Lessons from Oedipus
I think Oedipus has become a favorite of mine. I call him, "Oh-Edipus," but really the O is silent. Haha, one of the funny things about being homeschooled through high school was when I came across words I didn't know how to pronounce I just sounded them out and did the best I could. It's kinda pitiful...I guess that's why I've loved college so much, I have a teacher in the room.
I first learned of Oedipus and watched the play in my Theatre Appreciation class last semester. I loved that class, and my professor...awesomeness. Anyway, I'm sure you're tired of me talking about Theatre Appreciation class all the time, it was very life changing for me and in the way I percived life, which for me is HUGE!
Some of the themes in Oedipus are, the limits of free will, and willingness to ignore the truth. Oedipus is considered to be a tragedy play. Typically the protagonist of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. As he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him. Aristotle, one of my favored philosophers, argued that tragedy cleansed the heart through pity and terror, purging us of our petty concerns and worries by making us aware that there can be nobility in suffering. This is called "catharsis."
One of the things I fear in life is that I'm not going to ever be the woman God called me to be, that I will never do what He really planned for my life. I feel like I'm going to mess up my life and get off track from God's will and absolutely no hope will be left. How prideful! It's like I'm telling God that little me can mess Him up in His perfect will; I'm saying "God there is no way you can fix me or get me back on the right track."
This is where Oedipus messed up. The god's prophecied that Oedipus would kill his father, and sleep with his mother. Well no one would want that to come true, so Oedipus tries to run from his fate, however, it continuously catches up with him. In the end Oedipus does fulfill the prophecy, he does kill his father, and ends up not only sleeping with his mama but is married to her! I call this, "Oh Snap!" This story is meant to show that error and disaster can happen to anyone, that human beings are relatively powerless before fate, and the gods, and that cautious humility is the best attitude toward life.
So the lesson is, God, the one and only God who is over all, has a plan for every life. We can be in the wrong place because we do have free will but it doesn't change what God wants for you.
I first learned of Oedipus and watched the play in my Theatre Appreciation class last semester. I loved that class, and my professor...awesomeness. Anyway, I'm sure you're tired of me talking about Theatre Appreciation class all the time, it was very life changing for me and in the way I percived life, which for me is HUGE!
Some of the themes in Oedipus are, the limits of free will, and willingness to ignore the truth. Oedipus is considered to be a tragedy play. Typically the protagonist of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. As he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him. Aristotle, one of my favored philosophers, argued that tragedy cleansed the heart through pity and terror, purging us of our petty concerns and worries by making us aware that there can be nobility in suffering. This is called "catharsis."
One of the things I fear in life is that I'm not going to ever be the woman God called me to be, that I will never do what He really planned for my life. I feel like I'm going to mess up my life and get off track from God's will and absolutely no hope will be left. How prideful! It's like I'm telling God that little me can mess Him up in His perfect will; I'm saying "God there is no way you can fix me or get me back on the right track."
This is where Oedipus messed up. The god's prophecied that Oedipus would kill his father, and sleep with his mother. Well no one would want that to come true, so Oedipus tries to run from his fate, however, it continuously catches up with him. In the end Oedipus does fulfill the prophecy, he does kill his father, and ends up not only sleeping with his mama but is married to her! I call this, "Oh Snap!" This story is meant to show that error and disaster can happen to anyone, that human beings are relatively powerless before fate, and the gods, and that cautious humility is the best attitude toward life.
So the lesson is, God, the one and only God who is over all, has a plan for every life. We can be in the wrong place because we do have free will but it doesn't change what God wants for you.
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