Oedipus Self Punishment: a Psychoanalytic Analysis

The character of Oedipus in Sophocles' plays Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus is renowned for his tragic fate, which is characterized by the fulfillment of a prophecy that he would commit patricide and incest. The story of Oedipus is, thus, a prime example of the workings of the unconscious mind, where repressed desires and unresolved emotions manifest in catastrophic ways. This essay will argue that Oedipus' self-punishment stems from his guilt over his patricidal and incestuous impulses, and a desire for atonement for his transgressions against his father and mother. This analysis will be conducted through a psychoanalytic lens that examines the themes of love, desire, and guilt in the Oedipus myth.

The Oedipus myth presents a complex web of relationships between the characters that are often tinged with ambiguous feelings of love and desire. In Freudian terms, this interplay between love and desire is indicative of the Oedipus complex. According to Freud, the Oedipus complex is the unconscious desire of a child for the opposite-sex parent and a desire to eliminate the same-sex parent. This is exemplified in the relationship between Oedipus and his mother, Jocasta. Throughout the play, Oedipus exhibits a strong and perhaps inappropriate attachment to Jocasta, which is reciprocated by her. For example, in Oedipus Rex, Jocasta tries to reassure Oedipus that he could not have killed his father by telling him that "A wandering oracle came to Laius once and told him he would die at the hands of his own son, his own child, to be born of our own flesh and blood." (Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, 756-758). This interaction highlights the love that Oedipus and Jocasta share and how their relationship is intertwined with their fates.

However, Oedipus is also plagued by guilt, which reflects the moral condemnation of incest in ancient Greek society. The guilt that Oedipus experiences is a direct result of his inability to recognize his true identity and his involvement in patricide and incest until it is too late. Oedipus' self-punishment can be seen as an attempt to atone for his past actions, to make amends for the harm he has caused to his family and to himself. In Oedipus at Colonus, he seeks redemption by asking the gods to protect his daughters and by fulfilling his destiny as a hero. For example, Oedipus makes a plea to the gods when he says, "Mighty Zeus, I pray you now to quell my pain,/Or guide me where my weary foot may find/A place of rest and peace"-- (Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, 301-303). This quote shows how Oedipus's penance is directed towards the gods who he believes can provide him with salvation.

Furthermore, Oedipus's self-punishment represents his struggle with the unconscious impulses that led him to commit patricide and incest. The story of Oedipus can be seen as a metaphor for the human condition, where we are all products of our past experiences and unconscious desires. The role of the unconscious in shaping our behavior is illustrated by Oedipus's blindness to his true identity, which is only revealed to him through the intervention of others. The self-punishment that Oedipus inflicts upon himself reflects his attempt to grapple with the complex and often destructive impulses that are part of the human psyche.

In conclusion, Oedipus's self-punishment is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that reflects his guilt over his past actions, his desire for redemption, and his struggle with unconscious impulses. Through a psychoanalytic analysis of the Oedipus myth, we can see how the interplay between love, desire, and guilt shapes the character of Oedipus and his tragic fate. The story of Oedipus is both a cautionary tale and a powerful metaphor for the human condition, reminding us of the complex and often unconscious forces that shape our lives.