Last week, I finished Oedipus Rex, a Greek play written by Sophocles. The whole play is about Oedipus, the king of Thebes searching for the murder of King Laius, former king of Thebes. Oedipus finally finds out that he had killed king Laius and also that his wife, Queen Jocasta is actually his biological wife. Oedipus is a man who has pride and honor in himself. After Oedipus testifies the shepherd who brings him to his stepparents when he was a baby, he admits that he is the murder and he punishes himself by pulling his eyeball out.
(pic of Oedipus bleeding in his eyes)
Oedipus is an honest and prideful man. He left his stepparents to prevent the tragedy that has been destined. Although he followed his fate, I wonder if he had to punish himself so brutally. Oedipus is definitely a hero because he saves Thebes from the Sphinx. Although he killed his father, murdering during a fight was common in Greece in that period of time. Moreover, Oedipus didn't even know that the man he killed was his father. Since the flaw and wrong he did was all not intentional and the circumstance worked that way I don't think Oedipus should be punished that brutally.
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