Oedipus Rex vs. Oedipus at Colonus

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In the story of Oedipus Rex, the god Apollo creates a prophecy about the young son of Jocasta and Laius. When Laius goes to read the prophecy, his sons horrific fate is revealed: he will grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to rid their family of a terrible fate, they give the baby to a herdsman to dispose of the child. Over twenty years later, the child of Jocasta and Laius is very much alive, and has no knowledge that he has killed his actual father and is married to his mother. After he realizes the terrible acts he has committed, he exiles himself and takes out his own eyes. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus blames himself for everything bad that has happened. Since he murdered his father and had children with his mother, he is convinced that he ruined the lives of all his children as well as being responsible for the death of Jocasta. Oedipus believed that he had tainted Thebes forever because of his wrongdoings. He then proceeds to exile and mutilate himself, feeling this was the punishment he deserved. In Oedipus at Colonus however, Oedipus makes a drastic turnaround. He is still very much ashamed of his actions, but no longer has a hatred for himself that he had before. He tells the chorus of the prophecy and his wrongdoings, but he knows that the prophecy was the reason for all the unfortunate events. There was no way that he could have escaped the prophecy: it was his fate. Once Oedipus’ fate was set, there was no way that he could change it. I feel that Oedipus’s extreme pride hindered his death by keeping him alive until Theseus could help Oedipus get to his proper area to die. His hubris aided him in his eventual death because he was able to carry out all the proper tasks that had to be completed before he passed away. He was able to gather enough strength to wait for Theseus, then lead him and his two daughters to the holy land

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