Imagery of City of Thebes as a Ship
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Throughout Oedipus the King, the imagery of Thebes as a ship helps to portray the role of Oedipus in guiding the city of Thebes. As the king of Thebes, the duties and roles of Oedipus resemble that of a captain and his ship. The duty of the captain remains to steer the ship, in smooth waters and in forceful waves, in order to keep the ship secure and safely afloat. The course that the captain chooses determines whether the boat will float or sink. The decisions of the captain strongly affect the ship, and its course. The choices that Oedipus makes throughout the play clearly influence the condition of the city of Thebes. During the play, the correlation between Thebes as a ship and Oedipus' rule as a king help to convey the image of the city either thriving or deteriorating, depending on the life course and actions of its king.
In the beginning of the play, the priest, along with many townspeople, seek the assistance and wisdom of Oedipus to improve the current state of Thebes. The priest refers to Thebes as a city "reeling like a wreck," barely able to lift itself "out of the bloody surf," as it struggles with many hardships (p 11). The fruitful plants remain scarce, the health of the cows weakens, and the women continue to stay barren, unable to create new life...