7/30/2019 Cain- Defense of Oedipus Leadership- 25 September
2012- 7B
1/2
Dominique Cain-Defense of Oedipuss Leadership- 25 September
2012- 7B
Oedipus illustrations effective leadership by that he runs with
his emotions and craves immediate
results for the outlook of his society, rather than always going
by the book, like his courter-part, Creon.
A distinction that separates the leadership quality between
Oedipus and Creon is the fact that Creon
has become the paradoxical of himself in the Greek
DramaAntigone. For example Oedipus blames Creon with
the murder of King Laius; Oedipus states that you venture in my
house although you are proved manifestly
the murderer of that man (Sophocles pg.487), and Creon states
that Oedipus accused me in this
fashion? (Sophocles pg.487) letting the reader know that Creon
felt that he was missed judged. Yet in
Antigone, Creon wrongfully blames Antigone with treason, though
she was doing what was morally right by
Greek values. Yet throughoutOedipus the King, Oedipus tends to
up to the leadership quality of being the
savior of the city of Thebes rather than becoming the opposite
of himself: saved our city, freed us from
tribute which we paid of old to the Sphinx (Sophocles pg.470)
pleads a Priest of Thebes; he cries out to
Oedipus in hope for help, although Oedipus has bathed himself
with his own pride, he holds still stays the
savior of the Thebes.
Another contrast that qualifies Oedipus as a more enhance leader
is that Oedipus was that
determinate to do what was morally right for the people of
Thebes, in the fact that he looked to drive
pollution from the land (Sophocles pg.474) and find out who was
the murdered of the former King Laius.
Though Oedipus himself was the killer of Laius, Oedipus listened
to his fellow people by searching to find the
pollution that affected Thebes. Yet Creons way of protecting the
city was to get rid of what he thought as
pollution to the city, he never does right by his fellow
citizens. Creon states They shake their heads and have
not kept their necks under my yoke, as they are duty bound to do
if they were men who are content to me
(Sophocles lines338-340), from this statement the audience can
infer that Creon thought of his people as
slaves, so with a mindset like that how can Creon know whats
right for the people of Thebes? Not at all.
Though both Oedipus and Creon are both insincere tragic heroes,
and exert a haughty determination
that became the tragic flaw that consumed and destroyed the ones
they loves, as well as them themselves,
Oedipus stood out because of his determination to save the city
of Thebes and be the protector to his people.
Whether his motive was out of pride, pure interest, or content
to his citizens, Oedipus became the superman
to Thebes.
