very diligent in the inquiry and finally comes to the horrible truth that he himself is the murderer. Jocasta kills herself at the horrible realization that she has laid with her son. Oedipus puts out his eyes, at which time he finally sees the truth. This fulfills the final part of the Sphinx's riddle for Oedipus will have to walk with a cane for the rest of his life because of his blindness. This will give him the walk on 3, which man walks with at the end of his years. The Sphinx's riddle was used by Sophocles to characterize Oedipus as a tragic man and as a parallel to his life. The riddle describes the 3 stages, which Oedipus went through in his life. Also in answering the riddle Oedipus inevitable brought about his own tragic ending by a horrible discovery. He still did teach a lesson and by far gave himself to something bigger than himself. He was a very self-confident, intelligent, and strong willed man. Yet these were the very same traits that lead to his down fall. He did not realize before it was to late that one must be humble and take the advice and teaching of others; even if it may seem to be impossible or not. A hero can have all this traits and more, but with out the willingness of others to help and guide him they are nothing. Campbell also states that a hero "can overcome dangers." Oedipus on more then one occasion shows that he can over came danger, first time we see this is when he meets up with his father, who he does not know to be his father at the time, and kills them all. The second is when he is faced with the riddle of The Sphinx, and his very fate will be death unless the riddle is answered correctly. He over takes The Sphinx by answering it correctly and becoming the king of Thebes. One also can not ...
