Oedipus the king by Sophocles and Crito by Plato both have an active indication of the concept of legitimation and each one presents variations in using the authority through the rational and the traditional forms of legitimation. However, there was a minor concern about the charismatic legitimation in both of them. Traditional legitimation was shown in Oedipus the king by the Delphic oracle and the divine intervention. Also, it presented in Crito by Socrates believes in the vision of his delay death. However, rational legitimation was clarified in the logical way which Oedipus uses to find the killer of Laius. Crito used reasons to persuade Socrates to smuggle from the prison like: Socrates responsibilities towards his sons, how Socrates death will have negative impacts on his friends and how Socrates has been unjustly sentenced. In addition, the social contract with Athenians was an argument used by Socrates to show why he should stay in prison.
Traditional legitimacy is addressed in different avenues in Oedipus the king. Perhaps the most significant avenue is the underlying theme of divine intervention. The first indication of the Gods role in the play is the prophecy of the oracle, Oedipus fate was related to the oracle. Oedipus was well known of the ancient Greek believes that god can see the future and some people can access this information. Therefore, when a plague strike the city Oedipus act as traditional leader and sent Creon to Delphi-Apollo the prophet oracle to know what he can do to save the city. The Delphic oracle showed that the problem is because a religious pollution, the murder of the king Laius has been not caught yet. Oedipus believed that god is telling the truth therefore he sent for the blind prophet Tiresias to help him.
In comparison, the vision that Socrates had in the beginning of the dialogue was an avenue of traditional legitimation. Socrates had dream of women telling him that “the third day hence, to Phthia shalt thou go”. Therefore, Socrates believed that will be a one delay and he will not die the day after the ship arrive. So Socrates had a strong belief that there is no doubt in Gods words as the ancient Greek believes.
Rational legitimation is a growing threat in Oedipus the king. One of the most important avenues of rational authority in Oedipus the king is the reasoning that Oedipus used to find the killer of the king. After what the oracle said to Creon, Oedipus was trying to investigate and use sources to find the murderer of Laius. Therefore, he asked for Tiresias help, he questioned and listen to different people to catch the murder and save the city from the plague. Another argument which shows the use of reasons is when Oedipus left Corinth to escape the prophecy. So Oedipus rather than surrender to the oracle that he will murder his father and marry his mother,...
