Structuralism and King Oedipus

Mafruha Ferdous

doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.8n.3p.1

Abstract

Structuralism is a way of decoding and studying aspects of human conduct, tradition, and love that relates factors of a conceptual system that reflects patterns underlying a superficial range. King Oedipus is King Laius’ biological son who he neglects at birth to prevent a prophecy by the Oracle that he would kill his father and marry his mother. He is adopted by a royal family in Corinth but later returns to Thebes and fulfills the prophecy mystically. He later finds out and pops his eyes out and his led out of the city by his daughter The French social anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss applied the structuralist outlook to cultural phenomena like mythology and kinship relations. To interpret the Oedipus myth, he placed the specific story of King Oedipus within the context of the whole cycle of tales connected with the city of Thebes. Concrete details from the narrative are seen in the framework of a wider structure and the overall system of elementary dyadic bigger structure is seen as pairs with obvious symbolic, thematic and archetypal resonance.

Highlights

Structuralism is a way of decoding and studying aspects of human conduct, tradition, and love that relates factors of a conceptual system that reflects patterns underlying a superficial range
Creon reports that the plague may be lifted if the person who killed King Laius is brought to justice
The idea of heroism is portrayed in structuralism and Oedipus indicates this too when he met a monster known as Sphinx, who plagued the vicinity of Thebes destroying plants and killing travelers who did not solve its riddles

Summary

Introduction

Structuralism is a way of decoding and studying aspects of human conduct, tradition, and love that relates factors of a conceptual system that reflects patterns underlying a superficial range. He is the false hero and the villain since he murdered his father in the manner to Thebes and married his mom the queen. When he first arrived in Thebes, he met and killed a person along the road who later turned out to be Louis, the king.

Results

Conclusion