An analysis of the power of "Power" in Oedipus Rex's life

 Oedipus Rex is widely regarded as one of the greatest plays, stories, and tragedies ever written by Sophocles. 

Power corrupts human. Power both corrupts and metaphorically blinds characters in the play,  Oedipus the King. As a ruler, Oedipus is arrogant, unperceptive, and downright, mean to people around him. 

Throughout the play , Oedipus assumes that the other characters are trying to steal his power, hence Oedipus doesn't listen to their wisdom and rather he ignores the warnings. The play, Oedipus Rex, shows this pride of power through the character of Oedipus. 

Oedipus says - "I will do everything in my power to heal this murderous wound. With Apollo’s help, either we win or we die"

One can say that this irrational behaviour—his hamartia, as Aristotle puts it—is due to the repression of a whole series of thoughts in his consciousness, in fact everything that referred to his earlier doubts about his parentage.

His words express power over people and God like Creon and Delphi. He also uses his power by forcing Tiresias and the shepherd to speak the truth about the child that he was given to throw on the mountains.

 Therefore, power is another theme of the play. Oedipus’s downfall is only made possible because of his power as king. He suffers because of the power he possesses – the power that allows him to coerce others into speaking and extract the information he needs.

The dilemma that Oedipus faces here is - as a king, he has to make a decision based on his subjects, that questions the situation and also  leads to disobey; and being a king misconstrues both his own role as a sovereign and the role of the rebel.

Greek tragedies often present a hero that is brought down by a “hamartia” or fatal flaw. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus’s fatal flaw is his pride of power. When Oedipus hears the prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother, he believes that he can escape his own fate but unfortunately he undergo chaos. 

Oedipus is so prideful that he believes more in his own ability to exercise his freedom than he does in the power of the gods. This fatal flaw leads to his downfall.

The audience knows the truth and what would be the fate of Oedipus. Oedipus, on the other hand, chooses to deny the reality that has confronted him. He ignores the word of Tiresias and continues on his journey to find the supposed killer. His search for a murderer is yet another instance of chaos. 

Throughout the play, a strong theme of power shines through, alongside many instances of dramatic irony.

Power is strength. To have power is to be strong. Being able to choose what it is you want to do or say without anyone telling you is the power of free will. Fate, the opposite, is chosen for you without any control over what will happen next

Everything is at last revealed, and Oedipus curses himself and fate before leaving the stage. The chorus laments how even a great man can be felled by fate, and following this, a servant exits the palace to speak of what has happened inside. 

Jocasta has hanged herself in her bedchamber. Entering the palace in anguish, Oedipus called on his servants to bring him a sword, that he might slay Jocasta with his own hand. But upon discovering the lifeless queen, Oedipus took her down, and removing the long gold pins from her dress, he has gouged out his own eyes in despair.

Although Oedipus past, the curse, and the punishment remain a mystery, justice is an important theme. When the play opens, the Leader asks Oedipus to rule the city justly and end the plague, as it is his duty. While obsessed to discover his past, he is unable to dispense justice. He also accuses Creon of conspiring against him. Once the bitter truth is revealed, Oedipus takes the punishment upon himself. It seems like a harsh justice against Oedipus who was not aware of his parent’s truth or the curse