1008 steinbeck, John
of Zeus, seek the help of Oedipus, whom they call
“best of mortals,” while the rest of the city seeks
the wisdom of the gods Pallas and Ismenus. This is
appropriate, given the spiritual fabric of the ancient
world. However, it also refers to the context of Athe-
nian drama, produced as part of a festival in honor
of the God of wine and fertility, Dionysus. Oedipus
Rex is both a gesture of the religious worldview of
ancient Greece and a gesture to the religious context
of ancient drama. Together, the dramatic themes and
production context reaffirm the challenges of being
mortals in a world ruled by the gods.
It is sometimes argued that Oedipus believes
himself better than the gods. A closer inspection of
the text shows that he is unrelentingly cognizant of
his position in their world. Yet it is fair to say that he
does not wholly respect their representatives. When
Tiresias reluctantly reveals his prophetic knowledge
and accuses Oedipus of being the murderer of Laius,
he lashes back and accuses Tiresias of being at least
a conspirator in the crime. Calling one designated
by Athena herself to be the harbinger of destiny a
murderer and liar is at least bad judgment, and at
worst blasphemy. Certainly, Tiresias himself bears
some responsibility for Oedipus’s suspicions, since
he procrastinates in respecting Oedipus’s call for an
audience and then refuses to speak when he arrives,
which is in direct opposition to the best interests of
his country. Ultimately, the worse fault spiritually
is Oedipus’s, who doubts the very gift Tiresias has
received from Athena, noting that despite Tiresias’s
powers, the seer could “say nothing that would free
[Thebes]” from the Sphinx.
The more unsettling challenge to the gods’
authority and power comes not from Oedipus
but from his own bride/mother. Jocasta’s infamous
attempt to settle her husband’s fears by assuring him
that “for what touches divination, I would not look
to my right hand or my left” has the ironic effect
of unraveling the mystery of Oedipus’s birthright.
In attempting to prove the failure of the gods’ mes-
sengers, Jocasta draws out the evidence that proves
them to be wholly correct. Mortals may not gain
much from trusting the mouthpieces of the immor-
tals, but not trusting them guarantees disaster.
It is perhaps for this reason that Creon’s enig-
matic final advice to the blinded, cursed Oedipus
is that Oedipus “put his faith in the god.” Creon
refers to the need for him to recognize the gods’
will in all matters, saying that he was only delayed
in casting Oedipus into banishment as he “craved
first to learn all my duty from the god” and declar-
ing that Oedipus’s ultimate fate can only be settled
by the immortal world. The religious merit of
the tragedy lies not in a simplistic proclamation
against thinking that one can defy the will of the
gods. Rather, Sophocles captures the complex
interaction between humanity and the divine that
is a fundamental component of the eternal puzzle
of existence. Human beings know that the moral
order is greater than themselves, but they find
themselves perpetually mystified as they attempt
to live within it, having only a few clues and rev-
elations with which to construct their moral maps.
Their bewilderment is no excuse for failure, how-
ever, and within this context the violated laws of
the gods demand retribution for the murder of a
king. Oedipus’s downfall is the tragedy of living as
a human being in a world ruled by forces beyond
human understanding.
Ben FislerSTEiNbECk, JoHN Cannery Row
(1945)
John Steinbeck’s 14th book, Cannery Row was first
published in 1945. Set in the 1930s, it looks at the
lives of Monterey’s underclass who live and work in
and around the sardine canneries. The plot is decep-
tively simple, covering a span of a few months that
stretch between two parties given by the denizens
of Cannery Row for a local marine biologist, Doc.
Along the way, Steinbeck (1902–68) includes flash-
backs and digressions that add richness and depth
to his portrayal of a generally overlooked segment
of society.
The book’s simple narratives work effectively to
showcase its varied characters. The central character,
Doc, runs a biological supply business and brings art
and philosophy as well as science to the row, while
a group of bums, Mack and “the boys,” bring an
unparalleled zest for life. Other characters include a
Chinese grocer, Lee Chong; Dora, a brothel owner
who keeps her “girls” on even when they can no