Oedipus Illusion Of Power

Ancient Greeks loved power. They praised the gods for their power over heaven, earth, and the Underworld and often believed they too had the authority to rule over others and themselves. However, is it correct to say they truly possessed influence? One example of false human power is demonstrated in the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus loved Eurydice with his whole heart, so when she died, he traveled to the Underworld to beg Hades to release her. He agreed, but only on one condition: if Orpheus looked back during the journey to Earth, Eurydice would be returned to the Underworld. They had almost reached Earth, but Orpheus could no longer stand not the uncertainty of whether or not Eurydice was behind him, and he turned around. Eurydice …show more content…
Even though he committed a crime and unknowingly married his mother, there is some merit to his accomplishment of defeating the Sphinx. Because Oedipus granted Thebes salvation from this terrifying creature, the Theban people continue to feed his ego and reinforce his false sense of authority. They believe that without Oedipus, their city would be extinct. In addition, Oedipus incites a sense of community and belonging in the hearts of the Theban citizens in the following quote: “We will see our triumph – or our fall (167).” By using the word “we,” Oedipus is showing that he is the leader of a unified nation in which everyone acts with loyalty and commitment to one another. According to a priest of Thebes, the spokesperson for the city, Oedipus is “rate[d]… first of men (161)” and is considered their “greatest power (160).” His intelligence and riddle-solving ability created his position of power, but he is not humble enough to realize that his power does not extend to situations beyond human control, such as his foreboding …show more content…
Since the gods are portrayed with absolute power, it can be confusing for mortals who also believe they have the right to show authority over their people. Although Oedipus had certain powerful qualities and was able to defeat the Sphinx and take over as King, he was not as powerful as he originally thought, and this set off a cycle of events which led to his eternal unrest. Any power he did have was lost after he realized the severity of his actions, no matter how much he was destined to commit these acts of murder and incest. It is human nature to want power, but is it impossible for humans to hold absolute authority over themselves or other people? There outside forces that give or take away power, such as Fate, other outside influences, and the Greek gods, but human actions can also be argued as the basis on which power is