I wanted to first start off by sharing a quote, written by Albert Einstein. As quoted ā The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arroganceā. This quote is an example of how many leaders around the world today use arrogance as a way of power to themselves to control the people. You can be ignorant in a sense where you lack certain knowledge making you unaware of your own limitations. On the other hand, being arrogant according to Einstein is far more dangerous, in which you canāt distinguish the difference between your pride and stubbornness, escalating negatively the way you approach things among yourself and others.Ā
Throughout the play, Oedipus’ attitude is filled with stubbornness and madness that he failed as king to find the truth of Laius’ killer. Even though his own people are dying from the plague his whole focus was to find the killer and prove to himself that he is still the almighty, unstoppable, reckless king of his century. For instance, after the prophet Tiresias enters the palace, he and Oedipus quarrel bitterly, making Tiresias blurt out the identity of Laiusā murderer. As stated in lines 381-384,Oedipus tells Tiresias ā Nothing! You, you scum of the earth, youād enrage a heart of stone! You wonāt talk? Nothing moves you? Out with it, once and for allā. It can be demonstrated that instead of being caught up proving his existence of power, he should have prioritized bringing about relief to those families who lost someone to the plague. This particular scene brought to my attention how many presidential leaders around the world failed as a nation to recognize the needs of its people as the cases were going up day by day. For example, the president of India, Ram Nath Kovind, failed as a leader to control the spread of the virus and like many leaders cared about the economy rather than the lives of its people. In which there was lack of financial relief, basic medical equipment such as oxygen and due to oxygen shortage people died on the streets.
Superb discussion of the affliction of hubris in Oedipus, Noha. I really liked how you connected the quote by Einstein “The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arroganceā to Oedipus and Ram Kovind. Our leaders today certainly need break out of their arrogance for self-preservation and develop a greater concern for the welfare of their people.
I think that if we discuss Oedipus Rex we should consider whether or not we believe in fate or free will. The Ancient Greeks obviouisly believed that fate governed the future as they have three deites ( called the Fates) who took the appearance of old crones, spinning the web of life as though a thread in the cosmic pattern of creation.
Some may think themselves more civilized than the ancient Greeks: I, however, know this to be false. Oedipus Rex ended up slaying his own father only to marry his own mother, unbeknownst to him. I think this is ultra symbolic of the human maleās voyage from boyhood to manhood (woman can find parallels in the story of Electra, the female equivalent of Oedipus). It us not uncommon for adolescent boys to argue with their father, and many know that men tend to end up with women that subconsciously remind them of their mother, their first caretaker. The same goes for women; adolescent girls compete with mother for fatherās attention, often ending up with the man that reminds them of their father.
The question of free will vs fate comes into play here because yes, to a certain degree we can display a control over our environment but there are factors that limit this control. We may be the fastest runner on earth (willpower, free will) but if your DNA has the coding for asthma (fate) you not be able to outrun your predators.
My takeaway from this reflection is that free will AND fate both have an influence over your past present and future, but knowing about these forces is the first step in being the pioneer of your destiny.