Oedipus Rex Group

Question:

rokkit62
rokkit62
Student
College - Freshman

Oedipus takes steps to save the kingdom from the plague. Is there anything he could have done differently that would still have saved the kingdom?

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Posted by rokkit62 on Monday February 23, 2009 at 10:37 AM and tagged with kingdom, oedipus rex, oedipus the king, plague, solution, sophocles, thebes.

Answers:


  1. robertwilliam

    eNotes Editor

    No, in a word. The plague is brought about by Oedipus' own presence, and he doesn't realise it. The process of cleansing the city from the plague, of removing the dirt which ruins Thebes, is the process of removing Oedipus himself. And for Oedipus to come to the conclusion that he must be banished from the city, he must know his own history. And he doesn't realise that until he has properly investigated the plague.

    "Oedipus" means "I think I know" or "swollen-footed". Oedipus thinks he knows the problem, but he actually must discover himself, discover that the feet on which he stands are the feet of the murderer. It's a quest of self-discovery.

    Thebes' plague is brought about by Oedipus having killed his father and marrying his mother, so the plague wouldn't exist without Oedipus having done those things. So not doing those things defeats your question. All that there is for Oedipus not to do is to discover his own identity: and that, sadly, is the only way the plague is removed.

    Hope it helps!

     

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    Posted by robertwilliam on Monday February 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM