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Oedipus the King 37935 Views


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Description:

Whenever you start regretting the choices you've made in your life, just review Oedipus' story, and you'll start feeling a heck of a lot better.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:04

Oedipus the King, a la Shmoop. Everyone has their family issues.

00:10

Most people don't need quite as much counseling as Oedipus, though.

00:15

Seriously, you should see the yearly psychiatry bills. Through the roof.

00:23

This guy unknowingly killed his father...

00:26

...well okay, he knowingly killed the guy, but he didn't know who he was at the time...

00:32

...and then he slept with and bore children with his biological mother.

00:41

How did he not get a guest spot on Springer? After all, Oedipus had some advance warning.

00:48

The Delphic Oracle had told him that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother.

00:52

And when the Oracle made a prophecy, you listened. So, if Oedipus had this critical information...

01:02

...why wasn't he a little more discerning about... who he killed and slept with?

01:12

Was it just that, for some reason, he didn't buy it?

01:17

Although prophets were well regarded... more than they are today, anyhow...

01:20

...they were known to be wrong on occasion.

01:26

So perhaps Oedipus just felt the Oracle was having an off day...

01:32

Or maybe Oedipus did believe in the prophesy...

01:34

... but he didn't think that Laius was his dad and Jocasta was mommy dearest.

01:39

It makes sense. He was brought up by Polybus and Merope, whom he believed all along were

01:43

his real parents...

01:44

...although he did end up killing a guy at a crossroads just as the prophecy had foretold.

01:49

You'd think the guy would have some feelers out by that point.

01:53

These people lived by their gut.

01:59

If he felt in the heat of the moment that Laius wasn't dear old dad, then he may have

02:05

just decided to off him and hope for the best.

02:09

And then with Jocasta... well, maybe she just looked really good in a two-piece bathing

02:15

suit. Although... it could be a third... icky option.

02:21

What if Oedipus had a sneaking feeling that he was fulfilling the prophesy... but did

02:25

it anyway? The fact that he gouges out his own eyeballs

02:31

when he learns the truth seems to invalidate this possibility...

02:34

...but what if it was partly subconscious?

02:40

What if he came across this guy, considered the possibility that he was his dad, but...

02:45

just really needed to satisfy his bloodlust?

02:48

And when he met and fell in love with Jocasta, what if he weighed the risks... but still

02:53

couldn't bring himself to ignore his emotions?

02:56

So what really happened?

02:59

Did Oedipus just not believe the prophesy?

03:02

Did he think his adoptive parents were the real deal?

03:06

Or was he throwing all caution to the wind and letting his heart lead him... despite

03:10

the vile places it might take him? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

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