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Sphcles is able t accomplish t achieve several bjectives in his play, edits the King. Sphcles magnificently retells a classic Greek tale while als describing the characters and their miles in great detail. f the characters Sphcles naturally spends the mst time characterizing the protagonist f the play, edits. Sphcles covers edits ideals, may, and penis abut several this thought the play. And the mst important and prominent f his beliefs that are revealed dealt with edits value f reading, intellect, inquiry, and measurement. Sphcles portrayed edits as an amiable character that the Greek audience could sympathize with and perhaps even relate t.
The audience saw a respectable figure, wh did nt seem t commit any blatant evil, cme t his destruction. They saw an indubitable tragedy. Sphcles ensured that the audience would view edits as a respectable and plausible her by giving edits many f the popular sentiments f the time. These ideals were brought abut by a philosophy that was thriving in Greece during Sphcles lifetime. Mst f edits nations, can be traced back t either the dialectic Scrates in wh appeared in Plats several wrk's, r Plats student Aristtle. These nations were being circulated thought Greece during the time period, which edits was thought t be presented, making them can knowledge fr the audience f the time (Friedlander 7).
f all the virtues that the Greeks, especially the Athenians held dear was wide, wide dealing with everything in life (Friedlander 8). Scrates spurned this Greek movement fr wide when he nt nly pr claimed that wide is the ne true virtue frm which all ther virtues rigi nated, but he als put from the nitrous quote, The unexamined life is nt wrth living (Aplgy 203). Scrates thought all f Plats dialogues advocated the importance f the wide and said that the desire fr this wide is the nly true path t divinity. Aristtle later contributed t the the when he with in his Nicmachean Ethics, that wide separated mankind frm the animals and wide placed the Greeks case t the gds that they worshiped and admired (435). The Greeks constantly such fr this wide s that it may bring them t their greatest pleasure, the purpose in life, a true and final happiness, the aim f their Eudaimnia (N. E. 397).
The Greek audience fr which Sphcles with could easily sympathize with edits in his play. This is due t the fact that edits was struck do frm his pedestal while merely attempting t discover himself and in that press t attain wide and happiness. The gals fr which edits such were name gals that a majority f the audience members may have been seeking. Plat, in his Republic delineated a duelist the f ur world.
Plat with that ur world is actually a cave where people are bund and free t lk at shows n the wall fr their entire life (67). In Plats pain, reality can exist in this world because nly shows cast by a fire are seen (69). According t Plat, the nly way t see anything in its quintessence, the nly way t see bna fide truth and wide is t escape the cave (71). By escaping the cave the person could see the fire as a deceiver f reality because that person has nw seen true light and virtue. This light, this philosophic insight f reality all the person t return t the cave, t see beats in their veritable cnfrmatins and give them their appropriate judgment and value (74). This the is the basis fr what Scrates in Plats Prtagras arched his concept f The Art f Measurement. (Prt. 163).
Scrates hld's that since the world is in a cave, the 3 people can trust their judgment r perceptions because they are nly f false shows. Scrates preferred this the in response t Prtagras question f why mankind commits acts that are ultimately harmful, such as smoking r excessive drinking (165). Aristtle believed that this was because f a weak may habit (N. E. 411). However, Scrates did nt believe in Aristtle's famous Arabia thesis, Scrates believed that n passin r pleasure could possible verse the mniptent knowledge (Prt. 141). During the famed dialogue, Prtagras raised an bus question when he asked why people will continue t site although they know it will cause them pain (143).
In re t keep frm refuting his argument, Scrates explained his Art f Measurement. Scrates declared that the nly read mankind des such harmful things such as smoking is that they simply have n way t measure the immediate pleasure f smoking against the distant pain f the cancer f ther disease that smoking causes (144). Scrates said simply that these people have a flawed sense f measurement due t the dark cave they dwell in (Prt. 144). With this art, the essence f wide, ne can accurately weigh pleasure versus pain and ne can achieve final pleasure...
Eudaimnia. The first step in achieving wide is the quest fr self-knowledge, the quote n the base f the rates statue at Delphi, Know Thyself (Friedlander 5). This was the identity that edits was seeking. According t Scrates, the nly way t achieve knowledge in general was though the use f inquiry (Aplgy 210). Scrates practiced inquiry thought his entire life. He started this practice when an race f All tld him that n ne was wiser than he (Aplgy 215).
In either modesty r disbelieve, Scrates led mst f his life questioning ther's trying t find see wiser than he. However, although he learned a great deal through his questioning, Scrates discovered nly that nt ne person, philosopher r shirt was truly 4 wise because Scrates would reveal their self-contradictions (Aplgy 217). Regardless if Scrates would ever find any wiser than himself through inquiry, he believed that the life f inquiry was the mst philosophical, and therefore the mst divine (Aplgy 220). edits t, seems t believe this as he spends a great majority f the play asking questin's t any he suspects potentially has any information. edits questin's everyone that approaches him and questin's every scenario that confronts him. edits constantly asks questin's, Hw can we cleanse ur selves- what rites?
Whats the source f the table? (164). Whether it is Jcasta r the messenger that edits is speaking with, he is constantly and desperately trying t discover Laius murderer, and later his wn identity. The mst bus and practical use f this inquiry is t acquire new knowledge s that intellect can be strengthened. It is bus that edits is eager t site his problems. He is all t eager t find the killer f Laius, his statement Ill bring it all t light myself! (167) illustrates his unwavering determination fr answers.
As edits uses his intellect t analyze the information he has, his desire fr answers nly becomes stronger. His desire becomes strongest when Jcasta urges edits nt t pursue his past any further, edits ignores her request stating I must know it all, must see the truth at last. (222). edits seems t be constantly using his intellect t determine the best method t accomplish his gals. Mst f his decisin's are made by weighing all f his print and finding the best click, he calculates the best pain in regard t the scenario. During the beginning f the play, edits says, I have wept through the nights, yu must know that, going, laboring ver many paths f thought.
After a painful search I fund ne cure... (162). This shw's the extent he labs himself t determine these calculations. The send tl that edits uses t strengthen his intellect is read. edits frequently uses read in the play in re t resolve which path he must next take, what inquiries he must further make.
Virtually all Greek philosophers including Plat, Scrates, and Aristtle believed that man was a being built n read and that read was the mst necessary and healthy activity fr man t practice. In this sense edits seems t be the ideal person as he uses a great deal f send reading. He uses this send reading t accurately judge the situation and continue n his path t identity such as when he states t the chris leader that if the killer did nt flinch at murder, then he will nt flinch at the wrd's f edits threats (175). He als uses his read when he tells Crew that he may be danger frm the killer, which ironically enough would later cme true (167). However, edits prices that he is still in Plats dark cave when he uses an even greater amount f false read and judgement. edits is free quick t judge a situation and t let anger club his judgement, such as when he accuses Crew and Tiresias f putting against him (189).
He als fails in his reading when he persists t learn the truth despite Jcasta's pleas (223 - 224). If edits had speed his quest fr identity when he realized that he was Laius killer, he would have added a significant amount f pain. edits uses his intellect and his read t calculate his decisin's such as whm t question r wh t accuse. However, his calculations are nt always current. edits seems t deviate frm his read at times. Fr instance, he wrongly accuses Crew f attempting t take his the and edits even has the gall t call Tiresias ignorant and blind t the light f truth t which edits is actually blind (181).
The quest fr edits identity is actually a simple equation which edits himself can see because f his cluded senses. His lack f the Art f Measurement keeps edits frm true read and intellect. However, edits hubris leads 6 him t believe that his judgments are in fact send and he cntinue's blindly int a quest fr knowledge which may nt be beneficial. His flawed perceptions prohibit edits frm accurately comparing the pleasure and the pain that his identity would cause him.
Tiresias indeed had the Art f Measurement as he vehemently tells edits t, G n reflect n that, site that. (185). ne f the mst prevalent ironies in the play is that edits himself is blind t accurate measurement and truth until he blinds himself. He expressed extremely send judgement and measurement when he guard ut his wn eyes. edits compare the future pain his eyes would give him against the initial pain f the needle and made a justified decision and edits seems content with his decision t wander the mountains. edits had finally seen the light upside the cave; unfortunately, it would be t late t save edits frm disgrace. Every decision r quest that edits made was save by a simple equation.
The equation was a matter f simply comparing pleasure and pain t decide the best path t a hedonistic lifestyle. Philsphers f the time such as Plat and Aristtle with f such equatin's and they described things such as the Art f Measurement and true read t help describe what would be needed t currently site such an equation. edits as well as ther characters in the play embodied these virtues and skills, r even their defects in re t draw yet anther link between literature and philosophy. Wrks Cited Sphcles. edits the King. Trans.
Robert Files. The Three Theban Plays. New York: Viking Penguin Incrprated, 1982. 155 - 252. Aristtle.
Ethica Nicmachea. Introduction t Aristtle. Ed. Richard Mc Ken. Trans. W.
D. Rss. New York: Random Huse Incrprated, 1947. 308 - 545. Friedlander MD, Ed.
Ending edits the King by Sphcles. 1 Aug. 1999. nline Posting. 6 Dec. 2003. Plat. Aplgy. Plats Famous Wrks. Trans.
Stanley Lmbard and Karen Bell. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992. 194 - 223. Plat. Prtagras.
Plats Famous Wrks. Trans. Stanley Lmbard and Karen Bell. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992. 121 - 183. Plat. Republic.
Plats Famous Wrks. Trans. Stanley Lmbard and Karen Bell. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992. 30 - 110.
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