The
most predominant conflict in is
character vs. fate.was born to a cursed family and was therefore
cursed himself. According to myth, King Laius was King Pelops' charge. Laius became such close
friends with Pelops' youngest son Chrisippus that they ran away together. As a result, Pelops
cursed Laius ( title="Tripp, Meridian Handbook of Classical Mythology as cited in "The Story of
Oedipus," csun.edu">Tripp, Meridian Handbook of Classical
Mythology). Hence, it is as a result of Pelops' curse that Oedipus is born
to the fate of killing his own father, Laius, and sleeping with his own mother. Therefore, the
most predominant conflict reflects circumstances far beyond Oedipus's control, making the
predominant conflict character vs.
fate.
However, this would not be a true Greek , particularly
not the tragedy Aristotle lauds in his Poetics as the most perfect tragedy,
if Oedipus Rex did not also possess a character flaw that helps
propel him towards his great fall (Barbara F. McManus, "Outline of Aristotle's
Theory"). Oedipus's character flaw is recognized to be his excessive
pride, making the second predominant conflict in the play character
vs. self. We particularly see evidence of Oedipus's pride in his dealings with
bothand . It is Oedipus's pride that drives him to suspect a plot to overthrow, not only Laius,
but himself and to disbelieve Tiresias's prophecy. Instead, Oedipus believes that both Creon and
Tiresias are conspiring against him and that Creon paid Tiresias to deliver false prophecy, as
we see in Oedipus's lines:
... the trusted Creon, my
friend from the beginning, beguiles me and secretly desires to oust me, engaging this
craftily-working wizard ... who sees clearly only for profit. (405-409)
It is also Oedipus's pride and even his impetuous temper that leads
him to kill a man who ran him off the road at the intersection heading towards Delphi--a man
that turned out to be his own father. Therefore, the second most predominant conflict in the
play is character vs. self.
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