Oedipus Rex Quote Analysis

Oedipus’ impetuous behavior is another trait that eventually leads him to his downfall. While having a rash and short-tempered manor it seemed to have caused him to make bad judgment calls. Including when he accused Tiresias of being a part of the murder. The reason why being because Tiresias would not answer the questions the Oedipus asked. Oedipus then goes on, over exaggerating his speech towards Tiresias saying, “Did you rise to the crisis? Not a word, you and your birds, your gods-nothing. No, but I came along Oedipus the ignorant, I stopped the sphinx! With no help from the birds, the flight of my own intelligence hit the mark” (Lines 449-453). Following this quote, Oedipus ignores Tiresias’ warnings to not pursue the killer; if he did he

When he explains what happens he claims that “As I was on the move, I passed close by a spot where three roads meet, and in that place I met a herald and a horse-drawn carriage, with a man inside, just as you described. The guide tried to force me off the road-and the old man, too, got personally involved. In my rage, I lashed out at the driver, who was shoving me aside” (Lines 962-970). This associated with Oedipus’ rash behavior by lashing out on these men and killing them all when they were completely harmless towards him. They way Oedipus portrayed his actions made him kill these men in a pure hast, fulfilling half of the prophecy. If Oedipus instead calmed himself down the outcome of the situation could’ve been avoided all together and the prophecy could’ve remained un-touched. Jocasta seems to put the connection together that Oedipus killed Laius, faster then he could. All of Oedipus’ actions are based on pure impulse and towards the emotions he is feeling at the time to make such bad judgment calls. It has been shown that Oedipus’ short tempered and irrational behavior made him do unthinkable things to the people who got in his