Oedipus/oates Compare&contrast
Oedipus, the protagonist of Sophocles’ play, Oedipus the King, goes through a transition in his life. He experiences a life altering change, just as Connie, the protagonist of Joyce Carole Oates’ short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” does. Connie and Oedipus undoubtedly have contrasting qualities. Initially, Oedipus is looked upon as a hero to the people of Thebes because he solves the Sphinx’s riddle which free the people the Thebes from the Sphinx’s terror. The people then crown him King of Thebes. Connie on the other hand, is merely a vain naïve sixteen-year-old girl growing up in the 1960’s. Being too absorbed with how she appears on the surface, Connie never attempts to get to know who she is on the inside, as a soul. Whereas Oedipus searches diligently and years to learn the truth about him even though, at one point in the play, he knows that the truth night have ill effects on his life and ruin him. Frank Magill feels the same way about Oedipu!s, stating “it is Oedipus’ nature to be confident and desirous of the truth” (5:1808). Without a through investigation of these tow stories, one might find that they seem to have little to no similaritie
At the end of the story, this prophecy coming true proves that Tiresias has psychic abilities. Oedipus jeer he threw at Tiresias does come back to him. When Oedipus becomes irrational and pokes his own eyes out and no longer has strength his people feel the same way about him as he did of Tiresias when he made that rude comment. Tiresias also predicted the future with precision when he told Oedipus: His prediction came true. Oedipus and everyone in Thebes thought he was from a different land when in fact he was Theban born. Tiresias knew he killed his father before he became king, married his mother (Joscosta), and even had children with her. Eventually he does go blind by his own hands. All these things give Tiresias’ prophecies validity. Arnold Friend shows his first sign of psychic ability by mentioning Connie’s name before she even mentions it. Then he reveals more of his psychic powers by telling her: never wanted to spend time with her family. She “went out several times a week” (471) to avoid them and when she was around the house “the rest of the time Connie spent around the house thinking dreaming about the boys she met” (471). Connie’s distracted by friends, boys, and her own selfishness from knowing herself. When Connie’s sister, June, tries to have a conversation with her by asking how the movie that she saw was, Connie just rejects her out of her life by cutting her off. Connie even rejects her mother by wishing “her mother was dead” (470). It is clear that Connie does not care about getting to know her family, which means she does not care where she came from. Oedipus on the other hand wants to find the truth about his origins, and who he is despite the effect it might have on his life. Distractions do not keep Oedipus from Oedipus’ parents are but they push her toward it by setting her up to be a weak character st, he is not prepared for what Tiresias has to say and does not like what he says. One of his reactions to the prophet after he speaks a prophecy is:
Some topics in this essay:
Arnold Friend,
Similar Oedipus’,
Connie Oedipus,
Friend Tiresias,
Oedipus Connie,
Oedipus Jocosta,
Tiresias Oedipus,
Connie Oedipus’,
Bob Hutter”,
Oedipus Tiresias,
arnold friend,
connie oedipus,
psychic powers,
“where been”,
oedipus king,
oedipus’ parents,
people thebes,
psychic abilities,
powers arnold,
male role model,
connie’s name,
oedipus’ parents push,
don’t you” 481,
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Approximate Word count = 2789
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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