Oedipus Morals example essay topic

Conscience, in modern usage, term denoting various factors in moral experience. Thus, the recognition and acceptance of a principle of conduct as binding is called conscience. In theology and ethics, the term refers to the inner sense of right and wrong in moral choices, as well as to the satisfaction that follows action regarded as right and the dissatisfaction and remorse resulting from conduct that is considered wrong. In earlier ethical theories, conscience was regarded as a separate faculty of the mind having moral jurisdiction, either absolute or as a representative of God in the human soul. Various syntheses of traditional theology with the existential view that knowledge is more emotional than scientific have been developed in Switzerland by Karl Barth and in the United States by Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich.

In France, Jean-Paul Sartre fused ideas of Marx, Kierkegaard, Husserl, and Heidegger into a conception of humans as beings who project themselves out of nothingness by asserting their own values and thus assume moral responsibility for their acts. During the 1960's the writings of the American clergyman Martin Luther King, Jr. indicated that Western philosophy had been too remote from the great social and political upheavals taking place throughout the world. Following the principles of the Indian nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi, King advocated a program of nonviolent resistance to injustice. In the story 'Oedipus' a young man goes on a personal journey where he is overwhelmed by the moral responsibility, his moral responsibility as the newly crowned king of Thebes. He has to find the murderer of the former king to rid his new kingdom of the curse, best old as a punishment to the criminal. In the process his morals are put to the test, he take responsibility for all of his actions.

In the story 'Oedipus', in Greek mythology, king of Thebes, the son of Laius and Jocasta, king and queen of Thebes. Laius was warned by an oracle that he would be killed by his own son. Determined to change his fate, Laius pierced and bound together the feet of his newborn child and left him to die on a lonely mountain. The infant was rescued by a shepherd, however, and given to Polypus, king of Corinth, who named the child Oedipus (swollen foot) and raised him as his own son. The boy did not know that he was adopted, and when an oracle proclaimed that he would kill his father, he left Corinth.

In the course of his wanderings he met and killed Laius, believing that the king and his followers were a band of robbers, and thus unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy. Lonely and homeless, Oedipus arrived at Thebes, which was beset by a dreadful monster called the Sphinx. The frightful creature frequented the roads to the city, killing and devouring all travelers who could not answer the riddle that she put to them: What walks on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening? The answer was a human being, who in infancy crawls on all fours, in adulthood walks upright on two legs, and in old age uses a cane. When Oedipus solved her riddle, the Sphinx killed herself. Believing that King Laius had been slain by unknown robbers, and grateful to Oedipus for ridding them of the Sphinx, the Thebans rewarded Oedipus by making him their king and giving him Queen Jocasta as his wife.

For many years the couple lived in happiness, not knowing that they were really mother and son. Then a terrible plague descended on the land, and the oracle proclaimed that Laius's murderer must be punished. After he made king, Oedipus takes it upon himself to rid Thebes of the plague by finding Laius' murder. (p 311/ln. 104) Oedipus soon discovered that he had unknowingly killed his father. In grief and despair at her incestuous life, Jocasta killed herself, and when Oedipus realized that she was dead and that their children were accursed, he put out his eyes and relinquished the throne. He lived in Thebes for several years but was finally banished.

When he finds out about the curse he feels obligated to be the one to save the city again. Oedipus starts an open interrogation, and lets everyone in Thebes know, that any information about Laius' death will be rewarded. He also put a curse on the man who killed Laius, not knowing that he is that man (p 316/ln 233-234). He talks to the priest that tells him that he is the one that will deliver the city from the curse. Oedipus pays homage to the late king Laius and says that it is his responsibility to find the killer. (p 317/ln 245-259). Then he realized that if he has to find the killer because if they killed Laius, then they might try to kill him.

So for his safety he has to find the murder. (p 312/ln 135-145) Creon is sent to get the blind seer Teiresias, so that he could shed light on the issue (p 318/ln 285). Teiresias tells Oedipus who the murderer but in rhyme. Oedipus is angered by the seers' riddles, and Oedipus sends him away (p 320/ln 334-338). Because of what Teiresias told Oedipus, he considers that Creon might have instructed Teiresias to tell him that he was indeed the murderer (p 321/ln 336). Oedipus' morals are shown when he tells what will happen to the killer when he is found (p 331/ln 630-634). On page 335 line 695-710 Oedipus began to take responsibility for his accused actions by further looking into the situation.

Oedipus begins to tell his story of how he came to be in Thebes (p 336/ln 726-790). Which was similar to the one that tells how the king was king. On page 337 lines 767 through 773 he takes the blame for the death of king Laius. Jocasta thinks of a person that could help them clear Oedipus' name. So, Jocasta and Oedipus send for the Corinthian Messenger that could identify or discredit Oedipus and the killer (p 339/ln 813-818). When the messenger arrives he tell Oedipus the story of how Laius and Jocasta gave him up because of the prophecy.

Then he explains how he came to live with the king and queen of Corinth (p 345/ln 939-980). The shepherd comes and fills in the holes in the Messenger's story (p 353/ln 1100-1118). Then the Messenger, that Jocasta kills herself (p 357/ln 1187-1189). Therefore Oedipus gouge out his eyes because his has seen and been morally responsibility for the death of his mother and father (p 358/ln 1245-1246). Oedipus put himself on self-exile and give the throne to Creon (p 359-p 367).