Oedipus Rex: Innocent or Guilty?

For a very long time, a case of some crime must be studied and analyzed before a decision must be finalized. Many notorious people are recognized guilty even though they are not. Some crime-doers who truly did the act were excused. Unfair though, we have to accept that circumstances and external factors affect the decision regarding the crimes that we are experiencing these days.

In the recent reading we had in our Hum1 class, Oedipus maybe considered innocent or guilty depending on the context and view that we will be using. Based on my long reflection and assessment of Oedipus’ situation regarding the crimes he was blamed, I personally believe that he is innocent. He was accused of patricide and incest for killing his own father and being his mother’s husband respectively. He, himself, has done the crimes actually that is why he really may be responsible of the acts. But we can think of the possibility that he really don’t want to render such. He was just affected by the so-called destiny, prophecy, and faith. It was not denied in the drama that a prophecy will be occurring. He just doesn’t know his true identity that he had contributed o the success of the prophecy. If only he knew his real identity, many things might have changed. In fact, there will be no crimes must have been committed. He is of just innocence because he really doesn’t want to let the prophecy materialize yet it happened because he didn’t knew he was relating with his true parents.

Oedipus situation maybe considered one of the most abused and misused of justice. His acts may be really unethical and must be punished. But, in these certain cases, we have to soundly consider circumstances and reasons. If his lack of knowledge had really put him on this, we have to consider the fact that he sincerely didn’t really want to commit such crimes. In every rule, there are exceptions. This case must be considered as an exception in the guilty criminal activities because of a very valid reason.

He is innocent because he doesn’t even know that he’s already doing the act itself. Even though he had committed such crime unknowingly, he didn’t mean to do it so. It was stated in the situation that he wanted to overcome the prophecy. Such act means that he didn’t want to commit the crime. For that sincerest fact that he didn’t want to let the prophecy get on its way, I think therefore, he can be excused for the mistakes he had done for he really didn’t want it to happen. I also believe that punishments must be rendered to those who intended to directly offer crimes to others because of their bad virtues.

He may have not done it if he had the full knowledge of his identity. Regarding the flow of the story, he, himself, thinks hat he was guilty of what he have done. But while deepening on the drama’s context, how everyone including himself can blame and accused him of crimes that he didn’t even know he was doing already. Aside from that, it is already said in the prophecy that it will happen. They may have the power to overcome it but, likewise, they may also not have such power to escape in he said prophecy. Meaning, instead of accusing and blaming, the most right thing they could have done is preparing their selves whenever it will take part in their lives and accepting that they may not have the secret act that could overpower the prophecy.

My stand regarding Oedipus’ case can be concluded with the realization that not all who commit mistakes really mean it. We have to really reflect and consider many factors before giving a final generalization.