people closest to him such as Creon and Jocasta suffer immensely. Sophocles uses the motif of sight and blindness to emphasize knowledge and ignorance. While Teiresias is physically blind, he is the only initial character who knows that the cursed prophecy has been fulfilled. However, Oedipus's pride prevents him from accepting the truth. He belittles the blind seer by calling him a fraud and goes as far as to blame Creon for treason. Creon is devastated by the claim as he is a loyal follower of Oedipus and suffers. Oedipus further seeks the truth, refusing to listen to Jocasta's warnings. After she realizes the truth of the prophecy, her silent suffering drives her to take her own life, entering into eternal blindness. Even those who are closest to Oedipus are not protected by the suffering brought on by his tragic flaw of pride, adding a dimension of betrayal to the tragedy of Oedipus the King.
Ultimately, the tragic vision of the work is shaped by Oedipus's fall to the cruel wrath of faith as a result of his hubris, embodied by the hopelessness and helpless of freewill. Perhaps the most tragic aspect is the suffering that Oedipus brings upon himself as he attempts to defy the oracle to save his supposed parents. Oedipus's loss to destiny is illustrated by the crossroads where "where three roads meet." As Oedipus escapes from the city of his supposed parents, he believes he has changed his destiny while on the crossroad. However, the unforgiving power of fate follows him and it is at the crossroads where he kills Laius, his true father. The three crossroads may also symbolize time as each road may refer to the past, present, and future. Hecate is a god that has been said to have three heads each symbolizing the same thing thus showing the dominance of the gods and fate. While Oedipus had pure intentions, he has brought suffering to every character and mostly to himself. The futility of defying fate generates a sense of hopelessness which is entirely tragic in the vision of Oedipus the King.
It is not plot twist or surprise conclusion that creates the tragic tale of Oedipus the King but the dramatic irony within it. The audience of the play is aware that Oedipus has fulfilled the prophecy unbeknownst to him. However, Sophocles uses Oedipus to generate sympathy and suspense. Oedipus is doomed from the beginning of the play whether it was his hero-complex, pride, or hubris. In the end, he brings suffering to all of his people, including those closest to him and himself. The brute wrath of fate and destiny remain all knowing and powerful.
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