Oedipus and the Eleusinian Mysteries
In both Oedipus Rex and the article The Ritual Path of Initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries by Mara Lynn Keller, it is clear to see that Ancient Greece placed a great deal of importance on religion, spirituality, and tradition. When his city is going through a challenging time, Oedipus turns immediately to Apollo and sends his brother in law to his temple to determine the best course of action. What Creon learned drives the entire plot and prompts Oedipus to then consult an oracle. Any information that comes from a spiritual or supernatural source is treated as fact by everyone and never questioned. This unwavering commitment is also evident when reading about the Eleusinian Mysteries. I find it very interesting that the Greeks turned to the gods for any and all information that they didn't have. The tradition of initiation in the mysteries was considered essential to ensure the cycle of the seasons continued properly. While this period was notable for many advances in math, science, and culture, they still did not have the tools to explain many natural phenomena. Having the gods to fall back on made it easier to accept the fact that they knew so little about why certain things happened. Oedipus had literally no clue why Thebes was suffering, and then after hearing from Apollo and the Oracle, knew exactly what he must do to rectify the situation. This shows how religion comforted and assisted the Ancient Greeks in running a very advanced society.
I studied latin for 7 years and know a bit about Greek and Roman culture. The gods were pretty much an essential part of Greek society, as they would consult seers to see if they would win wars and people get household gods to protect their home. I feel Oedipus consulting the gods is his way of coping with the unknowable, not just necessarily scientific principles. Religion has often been a coping mechanism for people facing the unknown.
ReplyDeleteFaith in the supernatural may have helped people cope with things whose meaning they didn't want to acknowledge. Joshua Mark's article writes that the myth of Demeter and Persephone provided a more appealing and comforting explanation of death: "One's existence did not end with death because there was no death; there was only change from one state of being to another" (The Eleusinian Mysteries). Although no one can produce any evidence to support this claim, people may have chosen to follow this ideal because it gave them hope and deferred the uncomfortable question of what it means to not exist.
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