This essay argues that Sophocles' Oedipus the King is fundamentally a tragedy of character rather than of fate. Drawing on the play's text and scholarly commentary, the paper examines how Oedipus' hubris, violent temper, and intellectual arrogance each contribute to his downfall. From his god-like self-presentation before the citizens of Thebes, to his defiance of the oracle, his killing of Laius in a fit of road rage, and his final act of self-blinding, the essay demonstrates that Oedipus makes active, willed choices at every turn. The paper also engages with Freudian interpretations of the myth, arguing that the passive Oedipus of psychoanalytic theory misrepresents the assertive, ambitious figure Sophocles created.
Oedipus is one of the most famous names in Greek mythology. His name has become both the title of a psychological complex and a familiar cultural reference. But the tragedy of Oedipus also presents the viewer of the play with a pressing question: does Oedipus sow the seeds of his own downfall through his own hubris, or is his ruin more purely the work of the gods? "The play has also been almost universally regarded as the classic example of the tragedy of fate," writes Bernard Knox in his essay on the play (131). But a closer reading of Oedipus' character suggests that, rather than being an unwitting victim, Oedipus has a clear hand in his own demise. Despite its reputation, Sophocles' Oedipus the King is a tragedy of character more than of fate. Oedipus' tragic flaw is his confidence and his arrogance — his unshakeable certainty that he understands what is happening to himself and to his city. Of course, Oedipus really understands nothing.
The play begins with Oedipus, king of Thebes, addressing his "children" — his citizens — and bemoaning the fact that Thebes is now afflicted by a plague (Lines 1–5). The priest tells Oedipus, "Now we pray to you. You cannot equal the gods, / your children know that, bending at your altar, / But we do rate you first of men" (Lines 38–40). It is clear that Oedipus has grown accustomed, within the context of his city, to being treated — if not as a god, then in an extremely reverential fashion as the city's leader. This reverence contributes directly to his arrogance.
Oedipus responds to the priest and his citizens' entreaties in a high-handed fashion, cursing the murderer (Line 280). Like a god, Oedipus pronounces his curse upon the source of the plague, dispensing justice in a mighty and imperious manner. His very posture in this opening scene reveals a man who has come to see himself as something far greater than an ordinary mortal ruler.
The backstory the play provides is also indicative of Oedipus' arrogance. His first dialogue with his brother-in-law reveals that the plague has its roots in the murder of the original King of Thebes, Laius. Oedipus reacts with horror to this news. But as the prophet Tiresias later says: "So, you mock my blindness? Let me tell you this. You with your precious eyes, you're blind to the corruption of your life, to the house you live in, those you live with — who are your parents" (Lines 468–470).
It is revealed that when Oedipus came of age, he consulted the oracle of Apollo, as was customary in ancient Greece. When the oracle told him his destiny — that he would grow up to murder his father and marry his mother — Oedipus was horrified. He left home in a hubristic attempt to avoid his fate. Although this may be read in a deterministic fashion, it is also a powerful example of Oedipus' character: like his father, he was arrogant enough to believe he could cheat fate.
On his wanderings, Oedipus encountered his true father, Laius, quarreled with him, and killed him. He committed this act in a fit of anger, revealing a sharp temper that is entirely inconsistent with the image of Oedipus as a passive man buffeted by destiny. Both father and son failed to recognize one another. The arrogant Laius — who had ordered his own son abandoned upon hearing of the boy's fate — was murdered by that same son in what amounted to a common street brawl.
"Ambition and intelligence win Oedipus the throne"
"Self-blinding as an active, willed choice"
Certainly, the gods did little to give Oedipus an easy life. But it is too easy to simply say that Oedipus could have done nothing to circumvent his tragedy. Had he not possessed the arrogance to defy the oracle, and the intellect and ambition to challenge the Sphinx and marry Jocasta, he would never have become king of Thebes. Had he not had the temper to quarrel on the road, he would not have fought and killed Laius, his unknown father.
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