Oedipus
Self-inflicted harm is a drastic action executed by a troubled soul, a man so disillusioned and lost in his problems that he finds it necessary to damage himself in a physical way. Suicide, in particular, the most extreme form of self-inflicted harm, can serve as an easy method for a person in despair to quickly end his life, and thus also terminate the feelings that he possessed while he was alive. The motives behind these radical actions, however, differ from person to person. A man may take his life out of shame, fear, frustration or any other strong emotion that has claimed control of his mind and not allowed him to think clearly to assess his dilemma. Although self-inflicted harm, including several suicides, occurs in both of Sophocles' dramas, Oedipus Rex and Antigone, the motives for these actions differ in the two plays. In Oedipus Rex, both Oedipus and Jocasta choose to harm themselves physically. Throughout the play Jocasta pleads with Oedipus not to pursue the truth regarding his origin. Jocasta begins to unravel the mystery before Oedipus and believes that if he remains ignorant, they may be able to continue their lives in a normal manner. Unfortunately, she is not successful and Oedipus ultimately learns o
Euridyce follows suit and commits suicide after hearing of Haimon's death, for much the same reason as her son. A messenger gives his account of her death to Creon, who listens in a state of astonishment. The messenger recalls, "She stood before the altar, and her heart/Welcomed the knife her own hand guided/And a great cry burst from her lips for Megareus dead/And for Haimon dead, her sons" (31). Her suicide was also motivated by grief over the death of a loved one. Like her son, she had done no crime and had no reason to personally feel ashamed. Therefore, by committing suicide, she was not trying to avoid future embarrassment or confrontations like Jocasta and Oedipus. Sophocles presents characters who choose suicide and self-inflicted harm in both of these dramas. The reasoning for these harsh actions, however, is quite different in the two plays. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus and Jocasta choose actions that free them from facing the consequences of their crimes, therefore being selfish choices. The characters who commit suicide in Antigone, on the other hand, do so in fits of grief and, in the case of Antigone, hopelessness. They do not fear repercussions and retribution because they did not commit any sinful crimes. Oedipus' reasoning for his physical self-punishment is very similar to that of Jocasta. Although he doesn't commit suicide, he too is selfish by choosing a path that will relieve him of shame and inner-turmoil. After stabbing his eyes and blinding himself, the chorus inquires, "What god was it drove you to rake black/Night across your eyes?" (53). Oedipus answers, stating, "If I had eyes/I do not know how I could bear the sight/Of my father, when I came to the house of Death/Or of my mother: for I have sinned against them both" (54). Oedipus fears de
Some common words found in the essay are:
Oedipus Jocasta, Oedipus Antigone, , Haimon Creon's, Eurydice Haimon's, Jocasta Oedipus', Oedipus Rex, Rex Antigone, oedipus rex, self-inflicted harm, oedipus jocasta, commit suicide, Jocasta Oedipus, Rex Oedipus, plays oedipus rex, characters choose, own hand, rex oedipus, committing suicide, oedipus jocasta choose, messenger tells, commit suicide selfish, haimon's death, oedipus rex oedipus, rex oedipus jocasta,
Approximate Word count = 1212
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
