The Inescapable Fate
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The Inescapable Fate
Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King is one of the most ironic tragedies ever written. The character of Oedipus is complex and multidimensional; on one hand he is a loving, just and upright king but his arrogance and desire for justice eventually show to be his tragic flaws. Memento Directed by Christopher Nolan, is an ironic film follows the hollow and the relentless pursuit for justice of Leonard, despite his sever short-term memory loss. The film Memento and play Oedipus the King both follow the main character’s heroic search for the truth and ironically ends with both Oedipus and Leonard being culprit in their own stories. Although they are both in one way a victim of fate, they ends up being a noble yet arrogant heroes who make critical errors in judgment and turth that set off the events through the course of their story.
When Creon informs Oedipus that someone murdered his predecessor, Laius, Oedipus states that he will stop at nothing in order to have justice. He calls for anyone with knowledge of the murder to come and shed light on the culprit. Foolishly though in his arrogance he states, “Nor do I exempt myself from this imprecation: If, with my knowledge, house or heart of mine receive the guilty man, upon my head. Lie all curses I
have laid on others” (Page 32: 249-253). Much like Oedipus, Leonard is a man desperate by tragedy with having his last full memory of his wife being raped and murdered. Oedipus and Leonard are both driven to find the murderer, almost as if a god has sent him on a quest for justice. Both Oedipus and Leonard are completely dedicated to their cause and do not protect anyone, including themselves from there “divine” investigation.
Even though Oedipus does not protect himself from justice, it is even nobler that he is willing to let the people of his household pay the price if they are guilty. It is always easier to sacrifice ourselves rather than our loved ones and this illustrates his devotion to...
Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King is one of the most ironic tragedies ever written. The character of Oedipus is complex and multidimensional; on one hand he is a loving, just and upright king but his arrogance and desire for justice eventually show to be his tragic flaws. Memento Directed by Christopher Nolan, is an ironic film follows the hollow and the relentless pursuit for justice of Leonard, despite his sever short-term memory loss. The film Memento and play Oedipus the King both follow the main character’s heroic search for the truth and ironically ends with both Oedipus and Leonard being culprit in their own stories. Although they are both in one way a victim of fate, they ends up being a noble yet arrogant heroes who make critical errors in judgment and turth that set off the events through the course of their story.
When Creon informs Oedipus that someone murdered his predecessor, Laius, Oedipus states that he will stop at nothing in order to have justice. He calls for anyone with knowledge of the murder to come and shed light on the culprit. Foolishly though in his arrogance he states, “Nor do I exempt myself from this imprecation: If, with my knowledge, house or heart of mine receive the guilty man, upon my head. Lie all curses I
have laid on others” (Page 32: 249-253). Much like Oedipus, Leonard is a man desperate by tragedy with having his last full memory of his wife being raped and murdered. Oedipus and Leonard are both driven to find the murderer, almost as if a god has sent him on a quest for justice. Both Oedipus and Leonard are completely dedicated to their cause and do not protect anyone, including themselves from there “divine” investigation.
Even though Oedipus does not protect himself from justice, it is even nobler that he is willing to let the people of his household pay the price if they are guilty. It is always easier to sacrifice ourselves rather than our loved ones and this illustrates his devotion to...