Characterization of King Oedipus

Oedipus is a classic tragic hero, an imposter who sees himself greater than he really is. He decides to be judge, jury, prosecution, and defense against the criminal who is responsible for the latest plague in Thebes. In the Prologue, Oedipus says, "I Oedipus, a name that all men know." This shows he has much pride for himself. He feels he is very important, and that no one is above him. He knows the people need his help, and he feels prideful that they would need him. The people express in the Prologue that they view him as their savior. They are relieved to have him there to help them, and they almost worship him for his help. Oedipus is a man of swift action and great insight. At the opening of Oedipus the King, we see that these qualities make him an excellent ruler who anticipates his subjects needs. When the citizens of Thebes beg him to do something about the plague, for example, Oedipus is one step ahead of them; he has already sent Creon to the oracle at Delphi for advice. But later, we see that Oedipuss habit of acting swiftly has a dangerous side. When he tells the story of killing the band of travelers who attempted to shove him off the three-way crossroads, Oedipus shows that he has the capacity to behave rashly.
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At the beginning of Oedipus the King, Oedipus is hugely confident, and with good reason. He has saved Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx and become king virtually overnight. He proclaims his name proudly as though it were itself a healing charm: Here I am myself, you all know me, the world knows my fame; I am Oedipus. By the end of this tragedy, however, Oedipuss name will have become a curse, so much so that, in Oedipus at Colonus, the Leader of the Chorus is terrified even to hear it and cries: You, youre that man? . Oedipuss swiftness and confidence continue to the very end of Oedipus the King. We see him interrogate Creon, call for Tiresias, threaten to banish Tiresias and Creon, call for the servant who escaped the attack on Laius, call for the shepherd who brought him to Corinth, rush into the palace to stab out his own eyes, and then demand to be exiled. He is constantly in motion, seemingly trying to keep pace with his fate, even as it goes well beyond his reach. In Oedipus at Colonus, however, Oedipus seems to have begun to accept that much of his life is out of his control. He spends most of his time sitting rather than acting. Most poignant are lines 825960, where Oedipus gropes blindly and helplessly as Creon takes his children from him. In order to get them back, Oedipus must rely wholly on Theseus.

Once he has given his trust to Theseus, Oedipus seems ready to find peace. At Colonus, he has at last forged a bond with someone, found a kind of home after many years of exile. The single most significant action in Oedipus at Colonus is Oedipuss deliberate move offstage to die. The final scene of the play has the haste and drive of the beginning of Oedipus the King, but this haste, for Oedipus at least, is toward peace rather than horror. Oedipus' life is an exercise of sadness. The fact that he was abandoned to avert a prophecy about his own life involves a level of understood sadness. As he grows up, he is forced to live out an existence under a fate that is as unavoidable as a shadow. Even if one wants to argue that he is responsible for his stubbornness in not understanding the implications of fate, the reality is that it is sad to witness anyone have to live an existence where their fate is inevitable. Naturally, when he comes to the realization of his actions, the horrific and painful nature of them, this would involve another level of sadness. Blinding himself and having to live the life of a wandering beggar who is replete with knowledge as a consequence of extreme pain would be one final statement where sadness could be the only proper characterization.

Finally, Oedipus characterizes himself as cursed by birth. He also feels that he is cursed by family and by murder. He says that he is repulsive to mortals. He feels that he is repulsive to the gods. He feels horrible about the fact of the humiliation that he passes on to the sister Princess Anigone and Ismene. He also feels bad that his humiliation passes on to his daughter's and his half-sisters. He feels that he is completely cursed.