Is the crown a reward or a curse?

Thesis:

In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, crowns are used to represent power and, in some cases, knowledge. By equating crowns with positive attributes, Sophocles depicts Oedipus’ crowning as a worthy reward for defeating the Sphinx and his undoing as the mere work of fate.

Points:

• Crowns are endowed (it is a privilege to rule) and represent power and knowledge.
• “Welcome news, I think - he’s crowned, look, and the laurel wreath is bright with berries” (line 94). Priest to Oedipus about Creon’s arrival
• “Bright with berries” has a positive connotation; growth, life, fruitful
• Laurel wreath is a symbol of high status and esteem
• Symbol of Apollo, god of knowledge
• “From that day on we called you king we crowned you with honors, Oedipus, towering over all - mighty king of the seven gates of Thebes” (line 1229).
• Crowned with honors, it is an honor to be ruler
• Word choice shows the majesty and benefits of being crowned

• Similarly, later in the tragedy, the messenger addresses Jocasta, “Blessings on you, noble queen, queen of Oedipus crowned with all your family - blessings on you always!” (line 1018).
• The messenger respects Jocasta as a subject; being royalty, having the crown gives Jocasta esteem and high status, positive attributes
• Jocasta is “blessed” to be the queen and is “crowned” or privileged with a large family
• It was a good thing for a woman to be fertile so the messenger automatically equates her large family as a blessing and a crowning glory
• Jocasta, like Oedipus, is praised for being royalty

• Even if Oedipus’ reign ends in his demise, the crown itself stand for goodness.
• Crowns/royalty do not necessarily cause suffering, since the same situation (of Oedipus unknowingly killing his father and sleeping with his mother) could happen to a family of subjects and, except for a few different aspects, the logistics of the tragedy would remain.

Antithesis:

And, yet, possession of the crown directly leads to Laius’ and Oedipus’ hubris and greatly influences their respective undoings. The crown is therefore a curse, one that breeds arrogance and the exploitation of knowledge and power.

Points:

• Hubris
• “. . . what envy lurks inside you! Just for this, the crown the city gave me - I never sought it, they laid it in my hands” (line 436). Oedipus to Tiresias
• The power has gone to Oedipus’ head
• Disparages Tiresias because he can
• Sense of entitlement that gives him the idea that he can boss everyone around and disrespect others (even someone as gifted as Tiresias) - same with Laius
• Arrogance leads to irony when Oedipus finds out the truth
• “Never sought it, laid it in my hands” makes the crown sound like an unwanted reward
• More responsible for the city
• Has to come up with solutions for the bad things that happen
• “You have the gall to show your face before the palace gates? You, plotting to kill me, kill the king - I see it all, the marauding thief himself scheming to steal my crown and power!” (line 596). Oedipus to Creon
• Again, Oedipus arrogance grows
• He becomes more and more paranoid of people who defy him (Tiresias) and those who are “trying to steal his crown” (Creon)
• Irony of Creon ending up with the crown in Antigone
• Is it better to give up the crown since it is a curse? Or is it too late for Oedipus, who has already let the power get to him? Or, even further, would it be pointless to do so since Oedipus was fated to suffer through all the things the oracle predicted?
• Every time Oedipus mentions the crown it’s with arrogance and the assertion of power

• Having the crown is a burden and an unwanted reward
• “Who in his right mind would rather rule and live in anxiety than sleep in peace? Particularly if he enjoys the same authority . . . I’m not the man to yearn for kingship, not with a king’s power in my hands . . . but if I wore the crown . . . there’d be many painful duties to perform, hardly to my taste” (lines 653-663). Creon to Oedipus
• Creon tries to reassure Oedipus with reasoning
• Creon has the same benefits of being king without having any of the responsibilities; therefore, actually having the crown is more of a burden
• Is it a tactic?

• False goodness of knowledge and other supposedly positive attributes
• “Bright with berries” (same passage as in the thesis argument)
• Symbolizes Apollo, who is the god of oracles and knowledge
• Not necessarily true that news will be good, therefore the look of the berries on the wreath is deceiving since they give off a positive connotation

- “Crowned with all your family”

- The family is dysfunctional in reality (Oedipus’ children are also his brothers and sisters (incest))

- Hidden under the positive term crowned

- Now the crown is the means of punishment

Synthesis:

Both?

Neither?