The Past In Sophocles 'Oedipus The King'

Oedipus’ past comes back to haunt him in many occasions throughout the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles. The events that occur after his birth do not seem important until Oedipus becomes the King of Thebes. The events of Oedipus’ birth become significant and create a disparaging reality Oedipus has to live with. As Oedipus discovers his relationship with his past, an important theme of the play is revealed. That theme is that it is very difficult to run away from the bitter truths in life because these truths will soon be revealed and all of this is true for every other character such as Jocasta and the chorus. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax to his advantage in using external action to project
Oedipus’ realization that he killed his father and married his mother causes him to go insane and gouge his eyes out. This bitter truth also makes him wish that he would have been left to die like his parents wanted the messenger to do. Oedipus says, “What kind of eyes…whom I should be hanged?” Since Oedipus is so humiliated and disgusted by his actions, he chooses to harm himself in order to feel some sort of relief. Nobody would purposely blind themselves unless they were a little crazy. Also, this type of discovery would cause anyone to question their sanity. Oedipus also says, “Yes, rot that man’s…I love and mine so sadly shattered.” Oedipus believes that this revelation has destroyed his life and that he cannot reside in Thebes anymore because of the truth that he now knows. He is now so devastated with his life that he desires to be dead like he was intended to be. When Jocasta finds out that she married her son and gave birth to their children, she believes that she needs to kill herself to run away from the pain and horror that she feels. She tries to save Oedipus from the truth, she urges him to stop attempting to figure out the truth of his family and his background. She says, “In the name of