The Character of Oedipus in Oedipus and The Infernal Machine Essay

The Character of Oedipus in Oedipus and The Infernal Machine The stories of Oedipus, as told through Senecas Oedipus and Cocteaus The Infernal Machine, contain both similarites and differences. Both authors portray the character of Oedipus as creation obstinate, ignorant, and inquisitive. Yet Seneca and Cocteau differ on their interpretation of the motives that propelled these characteristics of Oedipus. Seneca portrays Oedipus as a mature man who, in seeing the troubles of the plague that has descended upon Thebes, feels true sorrow for his dying throng and wishes to cure his moribund city. On the other hand, Cocteaus Oedipus is a pretentious, immature, and overweening young adult who seeks to indulge himself in the fast and wealthy lifestyle of the royal class. Seneca and Cocteau be to agree that Oedipus is a very persistent, curious, and yet unwitting character. Furthermore, they believe that it these qualities that ultimately bring about his demise. In Senecas tale, Tiresias tries to warn Oedipus that only bad will solution from his need to know the identity of Laiuss killer-Avid your hung er for such knowledge now , but you will come to rue the things you know. (Sen. Oed. p. 22) Even when his horrible actions be discovered by all the other characters, Oedipus, oblivious to the truth, persists with the search. Creon describes the area in which the King Laius was slain, yet Oedipus seems to realize nothing and instead, continu es to demand the identity of Laiuss killer. Oedipus. . . .Whom did I murder? Through a blunder, a pure blunder, an old man on the road- a stranger. Tiresias. Oedipus, your blunder killed the husband of Jocasta, King Laius. Oedipus. The two of you. Now I see the shape of you... ...presence of his mother at his side. In the end, Oedipus, according to Cocteau, doesnt even solve the riddle, but instead is told the answer by the Sphinx herself. Both Seneca and Cocteau regard Oedipus as a stubborn and curious man whose necessity to i dentify the killer of King Laius, despite warnings from Jocasta, Tiresias, and Creon to leave it be, lead him to his horrible fate. Yet there is a distinct difference between the motives of the authors characters. Senecas wise and gracious Oedipus persists in his quest to find the killer in order to free Thebes of its pollution. While Cocteaus puerile and proud character must know the identity of the killer, simply for personal knowledge. Works Cited Cocteau, Jean. The Infernal Machine and other plays. New YorkNew Directions, 1963 Seneca. The Tragedies Volume II. BaltimoreJohns Hopkins, 1995