Introduction: Oedipus Rex (429 BC) by Sophocles (497/496-406/405 BC) is a masterpiece of Greek tragedy. It shows the sorrowful history of Oedipus and Jocasta, the biological mother of Oedipus.
The reason why Oedipus and Jocasta are guilty?
we know that the Delphic oracle prophecies, a child will birth in the house of king Laius and queen Jocasta but he will kill his father and will marry his own mother. Laius to avoid it handover his three days baby to a shepherd for killing on the mountainside in Parish. But out of pity the shepherd hand over the child to the Corinthian shepherd. The shepherd gave it to the childless king of Corinth, Polybus.
Oedipus grows up in Corinth as own child of Polybus and Merope. One day, he knows from the Oracle of Delphi that he will kill his own father and marry his own mother. Hearing it, he flees to avoid the oracle’s prophecy and goes to Thebes. But through his journey, Oedipus unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. Thus, the prophecy of the oracle of Delphi has come true. Here, Oedipus’ guilts that since he flees to avoid the prophecy, so he should think again and again before killing any single person but he did not do it.
Besides Jocasta passes his days with Oedipus very happily. As she did not believe in the oracle’s prophecy, she has no intention of about the prophecy of the oracle of Delphi. But at the end of the play, when the question comes was Laius killed by a group of robbers or by a single man? To get the right answer to this question he calls that shepherd who was present when Laius was killed. Shepherd comes and discloses everything hearing all Jocasta understood that the prophecy of the oracle of Delphi and killed herself by hanging. Here Jocasta guilts that she had to need properly investigate before the second marriage who is Oedipus? what is his real identity? But she did not do it that is why a tragic end come to her life. Thus both Oedipus and Jocasta are guilty.
Conclusion: In short, we can say that Oedipus and Jocasta’s guilt gives us a message that if one wants to avoid the prophecy of God or the Oracle, he will be punished like Oedipus and Jocasta.
