Oedipus: Guilt and Shame
Guilt and shame can be defined as an intense feeling of regret in seeing the flaws of oneself or the intense pain of a flawed action one has committed. Sophocles explores this in his Theban play “Oedipus the king” through the titular character of Oedipus.
Sophocles creates Guilt and shame to maintain the essence of Salience, Oedipus’ guilt begins to lead into his shame, however to an extent, an element of remorselessness due to Oedipus’ claims of being “cursed in my birth,” further his shamelessness may be invoked by Tireseas’ “your birth and your destruction” this oxymoronic ideology builds into fate, which could suggests that Oedipus is exempt to remorse as he was unable to change his fate, being a victim of it.
Arguably, Oedipus’ hubristic and hegemonial attitudes suggests that he values himself as being exempt to such criticism of guilt or shame; Oedipus proudly claims “the world knows my fame” and is declared as Thebes “greatest power,” these impressive statements build up the idea that perhaps Oedipus is too confident to feel shame. Wyles suggests that “Oedipus’ confidence makes him utterly blind to the truth;” Sophocles builds Oedipus to build upon a moral dilemma on whether or not Oedipus may feel remorse for his actions, in fact it is shown that Oedipus typically does not feel shame in insulting Tiresias: “Stone-blind, Stone-deaf… eyes as blind as a stone,” Oedipus’ constant repetition and use of the simile “eyes as blind as a stone” constantly emphasis and implies that he lacks care for Tiresas. Sophocles repeated use of “stone” builds upon Oedipus emotionless state, further Sophocles builds Oedipus’ to have “a heart of stone.” Throughout, these early scenes Oedipus is presented to be a stoic and unremorseful character suggesting to the audience that he does not, or cannot feel guilt nor shame.
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With “Greek theatre [being] the theatre of the mind” (Stated by Oliver Taplin), we can value that Sophocles wants to bridge a debate by bringing salience through Oedipus’ guilt and shame. Through the character building of Oedipus, it becomes all the more surprising when Sophocles juxtaposes Oedipus’ hubris at the end of the play. With Oedipus “gouging [his] eyes” out, we can assume that his cries of “I did this to myself” he may be taking accountability — “gouging [his] eyes” out as a way to serve justice which may be a form of expressing guilt. Moreover, Fagles suggests that Oedipus is “a man of action,” which may amplify his guilt and shame, as he feels responsibly to live up to a punishment set out only for him (the lose of his eyes). Furthermore, Oedipus being Thebes “greatest power” would apply to this as he would feel the pressure of the entire city making his guilt worse; the intimate relationship he has with Thebes would also invoke more shame as he views them as “my children,” creating a sense that he has disappointed that of his own blood relatives.
However, Sophocles only presents Oedipus’ guilt at the end of the play when he sees the consequences of his actions, in Jocasta’s suicide, rather Oedipus guilt for the killing of Lauis and his men does not preexist her suicide, rather Oedipus was “satisfied” with his kills; Oedipus even “accounts [himself] a child of fortune.” Oedipus, being blind to his sins, does not feel shame nor remorse for his actions till the consequences of his actions are physically in front of him. As previously cited, Wyles suggested that “Oedipus’ confidence makes him utterly blind,” connecting to how Oedipus at the start is not ashamed of what he has done, “I am Oedipus,” rather he is confident and egotistical. Janves O’Neill claims that “public shame isn’t even born until they become aware of what he has done” reflecting on how Oedipus feels no guilt for his actions until physical consequences are in front of him.
Oedipus’ arrogance and hubris has led him to feel that he is exempt from shame or guilt, he was even warned that “this very lack that has destroyed you,” suggesting that Oedipus’ inability to accept the fact that he should feel remorse or shame in some way is his downfall and leads to fate becoming worse.
Oedipus valued himself as above the common Theban people which let to him feeling powerful, never fully accepting responsibility. Through his own blinding, you could suggests that Oedipus has attempted to take accountability due to the shame and guilt he feels; however a more logistical approach is that Oedipus’ blinding is for himself to escape accountability as he no longer has to look at the problems he has caused suggesting he does feel shame for them but not guilt. Through Sophocles’ motif of sight through Tiresias (the blind prophet) and Oedipus being “blind to his own fate,” the idea that Oedipus uses blindness as a way to escape his guilt or shame is not farfetched.
Sophocles has built Oedipus to be this hubristic, hegemonial, tryanical figure that attempts to escape fate in a way to excuse himself of all guilt and or shame he may feel. This reason is why when fate catches up to him, Jocasta kills herself, he is forced to attempt to accept accountability and he first feels shame.
