Tradition in Exodus and Oedipus Rex
Traditions are beliefs and ideals formed by a group or society, and often passed down through generations. These beliefs and ideas are conveyed through different mediums, such as oral stories, written texts, music, and social gatherings. Because of this, traditions have a powerful influence on future societies and their norms. The story of Exodus shows the power of God and how He saved the Israelites from slavery. The play Oedipus Rex shows us the struggles between Oedipus and his unavoidable fate set by the gods. Exodus and Oedipus Rex are good examples of traditional stories because they convey the message of fate and man’s praise for the gods.
The Book of Exodus shows the Israelites’ exit from slavery in Egypt explicitly. The fate of Israelites had been prophesied in the times of their Israelites. Also, the belief in God had kept the Israelites hopeful of freedom at some point. Abraham, a known ancestor to the Israelites, had been warned concerning the fate of his descendants. However, Abraham could not change the destiny of his descendants. Instead, Abraham accepted the will of God and believed that God had a plan concerning the safety of the Israelites. According to Exodus (Chapter 11:10), God knew the fate of His people: “God hardened the heart of Pharaoh.” Generally, fate appears robust, and no one seems to be in a position to change it. The traditional story of the Hebrews runs to the present with the tradition of believing in one powerful God still existing. The God of Hebrews is believed to be all-powerful and able to deliver his people from all kinds of fate.
On the other hand, Oedipus rex gives the traditions of the Greeks. Similar to the Hebrews, the Greeks believed in supernatural beings. However, the beliefs of the Greeks were based on several gods instead of a single powerful God. Moreover, the power of fate is seen in the Oedipus rex, and no one appears in a position to change the future. Oedipus tries as much as he could to change his destiny, but the gods cannot agree: “Listen and I’ll convince thee that no man [has] scot or lot in the prophetic art.” Sophocles (708). Also, the victims of fate are mostly unaware of the reasons why fate has chosen to punish them. Generally, Oedipus was aware that the fate of a cursed man would not change.
In sum, Exodus and Oedipus Rex convey the message of fate and man’s praise for the gods. The fate of Israelites had been prophesied in the times of their Israelites. The beliefs of the Greeks were based on several gods instead of a single powerful God. Generally, both the Greeks and the Hebrews held traditions and fate was beyond the control of man.
References
Dawe, R. D. (Ed.). (1982). Oedipus rex. Cambridge University Press.
Durham, J. I. (2018). Exodus (Vol. 3). Zondervan Academic.