One thing I found quite odd in this weeks reading of Oedipus Rex was Oedipus's temper. The people of his city adore him and aren't afraid to sit on his steps to wait for him and to tell them what they feel. For someone so loved though, he has an awfully short fuse. He was killed Liaos and his men over a simple dispute of asking him to move in the street, he yells at the old blind oracle when he doesn't like his words, tries to exile or even kill his friend/brother-in-law/adviser(/uncle) for suspicious of plotting against him thought he has no proof or motive, he yells at his wife when she tries to get him to leave the Shepard alone, and he has the old Shepard man physically restrained when he doesn't think he will cooperate. This is a man with definite anger issues. Furthermore, they aren't even fits of rage, they are calm and controlled according to his brother -in-law. He described him as calm as he tried to accuse him of treason when Oedipus's attendant tries to say that Oedipus wasn't in his right mind when he spoke. If he is so quick tempered and impulsive, how did he become such a successful and beloved leader? In our group discussion, my group suggested he wears a mask in public and only lets his temper out in private. It makes sense, but what is “private”? There is obviously many people around when he is with is wife and is confronted by the messenger, and then later the Shepard and Oedipus's guards are also present. Does that seem “private” to you? Do people simple accept Oedipus's temper or is it the pressure of searching for the king's killer and finding out his past simple causing his mask to shatter?
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