Running Away: Oedipus' Hamartia

            Before I heard Oedipus’ story, I heard of his sin. I learned about the tragic character that killed his father and slept with his mother. I wrinkled my nose in disgust at such a man. I scoffed that such a creature prowled within the realms of our imagination and exhaled a sigh of relief to hear he existed only upon the stage of a Sophocles’ mind. Now that I have read Oedipus’ story, I pity him. I pity this man lost in the tangles of a tragedy. However, though I pity the self-blinded man, I sighed at what he considered his fate. Indeed, fate nor the gods condemned poor Oedipus. Oedipus committed hamartia, when he did not take the necessary precautions to change his “fate.”

            According to the article by Aristotle and subsequent definitions, “hamartia” is to “miss the mark” in archery (Butcher). I argue that Oedipus did “miss the mark.” Oedipus first “misses the mark,” when he unknowingly curses himself. Upon learning that the gods order the death of Laius’ murder, Oedipus declares that he himself will seek out the murder and then, curses the murder’s life. Ironically Oedipus says, I shall fight for him in this matter, as if for my own father, and I shall try everything, seeking to find the one who committed the murder” (19). Thus, Oedipus fulfills his words and seeks after the murder, as if for his father. Yet, he finds that he is the murderer. He killed his own father. Creon wisely says in the beginning of the play, “What is sought can be captured, but what is ignored escapes” (15). Oedipus “missed the mark” when he continued to pursue the murderer, when he ignored his wife and mother’s entreats to leave the matter, and when he realizes his own ugly crimes.

            But in all tragedies, sin can never hide, as it can never be ignored. Thus, Oedipus’ true “hamartia” came earlier. Oedipus reveals that he knew of a personal prophecy concerning himself. Phoebus once told him that he would sleep with his mother and kill his father (38). In an attempt to escape the prophecy, Oedipus ran. He says, “I heard and fled, henceforth to share with Corinth only the stars, where I would never see completed the disgrace of those evil oracles of mine” (38). Thus, Oedipus’ great “hamartia” is that he believed running was sufficient to escape the prophecy. To truly run away from such a prophecy, more precaution is necessary. Oedipus should have never killed any man, just to prevent any prophecy of murder. If no murder is done, then Oedipus would have never killed his father. Furthermore, Oedipus should have never slept with a woman, who was clearly older than him. At times, we humans believe we can escape our fates by merely running.

            Thus, because of his great hamartia, Oedipus learned the truth. In the agony of his pitiful tragedy, he witnesses the suicide of his mother and wife. He gouges out his eyes and holds his cries tearless tears upon his children and siblings’ shoulders. Truly, Oedipus is to be pitied. He was a common man. He was a good man. If only, he had taken more precautions. If only he had done more than run.