75-76


 * Oedipus the King - pgs - 75-76 (End of the book!!)**


 * Summary**

The book concludes with Oedipus and Creon talking. Creon tells Oedipus to come back inside the house, however Oedipus obeys but with a "bitter heart" and is very reluctant to obey at all. Oedipus then questions Creon on whether he knows on what conditions Oedipus will obey. Not knowing, Creon listens to what Oedipus has to say. He mentions that he will only obey if Creon send him out and away from Thebes. Creon tells Oedipus that he can not grant this wish but the gods can. Oedipus feels the gods are against him now and will not grant him the wish because he believes they hate him. Creon however tells him to just get on with it, ask the gods and await their reply which Creon states will come soon. Consenting with Creon, Oedipus then asks his friend to lead him away from Thebes now. Creon has one final wish though before the two of them can leave. He asks Oedipus to let the children go and then he can leave. Oedipus pleads with Creon not to take them away from him as he does not want to part ways with them. Creon then responds with the final line in the book, "Do not seek to be master in everything, for the things you mastered did not follow you throughout your life." This is a fantastic ending and sums up the negative events Oedipus. The two of them then walk out together with Oedipus not to return to Thebes. We assume that he agrees to let the children go so he can leave. Finally the chorus have one final word where they praise Oedipus for being able to solve the riddle and then somewhat "pray" for him to "count no mortal happy till he has passed the final limit of his life secure from pain."


 * Analysis**

The end of the book is a very mature conversation between Oedipus and Creon in the sense that both are respecful of each other. Oedipus simply requests that Creon allow him to leave Thebes otherwise he will not obey anything that Creon requests of him. Oedipus is very upset and depressed over finding out that it was he who killed his father without even knowing it, so decides that the best thing for him is to escape and get far away from Thebes where he hopes not to be well remembered. The conversation between these two links into the rest of the book by concluding everything that Oedipus wants, which is to leave and the misfortunes that have led him to come to this ultimate decision. He mentions how hated he is by the gods now which is ironic becase to many he is considered a godly figure so it seems as if he is hated by himself which of course is possible since he is so upset over the killing of his father. Oedipus would only enter the house with a very "bitter heart" (1516) unless he was allowed to leave. This begins to put question on the relationship between Oedipus and Creon as you do not want them to fight, yet Oedipus is not getting what he wants. Creon consents with the gods and then with Oedipus allowing him to leave only if he give back the children. This is very hard for Oedipus to do because the children have been with him for so long now and they are almost considered to be his life. The children listen to him, love him and obey him. The response from Creon is a very harsh one but in reality is all truth. Oedipus must stop trying to become a master in everything including mastering the children because as it is evident through the story, the things he has attempted to master or has already in his past have not always followed him and thus foreshadows the likeliness that the children will not follow or that Oedipus will fail with them later on. Oedipus accepts this and the two of them exit, leaving the audiece to believe that Oedipus has accepted that the children must be let go in order for him to leave Thebes which is what he ultimately wants. The chorus then finish off the book by heaping praise on Oedipus for being the man who solved the riddles and being so masterful, however then state the pity that they have for him as he has had such a series of misfortunes that now set him up for a very mortal and perhaps not enjoyable life.