Genesis and Oedipus Rex Essay

As if peering into a water ice of time, genesis and Oedipus Rex beed to fool made me travel back through actualization to make me reassess how I understood these early texts. Initi aloney, the two texts seem to have nothing in common. Genesis, as the term implies, talks rough the beginning, focusing on the creation myth and proceeding to the stories about the showtime people of the world inclusive of its genealogy and progress towards becoming a nation. Oedipus Rex, on the another(prenominal) hand, presents a snippet of a Kings life including his musings, fears, decision-making and actions. One seems to be solely about Theology and the other about politics.I realized later though that some(prenominal) argon actually part of a bigger picture the culture of westward Civilization. Wo mens authority in Hesperian Civilization is generally restrain to home, maternal and family life. Sarai, for instance, has the right to command her home. This was shown in the part where Abrah am told Sarai Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you please. (Gen. 16 6). Similarly, Jocastas entrance in Oedipus started as a manner of putting order in the house. During this time, Creon and Oedipus were arguing because of Creons assumptive claims on the misfortune of their land and the solutions.Womens role as wife was emphasized in Sarais inability to conceive. Stressing this, accounts for another t whizz the importance of children in a family. It is appargonnt that women should bear children for their economises and perhaps it is this calamity that pushed Sarai to suggest for Abraham to take Hagar, her maid, and have children through her. There were as well as m each instances where Abraham asked God when Sarai would conceive a child proving further how important children argon not barely for the order of things besides also for the family.If youll also follow, when Hagar, enceinte of shipwreck survivor, was sent away by Sarai, an angel advised Hagar to r eturn. Later, when Abraham sent both Hagar and Ishmael away, God did not exclusively provide and help Hagar and Ishmael survive the desert but as promised to Abraham, blessed Ishmaels generations. Gods participation in this picture further asserts the prise of children in His design. For Jocasta, another aspect of a womans role as wife was highlighted. Hers focuses on enlightening, empowering and giving advise to her husband at the time of extreme doubt.This was shown at the time Oedipus was worried and rather when she gave up the baby Oedipus to prevent her husbands fate. Women also have a role in politics, but this is limited to their symbolic purposes. Jocasta is tabby to both King Lauis and Oedipus, symbolizing her continuous devotion to her land, to serve as mother of the kingdom, rather than co-ruler. such(prenominal) in the same way as Sarai is called mother of all nations, for she is the wife of Abraham, and from her, will spring the roots and generations to come. Me n, on the other hand, have a critical role in Western Civilization.During this time, society was highly patriarchal and men, through the characters, Abraham and Oedipus, reflect not only the culture of their times, but also, the thoughts and patterns of morality and humanity. First instance was how men treats women. double within the sample text of Genesis did Abraham introduce Sarai as his child for fear of being killed due to Sarais beauty. From this we can assume that ones wife can be claimed by killing her husband, that a woman can be won or taken by force, else the occurrence and/or rampancy of adulterous relationships.Perhaps it is for this reason that adultery is called a sin and that anyone who commits such will receive misfortune just exchange able-bodied what happened to the land of Egypt and the land of Gerar when the rulers took Sarai as their queen/wife. It is a bit diametric in Oedipus because here, it is depicted that women can be passed from one king to another, for Jocasta was the deathly Lauis queen and was queen to Oedipus, the present king. Although there are other occurrenceors involved, fact remains that women can be passed on, as it appears fit.Second instance was how men treats their nation. In the story of Sodom and Gommorah, Abraham considered the welfare of the people that he took the courage to technically, arrangement with Yahweh that the city must have some goodness left in it, that it cannot be destroyed with the stuffy in it. From fifty people, he was able to ask God to spare Sodom if there are 10 faithful people and sad to say, there wasnt. Oedipus form of atonement in devotion of the welfare of his land is in a way alike this.He has chosen to cunning and banish himself from the land which he has done harm to killing its ruler and sleeping with his own mother. Third instance is in the way men carries out their decisions. As leaders, both Abraham and Oedipus consider niceness and reason before acting upon it. Ab raham, for instance, took into account the fact that his and Lots herdsmen cannot live together and so decided to separate with his brother so that Lot and his herdsmen can pursue their own future as he goes to the opposite direction.Much in the same way when Oedipus confronted Creon and in ill will of his suspicions and doubt, set aside his fears and objectively pursued the issue Creon told him. He has called upon all the links mentioned upon him, the slave, shepherd and messenger and carefully inquired details about what happened. He did not inject ideas but rather, took the facts they offer and connected the events in a string, used his reason and acquired the truth of the matter even if it means the fruition of his fears.It is quite noticeable though that the fatalistic and monotheistic belief patters are evident in both texts. Abraham follows the will of Yahweh while Oedipus yields to Apollo. Both also take part in atonement of mistakes, Jocastas suicide and Oedipus decision to blind and banish himself is an example. Offering sacrifices is another. There is one difference though. In Genesis, Abraham is able to talk to Yahweh and He answers him directly. Apollo has no voice in Oedipus overlook through the mouths of the oracle or the seers.Conversation with divinities was possible in Genesis while it is not in Oedipus. Emphasis on human disposition is also clear in both texts. Abraham, although a man of faith, has always been free to choose on what to do. Such with sleeping with Hagar and accepting the consequences of his actions, such with separating with Lot and bargaining with Yahweh to save Sodom and Gommorah, such with traveling and moving on forward to various lands, even if it means pretending to be a brother to Sarai, or if it means having to sacrifice his only son for his God.Much in the same way as Oedipus, who has been played by fate, yes, but wittingly, listened and pursued truth as it was told by witnesses living proofs of peoples action s. He has admitted that it was his own decision not moved by any God to strike Lauis for he was at a raging disappointment, much in the same way as it his own decision to blind and banish himself from his land to punish himself for his crime and for causing his kingdom, misfortune for his actions or his curse. Similarly, Jocastas action to commit suicide, as punishment of her mistakes.A simple(a) truth and belief carried across times, even today, that such assessment or review can make me think like this good only begets good. And in the end, no matter how impossible, or how human and unlikely, Justice prevails. clipping teaches souls that wander barren of moments but that of voices from the past read through the lips of beings like me.References Catholic Biblical Association of America (1971). The new-fangled American Bible. capital of the United States Catholic Publishers Inc. Pickering, James H. & Hoeper, Jeffrey (1990). King Oedipus by Sophocles, translated by William But ler Yeats. Literature. New York Macmillan