Oedipal Complex

Oedipus and the Sphinx

Attic cup:ย Oedipus and the Sphinx
Oedipus and the Sphinx, interior of an Attic red-figuredย kylixย (cup or drinking vessel),ย c.ย 470ย BCE; in the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, the Vatican Museums, Rome.
Album/Oronoz/SuperStock

 

 

How did you miss the signs, Oedipus? You, for whom the riddle of the Sphinx held no fear?

 

How did you overlook the evidence that mounted before you? A plague from Apollo for the spilling of blood. An old prophecy of a son murdering his father and marrying his mother. A testimony from the Oracle at Delphi.

 

You blinded yourself in pride, a hubris that drove you to pursue the damning truth like the Furies themselves, even as the God-touched Soothsayer warned you to look no more.

 

And, oh, upon seeing the terrible truth, at last and too late, you blinded yourself for blinding yourself before. You solved the mystery that sealed your own doom. And we shudder, for we see that the very effort to defy the will of the Gods led to the very end the Gods decreed.

 

We shudder, for we know we do the same.

 

darkness …

working out our salvation

in fear and trembling

 

 

forย Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Evidence/Clues (posted by Susan)

 

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Comments

9 responses to “Oedipal Complex”

  1. Sherry Blue sky Avatar

    The hardest thing of all, i think, in looking back, is seeing how we failed to see the signs. So well expressed, Frank.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      Thanks, Sherry! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Like

  2. susanstoo Avatar

    Yes! The double –triple blind–and how can we not read the signs. Powerful writing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      Thank you, Susan! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Like

  3. Sumana Roy Avatar

    Ha, we are not destined to read the sign & that’s our hubris. Sigh. Well put.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      Thank you, Sumana! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Like

  4. Vivian Zems Avatar

    This was so good. However, i must admit that I’m very rusty in mythology…some concepts were familiar but not all of them. I still appreciate the beautiful writing and the way you explore the missing of signs and the trap of hubris. The last verse though- I know that like the back of my hand!
    Beautifully woven together.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. oldegg Avatar

    Even today we are blind to signs in front of us. Such is humankind whose fantastic development through the ages will one day fuel their own demise. Yes, this wake up call was well appreciated.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Carrie Van Horn Avatar

    Denial and seeing the signs can be like that. The view is much clearer later. This is a wonderful write Frank!!

    Liked by 1 person

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