Oedipus from a Psychological Point

     Monday, my assistant and I had been reorganizing my office from documents to scraps of paper. It is amazing what you will find in a office of a psychologist. I realized that I've had some tough cases in the past. Many of which I never thought I would get completed. While reorganizing files in my office, I came across a file that I hadn't thought much about. On the tab of the folder, it stated Oedipus Research Case. Wow, I thought to myself. I remember studying Oedipus in my college years. I never quite finish analyzing his personality. Oedipus was a king long before I was even born. I grew fond of this case while my peers and I studied him in college. We never quite understood Oedipus. Now that I'm much more mature I believe that I can figure out what was going on with this king that made history years ago.

     My assistant, Amanda, noticed that I had sat down. I'm sure she knew I came across something that I couldn't keep my eyes off of because she left me in the office alone. As I flipped from paper to paper in that folder, I came across notes. Some I realize were more important than others. I logged into my computer and opened up Microsoft word. I began to type every important detail about Oedipus that I had read. Some psychologists may call me crazy for even studying this man since he died many years ago, but I'm so interested. I typed. I typed some more. I thought I had enough notes to analyze this man as a whole. I had notes from when all the turmoil started back then that I had researched in college.

Notes

• The king before Oedipus was murdered and the murderer had to be found. Oedipus promised that he would help investigate, being the current king of Thebes.
• Oedipus denied knowing of the murder of Laius.
• Oedipus begs Tiresias, the blind astrologer, to reveal the future and end the plague of Thebes. Tiresias remain quiet. (I wonder why.)
• Oedipus begs Tiresias to speak the truth. Tiresias tells Oedipus that he should fear his own anger.
• Tiresias says that Oedipus is the murderer of Laius.
• The council wants to prove the guilt of Oedipus but not based on what Tiresias said.
• Oedipus and Creon argues about Creon trying to take his place.
• Jocasta, Oedipus' Wife and Creon's Sister, breaks up them up and tells the council to take Oedipus' Word.
• Jocasta tells the council that priests predicted that Laius would be killed by his own son, not Oedipus defending her husband.
• Oedipus realizes that he is the killer of his own father.
• Oedipus reveals that his parents weren't his real parents.
• Jocasta denies everything that Oedipus said, she couldn't believed it was true and asked councils for mercy upon Oedipus.
• Oedipus fears the prophecy of his being married to his mother.
• Jocasta knows the truth, her emotions show it. She says she'll never speak to Oedipus again because Oedipus will not stop the search to find his true identity.
• After talking to the Shepard Oedipus realizes that he did in fact marry his mother.
• The truth of the incest are made to Thebes.
• After Jocasta killed herself, Oedipus blind himself for self-punishment as though he should never seen and did the things he did in his life.
• Oedipus begs to be exiled to the council.
• Oedipus knows that he will always be remembered as his mother's lover and father's killer.
• Oedipus asked to see his children and knows that they will suffer because of him.

Conclusion

     After reading every note and detail I had typed up, I knew I could figure out Oedipus and why he suffered. This was definitely tragic in so many words. I believe Oedipus suffered from a Major Depressive Episode after knowing the truth of his marriage and his father's death. Symptoms include:

• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate
• Thoughts of death

A major depressive episode is generally not diagnosed when the same symptoms could be attributed to bereavement. Oedipus lost his father by killing him and his mother by suicide. You cannot possibly perform as a normal person after finding truths like these. Oedipus unknowingly killing his own father and marrying his mother was devastating. Unfortunately, Oedipus had a rapid episode and blind himself. Treatment was not given to people in those years. No one knew of depression. If I were able to talk to him, he would have definitely sat in my office for psychotheraphy. Oedipus is dead now and I still wonder does curses derive upon his family today after all these years.