Additionally, Odysseus had made some mistakes like all good heroes. Once when the cyclop, Polyphemus tries to befriend Odysseus. Which, Odysseus disregarded, “If I could take your life I would and take your time away, and hurl you down to hell! The god of earthquake could not heal you there” (479 - 481). Odysseus has insulted Polyphemus and his father, Poseidon.
A second reinforcement of hubris by Sophocles is in Oedipus at Colonus. It is at the segment in the play when Oedipus is under host of Theseus, King of Athens, and King Creon of Thebes comes to take Oedipus for himself. Creon only wants Oedipus back from banishment because wherever Oedipus dies, there will be prosperity. However, Oedipus will not honor the city where his sons banished him from when he is not guilty. King Theseus accuses Creon of hubris and says, "I know / How guest to host ought to comport himself. /
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Yet, what is hubris exactly? Hubris is just another word to describe arrogant or over-prideful, which Oedipus definitely was. After finding out that he had really committed the crimes which his prophecy had predicted, he stated “Oh God! I think I have called down upon myself a dreadful curse not knowing what I did!” As shown, he even realizes what grave consequences followed his life of incest.
Background Information: In Oedipus the King, by Sophocles, Oedipus was told that he would kill his father Laius and marry his mother Jocasta. However, Oedipus doesn’t believe that he killed Laius but was blind to the truth for him accept it which led to his demise. 3.Thesis Statement:
Hubris means death from excessive pride. An example of hubris that is used in Odyssey is when Odysseus returns back home from his voyage and he unites with his son to plot to kill all the suitors. One of the main suitors that were killed was Antinous. “Odysseus/ Took dead aim at Antinous’ throat and shot,/ And the arrow punched all the way through/The soft neck tissue. Antinous fell to one side” (Lombardo 336).
Firstly, in the text, he states that he has a hidden determination to find his true self, but has yet to do so. Additionally, hubris can be interpreted as excessive pride. Oedipus exemplifies hubris in a way that can be defined as a façade, the way he wants to be until he finds his true self. The actions of Oedipus in this playwright can clearly show that Oedipus is the classic example of a man whose central problem is that he does not know himself.
Hubris was very cocky as a hero because many looked up to him. He usually never gave credit to all the help of his men but he was very precise on what choices he’d take. For example, his men stabbing Poseidon's eye, many didn't agree with his choice but at the same time they had no other way to get out. Hubris was very brave in which was also one of the reasons he was cocky and people looked up to him.
Is it possible that one’s downfall can be caused by excessive pride? In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, tells the story of Oedipus who had an excessive amount of pride which ultimately led to his downfall. In the story, Oedipus receives a prophecy and tries to do everything in his power to not complete it but in his overconfidence to not fulfill it he ends up completing it by murdering his father and marrying his mother. Oedipus’s hubris created the circumstances in the play by being too caught up in himself, unable to step back and reflect on his actions, which in the course of time led to his dethroning of King. Oedipus’s hubris first led to his downfall when he stated that the man who slaughtered Laios shall be exiled.
A modern definition of hubris is extreme pride and very high self-confidence, but in Greek society hubris meant violent and excessive behavior not an attitude. Though high confidence was a common trait, when your confidence affects your actions in a horrible way. A person accused of hubris will most likely be punished. You can be punished with death, banishment to the Underworld, or any other horrible tasks that seem fit. A lot of examples of hubris are found in literature such as the Bible or any other fiction work.
First, he was blind to the truth about his own life. Oedipus had no idea that his real parents were Laius and Jocasta, he was so blind that he got mad at anyone that would even suggest an idea such as that. As the story went on though, Oedipus could no longer run from the truth; he was forced to open his eyes to the reality and truth of his life. Oedipus killed his father and married his mother; he is the brother to his own kids and the son of his own mother. Oedipus was the one that was causing all of the downfall and bad times in Thebes.
PROMPT 4: What is Sophocles’ interpretation of justice? In three of his most famous plays, Sophocles follows in the footsteps of generations before him in attempting to answer a question which has plagued every government and civilization in recorded history: what is justice? Sophocles’ answer reflects humanity itself - justice is inconsistent, wavering, and flaky. In Oedipus, a well-intentioned, if arrogant king is punished by receiving the worst news of his life, essentially ruining him permanently.
Sophocles was born in Colonus, Hippius, which is now part of Athens, in the year of 496 BC and he was a Greek playwright in drama. Sophocles was not only a Greek philosopher but he was also a politician, priest, and a military leader. Sophocles and two other philosophers, Euripides and Aeschylus, were mainly known as the masters of tragedy. Sophocles was the most successful of the three and always won in play competitions and “never had the ignominy of being voted third” (Cartwright) place. It is said that Sophocles wrote about 120 plays but only a few of them have survived up to this date.
Refusal to yield due to pride is a human weakness evident in both the ancient times and today's society. In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, King Oedipus refuses to yield when Tiresias urges him that “there’s no help in the truth” (Sophocles 17). Since Oedipus is too proud and stubborn to believe Tiresias, he ignores Tiresias’ advice and unfolds the truth concerning his own past and King Laius’ death, thinking that he will save Thebes from the plague, but ends up only harming himself and his loved ones. Like Oedipus, Muhammad Ali, a professional boxer, is also proud of his beliefs and refuses to yield and join the U.S. military when drafted during the Vietnam War, despite the criticism and punishment he receives. Ali stated that his “ ‘conscience [won't]
