Oedipus the King and Abner

Oedipus the King and Abner Snopes

In great literature, characters who do not accept or are not accepted by their societies are often depicted. This trend can be caused by many motives on the part of the author. Some may want to use the characters' misalignment with society in order to make a point, while others may simply be trying to depict counterculture. Two instances in which characters and their cultures did not click include Sophocles's famous play Oedipus the King along with William Faulkner's "Barn Burning. While Sophocles's work depicted a character once revered by his society who is eventually betrayed by it, Faulkner's is centered on a character who is not in agreement with his society, and therefore betrays it. Thus, while these two works are similar, they are also radically different.

In Oedipus the King, Oedipus makes his debut as the king of Thebes, a well-liked ruler who is also capable. His entrance into the play implies this. He addresses his constituents as his "children," and the priest calls him "Oedipus, my sovereign lord and king" (Sophocles). This relationship suggests a trust between king and kingdom, as well as Oedipus's acceptance by society. As the play continues, however, Oedipus finds himself as a blight to society. The change begins as Oedipus curses Teiresias for prophesying that he is, indeed, the curse that has plagued Thebes. Oedipus calls the prophet a "vile slanderer" when he hears the news. As time goes on, Oedipus realizes the prophecy is, indeed, true. His worst nightmares become true. He is a disgrace in society, for having killed his own father and slept with his mother, who eventually kills herself. In addition, his presence and deeds have been plaguing the kingdom that he ruled. Thus, the story of Oedipus is the story of a man who goes from a position of most acceptances in society to exile.

Like Oedipus, Abner Snopes is not accepted by his society, but the reasons are far different than Oedipus's. Abner is angry at his society, perhaps because it has categorized him as a second-class citizen. For this reason, he hurts those who have wronged him, in addition to his family. This anger is expressed by his words in the judge's chambers. When told to go, Abner says, "I aim to. I don't figure to stay in a country among people who..." His inability to articulate his anger suggests that the reason for his refusal to accept society and his inability to be accepted by it is important, too large even to speak. Unlike Oedipus, however, who shows contrition and dismay when he realizes what he has done to Thebes, Abner responds with barn burning. He takes out his anger on society by trying to destroy it, more specifically by trying to destroy the material possessions that separated him from society.