Oedipus Paper - 857 Words

In terms of the human experience, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave reveals that most humans would rather know the truth and suffer rather than be fed a lie for their entire lives. This idea is reflected in Sophocles’’ Oedipus the King because Oedipus seeks the truth and suffers greatly when it is found. Plato’s four stages of awareness are necessary for the final form of the good, which is the truth, to be found. In both the Allegory of the Cave and Oedipus the King, these four stages of awareness; Imagination, Belief, Reason, and Understanding, take a vital role in explaining Oedipus’ suffering. To begin with, Plato would argue that Oedipus’ imagination shadows him from the real truth. Oedipus has not been king for very long and has so much†¦show more content†¦He is almost blinded by this contradiction. This holds true when Oedipus says ,†I did not grasp it fully. Repeat your statement.† (22) Oedipus does not grasp what Tiresias says because he is not used to having people disagree or contradict what he thinks and says. Oedipus is completely blinded by Tiresias’ contradiction to his reality. Plato’s third stage of awareness, Reason, is also reflected with Oedipus. Plato states that if one is within the third stage of awareness, that â€Å"he will see him in his own proper place, not in another.† (Plato 4) This idea says that if one enters the third stage of awareness, he understands who he is by new hypotheses. This applies to Oedipus when he says, â€Å"O God! I think I have just called down on myself a dreadful curse. . . not knowing what I did.† (Oedipus 43) Oedipus thinks about the new hypothesis that he made and it now feels more like reality. This is also revealing when he says, â€Å"I am dreadfully afraid the blind prophet can see. But tell me one more thing that will throw light on this. Was Laius poorly attended, or did he have a big bodyguard, like a king?† (44) Oedipus asks many new questions regarding his life with this situation, not knowing that his fate is already sealed. Lastly, Plato would argue that the last stage of awareness, Understanding, is clearly displayed at the end of Oedipus’ reign. As Oedipus realizes what he has done, he cannot live with himself. OedipusShow MoreRelatedOedipus Reaction Paper639 Words   |  3 PagesReaction Paper on Oedipus The King World Literature Oedipus the King, also known by the  as Oedipus Rex, is an   tragedy  written by  Sophocles.  It was the second of Sophocles s  three Theban plays  to be produced, together with Oedipus at Colonus  and then  Antigone.  Oedipus Rex  chronicles the story of  Oedipus, a man who becomes the king of Thebes who was destined from birth to murder his father  Laius  and marry his mother  Jocasta. 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