Many people know the story of Oedipus Rex. Since the day of his birth, Oedipus was doomed to commit a horrific deed. He was prophesized to murder his father and sleep with his mother. Sophocles put this Greek tale into words and created a famous tragedy. The story of Oedipus Rex follows a Hero’s Journey.
Although it follows the characteristics of a tragedy more, it contains elements of the Hero’s Journey as well.Although there is no call to adventure, Oedipus leaves his home when he finds out about his prophecy. And thinking that his current parents, the rulers of Corinth are his real parents, he leaves. He is hesitant about leaving his home, which is the refusal of the call. I found no supernatural aid. He crosses his first threshold when he wa
...nders into the unknown lands and his adventure continues. He is in the belly of the whale when he first encounters the sphinx.The initiation is the next part of this hero’s journey.
His first trial is when he is literally on the road and comes across a traveler. He kills this man. The second is of beating the sphinx, which he does very easily. The last trial is overcoming the plague and putting his country in a better condition and in order to do this he must figure out who killed King Laious. The woman as a temptress I think would not be a literal person, but actually the idea of power, which may cause him to stray from his mission, which is finding out the truth. Atonement with the father is when he confronts Terisias about who the killer is and he
is first introduced to the idea that his real parents are actually the rulers of Thebes and not Corinth. His apotheosis is when he discovers the truth form the messenger and shepherd. And the ultimate boon, although it does the hero no good, is the truth, which he finally does discover.
Also, when he stabs out his eyes, he is becoming a supernatural sort of power.The last part of the Hero’s Journey is the Return. I do not think there is a refusal of the return; nonetheless, I find it difficult that there is even a return. Oedipus does not return to Corinth again, but is doomed to live a life of guilt, disgust and misery. He never becomes master of the two worlds and had no freedom to live. He sulks in his shame until he dies. There is no happy ending for this story, which is why it is a tragedy.This story is full of sorrow and darkness.
It strictly follows the structure of a Greek tragedy, but it also follows the Hero’s Journey. This story is obviously not the perfect example of the Hero’s Journey, but we definitely do see some components on it in this story. The tragic hero, Oedipus, goes through certain obstacles to reach his boon, which is the truth. I learned that if you look close enough, you can relate anything to a hero’s journey, even your own life.
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