Реферат: The Fate Of King Oedipus Essay Research
their son would kill his father. She then tells him how the father was killed by
robbers at a place where three roads meet. Then Oedipus remembers that he
killed a man at a place like this and wonders if it was Laius. He realizes that
this would make him the cursed murderer who is to blame for the plague of
Thebes. Jocasta pleads with Oedipus that a witness said it was thieves, and
that it could not have been him. Oedipus wants this witness to be found so
that his fears can be laid to rest. During this time a messenger arrives to tell
Oedipus that his father, the King of Corinth, has died and that he is now the
King of Corinth as well.
Oedipus is saddened by this event, but tells the messenger that he
cannot return to Corinth while his mother is still alive. Then the messenger
tries to help himself out by telling Oedipus that she was not really his mother,
nor was Polybus his father. He then explains to them that Oedipus was given
to him by a shepherd from Thebes. Jocasta then realizes that Oedipus is truly
her son and rushes away. Meanwhile Oedipus believes that she is
embarrassed that her husband might have been an unwanted child, and
perhaps he was the son of a slave.
At last the Theban shepherd arrives, and this is ironic because turned
out to be the man who was the witness to the murder of Laius. The shepherd
is reluctant to tell Oedipus anything. Not until after a threat of torture does he
tell Oedipus that the baby was given to him by Jocasta to be killed, and that
he passed it on to the Corinthian out of pity. Oedipus now knowing the truth
rushes to find Jocasta, but alas, it was to late. She had already hanged
herself. Oedipus then takes the shoulder pins from her dress and gouges his
eyes out with them blinding himself. From this misfortune Creon becomes
King, and after allowing Oedipus to say good-bye to his daughters, orders
him into the house, to await disposal at the god’s pleasure. As Oedipus enter
the house he is continually saying that he should be left to die on Mt.
Cithaeron just as the gods intended for him to.