Theme Of Pride In Oedipus The King

Pride, a Corrupting Trait The greatest of the seven deadly sins, pride, has been commonly labeled as the father of all sins, originating from Lucifer’s rebellion against God. In Ancient Greece it went hand in hand with the most serious crimes, and in Christianity, C.S. Lewis states that it is the “anti-God” state. It allows its bearer to rise up in confidence with the belief that they are walking towards the better path, when in reality they are only climbing up to fall off a higher cliff. Though it may seem acceptable sometimes, the countless examples provided by history and ancient literature prove otherwise that this overly confident and egotistical trait brings about destruction.
Greek literature is commonly known for its incorporation of the theme of

As we look at the most famous examples of Greek literature, we see this theme presented in the majority of them all: Antigone, Ajax, The Odyssey and the myth of Icarus. In ancient times, the Greek gods disdained human pride and they brought down severe punishment for it. One of the greatest tragedies of all time, Oedipus the King, also explores the consequences pride causes. Straightaway, the play brings Oedipus’ pride forward as he addresses the Theban citizens, saying, “ Here I am, myself, world-famous Oedipus” (Sophocles and Frederic 6). He boasts here of his intelligence and bravery when he confronts the Sphinx and his fame as he rises to the throne (Sophocles and Frederic 24). Shortly after this, he hears of the unfortunate truth from Tiresias, but he refuses to acknowledge it, cursing Tiresias and commanding him to depart (Sophocles and Frederic 25). We see again of how Oedipus’ role as the king builds