Oedipus Reacts to Bad News
It is perhaps an understatement to categorize the information that Oedipus received throughout the whole of the play as "bad news." With each new revelation Oedipus seemed to find himself guilty of greater sins and of placing not just his life in peril but his soul. Oedipus necessarily reacted violently and with deep emotion at each new revelation culminating with him using the broaches of his mother/wife to put out his own eyes. However, the act of gouging out his eyes was merely a representation of the true horror of what he had learned. Oedipus was consumed by the horror that he had not only destroyed his parents but was responsible for the future sorrow of his daughters. Oedipus was culpable for the agony that his children would undoubtedly experience throughout their entire lives. It is no wonder that in the end he wanted his ears to be closed that, like his...
Pentheus knew of his mother, Agave's participation in the revelry and was nonetheless excited to view the scene. Even the fact that Agave was first to attack her son is reflective of the complex relationships between mother and son in a Freudian context. But the true embodiment of Freudian complexity is the story of Oedipus. Freud's fascination and emphasis on the mother/son dynamic is captured effectively in the drama. The fact that Oedipus removes his father from contention for his mother's affection (though unwittingly) and actually marries her is one of the most significant elements of the Freudian approach.
Watson
