Finding Oedipus Rex--The "Swollen Foot" King

Through Oedipus Rex, Sophocles epitomizes the struggle man faces as he seeks his true identity. Originally, Oedipus thinks he knows his true identity: Son of Polybus (King of Corinth), defeater of the Sphinx, and the "rightful" ruler of Thebes. He is surrounded by glory and triumph. Oedipus has little reason to doubt his actions or decisions. And when infertility and death plagues his people, Oedipus, being the hero, vows to find the cause of the plague and eliminate it. But as the play progresses, and Oedipus is accused of killing the late King of Thebes (Laius), he begins to doubt his identity. He loses his sense of self and becomes narrow minded, defensive, ignorant. And only when he learns his true identity, can he save his people.

That's quite a bit of plot summary, so let's look at this a bit closer.

In this play, Oedipus exhibits three distinct personalities: his distinguished and logical perspective as a hero and powerful leader, his crazed, irrational mindset after talking to Tiresias, and his ultimate enlightened perspective. There is a distinct difference between Oedipus when he knows (or thinks he knows) who he is, and when he is still searching for his identity. The initial and final perspectives, where he "knows" his identity, are pragmatic and decisive. He is compassionate and cares for other's well-being; contrarily, while he searches for his identity, Oedipus is self-absorbed, frantic and disconnected. 

Before Oedipus became King of Thebes, he lived in Corinth, and believed himself to be the son of King Polybus. However, he fled Corinth upon hearing the prophecy, which revealed he would eventually kill his father and marry his mother. So, naturally, he ran away to protect them. He then solved sphinx's riddle, became the ruler of Thebes and saved the people from the sphinx's wrath. By humbly leaving his home to prevent his "father's" imminent demise, and rescuing an entire city from doom, Oedipus creates a mental vision of himself as a hero. And, more than anything, he wants to fulfill this image, so he vows to rid people of plague by finding Laius' killer(s). Oedipus believes he is the hero, which allows him to be decisive and clear in his intentions. 

But then, Oedipus' image of himself becomes muddled when Tiresias reveals he may not be the hero. Tiresias accuses Oedipus of being "the abominable contaminator" to which, Oedipus turns defensive and verbally violent. Oedipus threatens Tiresias for suggesting such absurdities: "So shamelessly set you this story on foot,/ And think, perhaps, you shall go free?" He continues to badger Tiresias with rising agitation and paranoia: "Who prompted you?... Are these inventions Creon's work, or yours?... You and the framer of this plot methinks/ Shall rue your purge for guilt!... When you are gone, you can annoy no more" (13-15). Oedipus resorts to threats and deflections to distract himself from the possibility that he may be a villain. He loses sight of his goal, becomes self-absorbed and more focused on clearing his name, instead of focusing on finding the killer. With this shift in perspective, Oedipus becomes shortsighted, irrational and presumptuous. More than anything, he wants to uphold his hero stature; Oedipus feels entitled to his position as the almighty king and doesn't want to be stripped of his privileges. Once Tiresias leaves, Creon comes to speak with Oedipus. Still in a tizzy, Oedipus proceeds to harass Creon, accusing him of undermining his rule. Despite Creon's attempts to reason with him, Oedipus refuses to listen to him. Creon observes his irrationality and asserts, "arrogance weighs aught/ Apart from reason, you are much astray" (20). Histeria rising, Oedipus' suspicions peak; he claims, "When he who plots against me in the dark/ Comes swiftly on, I must be swift in turn" (22). Like a child, Oedipus cries, "You are a traitor!... I must be ruler.... City, my city!" His childlike diction reveals his immaturity and irrational perspective. Oedipus is unable to reason through the situation; denial causes him to regress to childish methods. Jocasta (his true mother), is the person to calm him down and end his tantrum. She reveals that there is a man who can help figure out the truth: a Shepard who once worked for Laius.

Before speaking to the man, Oedipus feels at ease because he thinks the old man will reaffirm his innocence, thusly, allowing Oedipus to see himself as a hero again, rather than as a villain. So when the old man enters, Oedipus is not so accusatory as with Creon or Tiresias. He merely wants answers. The old man tells Oedipus that Jocasta and Laius are his true parents, but this time, Oedipus doesn't reject his assertion. Devastated, Oedipus realizes, "It is all plain, indeed." With his understanding of his identity, Oedipus regains focus on his initial goal: relieving Thebes of its curse. No longer blinded by fear and arrogance, Oedipus is able to approach the situation unbiasedly and rationally. He demands his own exile, asserting, " 'Tis for your good, not for my own."