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Pretend you are Oedipus. Write an entry in your journal describing your feelings about learning that you have killed your father and married your mother. (The Prophecy came true!) As Oedipus, you can also write about events that happened in your life, how you reacted, and why you reacted the way you did. (Cite page numbers if you can)

User Ajay Barot
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Answer & Explanation:

As Oedipus, I cannot cite specific page numbers, as my existence is not limited to a particular text or edition. However, I can provide an entry from Oedipus's perspective based on the classic Greek tragedy "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles:

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Journal Entry of Oedipus: The Unavoidable Truth

Today, I have come to terms with the horrifying reality that I have long feared yet denied with every fiber of my being. The prophecy has come true. I have unwittingly killed my father and married my mother. How can fate be so cruel? How can the gods orchestrate such a tragic destiny?

When I heard the prophecy, I was determined to thwart it. I thought that by running away from Corinth, for I believed Polybus and Merope to be my, I could escape the fate of my parents. Yet, the fear of harming those I thought to be my kin loomed over me, even as I tried to distance myself from them.

I encountered Laius at the crossroads, never realizing he was my true father. I struck him down in a fit of anger, and the act haunted me ever since. How could I know he was my blood, the man I was destined to kill? I was convinced that running away was the solution to ensure I would not harm those I loved.

Upon my arrival in Thebes, I encountered the Sphinx, who had terrorized the city. Solving her riddle seemed to offer salvation for Thebes and me. I felt invincible and believed that I had defeated fate. Little did I know that my actions would lead me down a path I could never escape.

Marrying Jocasta was never my intention, yet it happened. I truly loved her, and we believed we were creating a new life together, free from the shackles of our foretold destinies. How could I have known she was my mother?

The revelation hit me like a thunderbolt, tearing at my soul. I could no longer deny the horrifying truth that I was the unwitting architect of my destruction. The weight of my actions, the incestuous nature of my marriage, and the blood on my hands have broken me.

I cannot escape the knowledge that I am a murderer and an unwitting participant in an abhorrent union. The gods have played a cruel joke on me, and I am left to bear the unimaginable burden of my sins. The pain is too much to bear, and I fear that my quest for truth has led me to a darkness I can never escape.

I am Oedipus, the cursed one, forever marked by the prophecy I could not escape.

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In "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles, Oedipus's realization of his true identity and the tragic events that have unfolded is a central theme, and this journal entry reflects the emotions and thoughts he might have had upon this devastating discovery.

User FranklinChen
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