Oedipus Journal Three (ABSENT)

I chose to track the motif of the control of the actions of humans by supernatural beings or forces. This control is shown throughout the tragedy with all of the actions the characters take.

In the beginning, when the priests and Oedipus are working to find a solution to plague that has attacked Thebes, the gods are the first place they turn. The priests and the chorus pray to Zeus, pleading with him to bring Thebes out of this terrible ordeal. It is then brought to light that Oedipus has sent his brother in law, Creon, to Delphi, Apollo the prophets oracle to ask what it is that they should do. Whatever reply Creon brings back they intend to follow, due to the fact that the gods words are law. When Creon comes back and with the reply that they should punish the man who killed Laius, even though this task is nearly impossible, Oedipus agrees to attempt it. This is because, in Oedipus, and in ancient Greece for that matter, when the gods say to do something, it is done. Otherwise, the gods will bring the punishment they are capable of bringing. This can mean great pain and suffering for the punished, thus creating the need to avoid this wrath at all costs.

The priests and Oedipus automatically assume that the cause of the plague in Thebes is some sort of punishment. This creates the need to find what the gods are looking for in order to alleviate the problem. Even when the problem turns out to be Oedipus himself, the god's orders are obeyed at all costs. Oedipus sacrifices himself to the gods because he knows they can punish him deeply for disobedience.

Oedipus' father, Laius, throws his first born son into the wilderness to avoid a prophecy by the gods coming true. That is serious commitment. Likewise, Oedipus leaves his "home" in Corinth because of a prophecy by a supernatural being telling him he was destined to kill his father and make love with his mother. This shows the intense belief the people in this play and of that time period hold in the powers of their gods, and the control these gods have over them because of this belief.

The constant references to the Gods throughout the books are a reminder of the power and authority they hold. It is made clear throughout the books that the gods hold the power to give and take away whenever they please. This is why such reverence is offered to them and why their authority is taken so seriously.