Bellue

Fragile Love - How Gods Break It

In these Greek myths, Zeus plays the prominent role as the “god of all gods.” He has the power to determine the fate of the world; he has the power to change the natural orders of the universe; he has the power over all mortal beings that exist today and yesterday. Though Zeus ranks the highest of all gods in terms of power, there exist other gods who possess the power to determine the fate of others. With such powers so strong, that they even overshadow the power of love. Although love keeps people together, the gods repeatedly emphasize the truth - that without god, there exists no life, no love, nothing. Ultimately, commoners and even noblemen fear those who possess the higher power because all gods punish those who commit blasphemy or defy the orders of their gods. Stories such as Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Family by Pa Chin represent the fragility of love - that gods have the power to make or break the family love.

In Oedipus Rex, the plot of the story entirely revolves around religion, with Apollo playing the god’s role. He curses Oedipus’s family, stating that Oedipus “should wed [his] mother” (Oedipus 29), and “be his natural father’s murderer” (Oedipus 29). In response to this gruesome prophecy, Queen Jocasta, Oedipus’s biological mother, and King Laius, Oedipus’s biological father, send Oedipus away by hiring a shepherd to take Oedipus, who is only a few days old, and to leave him alone in the wilderness to his death. However, the shepherd’s guilt and sympathetic feelings toward the infant coerces him to spare the baby’s life by giving it to another shepherd instead of leaving it “to the worst of harms,” for it “wast born destined to misery” (Oedipus 42). This minor character then gives Oedipus to Polybus, who reigns as the king of Corinth. While living peacefully with his foster parents, Oedipus infers that he has blood connection with Polybus and Merope and “was content” with his life (Oedipus 28). When Oedipus hears about the same prophecy, Oedipus leaves his foster parents and Corinth and “journeyed on” to a foreign land (Oedipus 29). His attempt to temporarily defy Apollo’s order creates a catalyst for chaos in a long-run. When Oedipus arrives not too far from Thebes, he fulfills the first part of the prophecy after killing all but one man. As he continues with his journey, he later fulfills the last part of the prophecy by becoming a king, marrying his mother, and having four children. As “the mightiest head among us [citizens] all,“ Oedipus “counsels best…through some voice from heaven,” and “builds this city in stability” (Oedipus 3). However, this silence before the storm quickly fades when the “Lord gives us [Creon and other nobleman] express command to drive pollution, bred within this land, out of the country , and not cherish it beyond the power of healing“ (Oedipus 4). To win this internal war, Oedipus must solve the riddle and he “dispel this plague-spot”. (Oedipus 7) However, what Oedipus does not know that agreeing to solve the riddle equates to his damning himself. After Tiresias tells Oedipus “that you [Oedipus] are Laius’ murderer - He whom you [Oedipus] seek,” Oedipus tells Tiresias to leave (Oedipus 14) . “[His] very fortune,” means that the momentary peace, “was your [Oedipus] ruin,” equating the impending catastrophe to his solving the riddle (Oedipus 16). Toward the end of the play, everyone, including Jocasta, discovers the truth. However, Jocasta attempts to calm Oedipus down when he “was fore afraid the prophet was not blind,” (Oedipus 27) by telling Oedipus to “listen and learn” since “nothing in human life turns on the soothsayer’s art,” (Oedipus 26). She generally states the necessity for Oedipus to look for the truth and not to let prophecy intervene with his mentality. Despite the effort, Oedipus fails to calm down, and his anxiety rises when he converses with the shepherd who has taken the baby to Corinth. Hungry for the truth, Oedipus decides to face the worst possible knowledge because he “cannot injure you [Jocasta].” (Oedipus 38) Jocasta opposes the idea because she “means well; and I [Jocasta] tell you [Oedipus] for the best!” (Oedipus 38) This statement shows that Jocasta tries to maintain her love for Oedipus, despite the circumstances. Her love for Oedipus at this point of the play resembles both motherly and spousal love. As the final response to this gruesome discovery, when all else fails, Jocasta commits suicide, and Oedipus blinds himself and leaves Thebes. The play clearly shows that Oedipus and his parents consciously and subconsciously make attempts to defy Apollo’s orders. However, their attempts fail and their prophecies come true. Ultimately, Apollo slowly destroys the family altogether. The play repeatedly emphasizes the fragility of love and the vulnerability to its collapse - that the higher power has the ability to break even the strongest emotional bonds on earth.

In Family, Venerable Master Kao, the oldest member of the family, plays the role of the god to uphold Confucian traditions. A battle between love and religion occurs in this story in similar manner as in that of Oedipus Rex. Once again, the story repeatedly state that gods have the power to make or break even the strongest of the strongest. In this story, Kao makes final decisions on various affairs from family events to marriage. In this story, Madam Chou tells Meng Feng that “Today, Venerable Master Kao instructed me [Madam Chou] to send you [Meng Feng] to the Feng family…Today is the twenty-seventh. That still leaves four days.” (Family 203) In four days, Meng Feng becomes a concubine . “Her hopes were completely shattered…Among the bondmaids ‘concubine!’ was one of the worst imprecations they would think of” (Family 204). Despite the desire to resist, “she could only let them [these hurtful words] stab. She had no weapon with which to defend herself” (Family 204). Madam Chou shows sympathy toward Meng Feng with a sympathy so strong - that Madam Chou’s feelings toward Meng Feng resembles a motherly love. Even though she opposes Meng Feng’s “going to the Feng family…Venerable Master has already promised…I [Madam Chou] don’t dare oppose him. It’s too late” (Family 206). Indeed, even Madam Chou’s strong attachment to Meng Feng lacks the strength to defy successfully the god’s order. This conflict clearly represents the strength difference between the gods and love. Several days later, Meng Feng arrives at Chueh-hui’s office to bid farewell. However, Chueh-hui’s having “to study and write” and “other things to do” prevents his conversing with Meng Feng (Family 212). He does, however “kiss her lips” (Family 212). When he finds out that “Meng Feng is getting married,” (Family 213) he reacts with anger, anger so strong that “the words lashed against Chueh-hui‘s brain till he thought it would shatter” (Family 214). However, he has no power to stop Venerable Master Kao’s final decision. Chueh-hui’s last possible chance of saving Meng Feng diminishes when he discovers Meng Feng’s death. Her recollection of Eldest Young Miss’ statement “that suicide was the only way out for girls who were the victims of Fate” encourages her to commit suicide (Family 208). Meng Feng’s committing suicide shows her attempt to defy the god’s order. This action shows Meng Feng’s allegiance toward Chueh-hui. However, just as in Oedipus Rex, the god wins this battle because defying his orders results in catastrophe.

Both Oedipus Rex and Family present how gods have the power to break the bond that people create through love. Both authors explicitly convey the idea that gods hold the fundamental creation of all existence in their hands - that trifling with their will results in catastrophe. Although love ranks the highest in terms of power on earth, gods above the earth have the ability to destroy the love that people create as time goes by. Both stories give gods, as well as Zeus, enough credit in terms of their ability to change fate.