The Hamartia of Oedipus

According to Aristotle, to be truly poignant a Greek tragedy must contain the “unmerited misfortune… of a man like ourselves.” To err is human, and the subjects of Greek tragedies are certainly no exception to personal missteps, or hamartia in Greek. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus’ hamartia is his relentless pursuit of thought and knowledge.

Great Sphinx of Giza. circa 2558-2532 BCE.

To better understand my assertion, you have to know that Oedipus was a very clever man. He “knew the famous riddle” (Sophocles, line 1553) that saved Thebes from the vicious Sphinx, which proved that he was a deep thinker even under pressure like that confrontation of the man-devouring creature who liked to play with words would bring. Furthermore, when faced with a problem like the misfortune that had overcome his people, Oedipus told the people that he was not ignorant to their tragedy but “that [he has] been weeping much and wandering many roads of the mind” (lines 71-72). Oedipus is a man who thinks things through. He takes the time to ponder the problems he is faced with to come up with the best solution. Therefore you can see that, as an intelligent leader, Oedipus is likely used to getting the knowledge that he seeks where by force or by his own pondering.

                          The Delphic Or cle. Kylix by the Kodros painter, c. 440-430 BCE.

This seeking of knowledge sets in motion the beginning of Oedipus’ downfall. To get information on his nations plight Oedipus sent for an oracle of Delphi. When the information is not to his liking, as it points to him as the cause of the misfortune, Oedipus immediately turns the blame on his brother-in-law, exclaiming, “Did or did you not persuade me that I must send a man for the reverend seer?” (lines 580-581). While Oedipus will put forth much effort to gain knowledge, if the truth he receives doesn’t coincide with his own thought path (which at the moment was that there was no way that he was Laius’ killer) he is brought to anger because he is secure, proud even, in his own cleverness and finds it hard to accept anyone else’s thinking over his own, even if the words came from a vassal of a god. He is so confident in the validity of his own knowledge, in fact, that before it is revealed to him that he is Laius’ killer he curses the man who did the act to justice, not even considering that he had killed several men around the time of the former King’s death and could in fact be the killer. His response to this is passionate, lamenting “Alas, alas! It seems that I have just cast myself unknowingly under terrible curses!” (lines 772-773), although he doesn't yet know how much more awful his misfortune is going to become.

                                           Oedipus Rex by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1895.

Oedipus’ real obstinacy comes to life as it is revealed to him the Polybus was not his father. Intensely craving the knowledge of his ancestry, Oedipus insists that “it is impossible that when I have found such signs, I will not discover my birth” (Lines 1085-1086). Even though he could be the son of a slave, which would undermine his leadership, Oedipus insists that the identity of his parents be brought to life. He basically disregards any consequences in his search for knowledge, which as we will see leads to his downfall. Even the pleading of his wife, Jocasta, who says “obey me, I pray. Do not do this” (line 1091) does not sway Oedipus, who retaliated “I cannot be persuaded not to learn this clearly” (line 1092). Not only would his fortune be effected, but that of his family. His wife at this point has realized the Oedipus is also her son, and is desperate to dissuade him from finding out but he will not budge. His stubbornness, and the realization that she had children with her son, led her to commit suicide, the first event that really brings home the new realities of Oedipus’ life. In addition to his wife’s pleading, the Shepard who gave this to the messenger tries to beg off giving out the information twice, saying “By the gods, master, do not inquire further!” (line 1190) and “oh I am about to say something terrible” (line 1994). Oedipus ignores all warnings, getting violent in his insistence for the knowledge, threatening the shepherd by saying, “You are dead if I have to ask again!” (1191). Oedipus takes it for granted that he is intelligent and therefore should know all that he desired to know. He even acknowledges that the information he is about to receive is unfavorable but insists that “it must be heard!” (line 1995). In some ways this implies that Oedipus realizes that it would be better for all involved if the information never came to light, but as is his hamartia he insists that the train of thought must be followed out and his father revealed. After the truth is revealed to him, he acknowledges that the information he so aggressively sought would have been better left hidden, telling Cithaeron, “Why did you not kill me at once, so I would never reveal to men my origins?” (lines 1413-1414). Oedipus received and ignored three warnings as to what kind of information he was about to receive, as in his confidence in his own intelligence he thought that he could handle any information and therefore should receive all knowledge that he desired to know. Therefore Oedipus’ hamartia, his misfire that led to his downfall, was his reckless pursuit of knowledge. 

Citations:

Sophocles. Trans. J. E. Thomas. Clayton, Delaware: Prestwick House, 2005. Print.