Comparision of Oedipus and Siddhartha Essay - 1465 Words

Anonymously quoted, someone once related, â€Å"In the end is my beginning.† This contradictory statement throws a lot of light on the literary world as that one realm, is always filled with realistic blasphemies and extreme normality. So in the light of this quotation, studying two certain literary works is extremely helpful as it makes us comprehend and understand the works better, which in this case is Oedipus by Sophocles, and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. Both these works explore the areas of death, suffering and ending in their own way and relate it to the plot perfectly. Hence, it is correct to state that in the end, there actually is a beginning. The ending, usually, is seen as a complete annihilation of anything connecting to or†¦show more content†¦On the way he came to a place known as the place where the three rogues meet. Over there, he fell into a conflict with a person on a chariot concerning the crossing of the bridge as to who should be first. Due to this small tussle, Oedipus got enraged and in the fight that followed, he killed the person. That person was King Laius of Thebes, Oedipus’ true father. In this manner he fulfilled a part of the prediction. Following this, Oedipus made his way to Thebes, and saved the people from the riddles of the Sphinx. In thanks, Oedipus was made king for being the savior of Thebes, and so was bonded in matrimony to Jocasta, King Laius’ widow, and in true form, Oedipus’ mother. Years later, they also had children borne to them. Hence, ignorantly, Oedipus had completed all the conditions Apollos prophesy and had proved the oracle right too. But all this h ad happened in ignorance, but it was now, towards the end that the actual beginning resurrects itself from its grave and begins to sing out the symphony of destruction to Oedipus. The unfolding of this plot, arrives with the arrival of the messenger, from Corinth to tell Oedipus that his ‘father’, king Polybus of Corinth was dead. On this Oedipus was both happy and sad for he lamented the death of his father, still ignorant of the conditional time, but also glad that he was not responsible for it and had proved Apollo wrong. But as soon as his soul had soared, so did it come crashing down as he was told all about