One of the most memorable and meaningful Socratic quotes
applies well when in context of Sophocles' Theban Trilogy. "The
unexamined life is not worth living," proclaims Socrates. He could
have meant many things by this statement, and in relation to the play,
the meaning is found to be even more complex. Indeed, the situation
of Oedipus, king of Thebes, the truth of this statement is in
question. Would Oedipus have been better off if he was blind to the
knowledge of his birthing and the fate which was foretold to someday
befall him? Truly though, his life would have been a far better and
easier path had he never known about his true origins. His life in
Corinth would have been long and prosperous, and Thebes would have
lived on under King Laius. In fact, everyone would have been better
off in the long run if Oedipus had not ventured out beyond the walls
of Corinth. So is it worth living an examined life?
Socrates had made this statement long......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 914
Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |