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Oedipus the King, a la Shmoop. Everyone has their family issues.
Most people don't need quite as much counseling as Oedipus, though.
Seriously, you should see the yearly psychiatry bills. Through the roof.
This guy unknowingly killed his father...
...well okay, he knowingly killed the guy, but he didn't know who he was at the time...
...and then he slept with and bore children with his biological mother.
How did he not get a guest spot on Springer? After all, Oedipus had some advance warning.
The Delphic Oracle had told him that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother.
And when the Oracle made a prophecy, you listened. So, if Oedipus had this critical information...
...why wasn't he a little more discerning about... who he killed and slept with?
Was it just that, for some reason, he didn't buy it?
Although prophets were well regarded... more than they are today, anyhow...
...they were known to be wrong on occasion.
So perhaps Oedipus just felt the Oracle was having an off day...
Or maybe Oedipus did believe in the prophesy...
... but he didn't think that Laius was his dad and Jocasta was mommy dearest.
It makes sense. He was brought up by Polybus and Merope, whom he believed all along were
his real parents...
...although he did end up killing a guy at a crossroads just as the prophecy had foretold.
You'd think the guy would have some feelers out by that point.
These people lived by their gut.
If he felt in the heat of the moment that Laius wasn't dear old dad, then he may have
just decided to off him and hope for the best.
And then with Jocasta... well, maybe she just looked really good in a two-piece bathing
suit. Although... it could be a third... icky option.
What if Oedipus had a sneaking feeling that he was fulfilling the prophesy... but did
it anyway? The fact that he gouges out his own eyeballs
when he learns the truth seems to invalidate this possibility...
...but what if it was partly subconscious?
What if he came across this guy, considered the possibility that he was his dad, but...
just really needed to satisfy his bloodlust?
And when he met and fell in love with Jocasta, what if he weighed the risks... but still
couldn't bring himself to ignore his emotions?
So what really happened?
Did Oedipus just not believe the prophesy?
Did he think his adoptive parents were the real deal?
Or was he throwing all caution to the wind and letting his heart lead him... despite
the vile places it might take him? Shmoop amongst yourselves.