Oedipus the King
1. Oedipus was enraged by the refusal of Teiresias to speak. He immediately interprets Teiresias's actions as treachery and he later labels him as a villain and at the same time, as a conspirator along with Creon. This reaction of Oedipus is his impulsiveness, which is one of his characteristics that brought forth his downfall.
2. Oedipus falsely accused Creon of plotting and wanting to take over his throne. However, the real score is that Creon genuinely wanted to help Oedipus get rid of what plague the gods hurled at them. Creon was extremely hurt by Oedipus' accusations that he told the Chorus: This accusation against me by our ruler Oedipus, It's outrageous. (514). In the end, Creon told Oedipus, I'm always as good as my word; I don't speak before I think.(1520). Creon's defense was acceptable because he is not impulsive. He thinks before he speaks. Therefore, Creon's defense is convincing.
3. Jocasta is ignorant and very blind to the truth. She is willing to reject the truth even if it is right in front of her. She looks at her everyday life and her circumstances and situations and she pretend not to see them. This characteristic of Jocasta is opposite of the characteristic of the chorus. The chorus always wants to see reasons and logic, while Jocasta's ignorance always wants to hide from the truth.
4. Oedipus started to suspect that he was the one who killed Laius was when Jocasta mentioned that Laius was killed at the intersection of three roads. He immediately was worried because he remembered killing someone at that exact place. A messenger from Corinth said that the people of Corinth want Oedipus to be their king because their king has died. This news was good at first because Oedipus believed that the prophecy was incorrect – that he was not the one who killed his father, Polybus. However, Polybus is not his real father. And because of this Corinthian messenger, Oedipus learns about his true identity that his father is not Polybus, but Laius. This brings forth his doom.
5. The chorus saw that Oedipus' tragic fate is the result of unchangeable fate itself, his arrogant attitudes and his impulsive actions. These are the main reasons that caused Oedipus' downfall. The chorus sees this sorrowful situation as a result of such actions accompanied by his fate.
