Myth by Muriel Rukeyeser
Long afterward, Oedipus, old and blinded, walked the
roads. He smelled a familiar smell. It was
the Sphinx. Oedipus said, 'I want to ask one question.
Why didn't I recognize my mother?' 'You gave the
wrong answer,' said the Sphinx. 'But that was what
made everything possible,' said Oedipus. 'No,' she said.
'When I asked, What walks on four legs in the morning,
two at noon, and three in the evening, you answered,
Man. You didn't say anything about woman.'
'When you say Man,' said Oedipus, 'you include women
too. Everyone knows that.' She said, 'That's what
you think.'
the Sphinx. Oedipus said, 'I want to ask one question.
Why didn't I recognize my mother?' 'You gave the
wrong answer,' said the Sphinx. 'But that was what
made everything possible,' said Oedipus. 'No,' she said.
'When I asked, What walks on four legs in the morning,
two at noon, and three in the evening, you answered,
Man. You didn't say anything about woman.'
'When you say Man,' said Oedipus, 'you include women
too. Everyone knows that.' She said, 'That's what
you think.'
In order to understand the poem deeper, you have to know the story of Oedpius Rex. Without giving too many spoilers (trust me, you don't want to know anyway), Oedipus is a hero who defeated the Sphinx by solving her riddle, the one referenced above. Because Oedipus lives, and because of complicated plot points that are Grecian plays, he ends up King, but also ends up being married to his mother. ( I told you, you didn't want to know!) Of course this ends up having dire consequences, ending with an incident including a sharp broach and Oedipus' eyes, so in this Oedipus goes back to blame the Sphinx. TYPICAL.
But, as we see, Sphinx sticks it to him.
My first reaction to this poem is OH SNAP.
My second is, why the HECK have I never thought of that before?
I read Oedipus Rex my senior year of high school. I never once read that riddle and said, "hey, not cool. As many legs a man can have, a woman can have too." Like Oedipus, I read the word "mankind" as "people kind." When Oedipus suggests that is in fact, what he meant, the Sphinx calls him out.
"That's you think."
The important thing is, Oedipus is underestimating women. Women underestimate themselves. Everyday, we let men give us the fine privilege of being included in the term "mankind." It reminds me of a lyric from one of my old favorite bands, Superchick: "If every girl could see her beauty, we would be an army."
Plus, I mainly love this poem because it suggests that Oedipus was actually outsmarted by the Sphinx, rather than he outsmarting her. It's just one more thing that Oedipus was blind about in his quest for glory, and makes it a better story all around.
Anyway, I think this could spark an interesting discussion. What kind of thoughts first spring into your mind when you read this poem?
But, as we see, Sphinx sticks it to him.
My first reaction to this poem is OH SNAP.
My second is, why the HECK have I never thought of that before?
I read Oedipus Rex my senior year of high school. I never once read that riddle and said, "hey, not cool. As many legs a man can have, a woman can have too." Like Oedipus, I read the word "mankind" as "people kind." When Oedipus suggests that is in fact, what he meant, the Sphinx calls him out.
"That's you think."
The important thing is, Oedipus is underestimating women. Women underestimate themselves. Everyday, we let men give us the fine privilege of being included in the term "mankind." It reminds me of a lyric from one of my old favorite bands, Superchick: "If every girl could see her beauty, we would be an army."
Plus, I mainly love this poem because it suggests that Oedipus was actually outsmarted by the Sphinx, rather than he outsmarting her. It's just one more thing that Oedipus was blind about in his quest for glory, and makes it a better story all around.
Anyway, I think this could spark an interesting discussion. What kind of thoughts first spring into your mind when you read this poem?
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