Who was Oedipus?
Summary of OEDIPUS
The story of Oedipus the King was told in the play by Sophocles written about 430 B.C. and performed in Athens. Oedipus at Coloneus, the story about Oedipus' old age, was first performed in 402 B.C.
The Delphic oracle prophesied to Laius, the king of Thebes, that he would be killed by a son and that his son would marry his mother. Shocked by such a prophesy, the king and queen decided to kill their first-born son and gave him to a shepherd to be exposed to nature on a mountain and die. The infant's feet were pierced and tied together, and taken by the shepherd. However, the shepherd took pity on the child and took him to Corinth where he was adopted by King Polybus and his childless queen.
When he was grown, Oedipus heard by chance that he was not Polybus's son, and he went to Delphi to learn if it was true. The oracle did not answer his question, but prophesied that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Thinking the prophecy referred to his foster parents, he decided not to return to Corinth. Leaving Delphi, he came upon a man at a crossroads with four attendants who tried to force him from his path. The man, none other than King Laius, prodded him with his stick and Oedipus, arrogant and quick to anger, slew him and three of the attendants. The fourth escaped to report the king's death to the Thebans. The incident was not further investigated because Thebes was having such problems with a Sphinx, a monster with the body of a winged lion and the breast and face of a woman. The Sphinx stood on a rock outside the gates and devoured everyone who failed to solve her riddle: "What creature walks on four feet in the morning, on two at noon and on three in the evening?"
Oedipus solved the riddle and the Sphinx hurled herself to her death on the rocks below. [Can you solve the riddle?]
Oedipus was welcomed as a savior and was offered the vacant throne. He became king and married the queen who, unknown to him, was his mother. The ill-fated city of Thebes was again stricken, now by a plague. Oedipus again asked the Delphic oracle what could stop the plague, and was told that the plague would end when the murderer of King Laius was punished. Later, Oedipus learned that he was the murderer. The awful truth was known about his own past and about who the stranger was on the path. Oedipus plucked out his own eyes in self-hate. Oedipus went to Coloneus, a suburb of Athens, where he spent the rest of his life and was taken care of by his daughter, Antigone.
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That's an interesting summary of the original story of Oedipus. Usually, those ignorant of the original story tend to associate the term "Oedipus Complex" according to the context of its definition and provide their own assumptions. Ask any scholar of science, and most would often give you a definition about this complex, with their own presumptions on the story, while the others are honest enough to admit that they do not know the original as Greek Mythology is not one of their areas of study.
ReplyDeleteAs of late, most of the people I know, including myself, used to believe, and was taught that, Oedipus Complex is the term given to people who love their mothers sexually, and the version of the story was that he had an affair with his own mother and plotted to kill his father on purpose to marry her. My own literature teacher taught me that version of the story and accepts it to be true, which is rather unfortunate, as the summary above is in conflict with the version we were told.
The riddle itself is rather interesting. I remember hearing that riddle from various sources, especially in television media. I have seen this riddle been used in cartoons, fantasy dramas, books, and many more, and it is still quite a popular riddle until today. It is strange that this riddle survived the ages of time while the real story of Oedipus is forgotten by people who refuse to do thorough research on the subject.
Interestingly there is also a second version of the riddle, but the answers remain the same.
"What is that which has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?"
The real answer to that riddle is Man. The morning is the birth of a new day, signifying the birth of man. The baby initially crawls on all fours.
The afternoon is mid-day, signifying the middle of life, and it is the longest part of the day that is experienced consciously, and it is also the day where most of our energy is being used daily life, and therefore in this stage it signifies childhood to adulthood whereby Man has learned how to walk on two legs.
The evening signifies beginning of the end of the day, whereby all our energy had been used up, the bright sun had started to set, and we will go home to rest from exhaustion. This signifies old age, where Man walks on three legs; two of his own and one is a walking stick. The old man is tired, his two legs cannot bear his weight anymore. His mid-life had ended. His life had been fulfilled (or not). His age of retirement has begun, and only the death of night awaits him. Then the cycle continues, with the death of the old man, followed by the birth of new life. After answering that riddle, it was alreay night for the Sphinx, as her purpose in life had been fulfilled.
The part about one voice doesn't make sense though, as voices change as we grow older. But the voice still comes from one source, which is the man himself.
Nevertheless, the story of Oedipus was full of life. An interesting story that has deep meaning, which one of them is synonymous to the phrase "curiousity killed the cat". As you had said before, "Never seek the truth", because as what they all say, "We can't handle the truth".
Sadly, like what Disney did to old literary classics by the Brother's Grimm, this story had been trimmed down to cater to mass audiences, and its significant meaning had almost been lost in time.
By the way, I heard about Elektra Complex, the counterpart of Oedipus Complex, but I'm not sure if the version I heard is the original.