Divine Right of Kings in Oedipus and Modern Society

When the president talks to God

Do they drink beer and go play golf

While they pick which countries to invade

Which Muslim souls still can be saved?

I guess God just calls a spade a spade

When the president talks to God. (Oberst)

The concept of the divine right of kings has been impacting history in both literature and politics throughout the ages. Today, this concept is reemerging in contemporary American politics through the presidency of George W. Bush. The divine right of kings can be defined as the right to rule derived directly from God, rather than through the consent of the people. Many historians concede that the concept of the divine right of kings first appeared in the Greek drama Oedipus Tyrannous.

As Oedipus Tyrannous opens, a Corinthian priest refers to Oedipus as a nearly "divine" ruler. The priest proclaims, "I and these children; not as deeming thee/ A new divinity, but the first of men;/ First in the common accidents of life, / And first in visitations of the Gods" (Sophocles 2). The priest goes on to request Oedipus' help when he says, "And now, O Oedipus, our peerless king, / All we thy votaries beseech thee, find/ Some succor, whether by a voice from heaven/ Whispered, or haply known by human wit" (4). The priest believes that, as a king hand-picked by the gods, Oedipus will receive advice and answers from the Greek divinities in order to solve Corinth's problems.

The origin of the divine right of kings can be more clearly understood after exploring Thomas Hobbes' classic book Leviathan. In this book, Hobbes describes the need for a social contract in order to achieve a peaceful society. He defines this social contract as an unwritten pledge where a person promises to respect others, refrain from unnecessarily attacking, and live peacefully within a community. The person agrees to this pledge under the condition that all members of society give one and other the same treatment (Hobbes).

Hobbes describes his ideal society as employing a social contract and being lead by a sovereign ruler. This ruler, often a king, would be granted absolute authority in order to protect and defend his people. Throughout history, advocates of the divine right of kings (typically secular kings) have referred to the concepts Hobbes describes in Leviathan to back up their arguments. In the introduction to Leviathan, Hobbes illustrates his idea by designating the body of Leviathan as the state, and the sovereign ruler as the absolute controller of the body. He describes the king's unlimited power:

For by art is created that great LEVIATHAN called a COMMONWEALTH, or STATE, which is but an artificial man, though of greater stature and strength than the natural, for whose protection and defense it was intended; and in which the sovereignty is an artificial soul, as giving life and motion to the whole body; the magistrates and other officers of judicature and execution, artificial joints; reward and punishment...are the nerves, that do the same in the body natural; the wealth and riches of all the particular members are the strength... (Hobbes, 1)

While rulers of the past justified the divine right of kings with Hobbes' philosophies in Leviathan, President George W. Bush confidently speaks as though his actions need no justification. President Bush is able to act so confidently as a result of carefully laid propaganda. For example, in a New York Times article Pat Robertson was quoted as saying (about President Bush), "I think God's blessing him, and I think it's one of those things that, even if he stumbles and messes up -- and he's had his share of goofs and gaffes -- I just think God's blessing is on him" ("Robertson"). Robertson continues, "And you remember, I think the Chinese used to say, you know, it's the blessing of heaven on the emperor. And I think the blessing of heaven is on Bush. It's just the way it is" (Robertson). Robertson's referral to the Chinese belief of their emperors being chosen by God is an attempt to make a parallel to our American leader being hand-chosen by God as well.

In the past, Bush has similarly made statements that God speaks to him and influences his decision making. In an article in Time magazine, author Michael Duffy writes, "Bush has always preferred his poison straight up or down, good vs. bad, dead or alive, you're either with us or you're with the terrorists," Duffy goes on, "Privately, Bush even talked of being chosen by the grace of God to lead at that moment.[September 11th]" (Duffy). While researching his article, Duffy had interviewed more than a dozen senior Republican Party operatives, people who advise and support the president and talk regularly to him and his inner circle.

These statements have helped to ensure Bush the support of most conservative voters. With this substantial amount of support, Bush has been granted a more than substantial amount of power. President Bush made his priorities clear on NBC's "Meet the Press" when he stated, "I am a war president...with war on my mind" (Scheer). In October of 2002, President Bush spoke before Congress in an effort to pass the Iraq War Resolution. This bill would grant President Bush absolute power and authority over military actions and war in Iraq. The bill was ratified on October 16, 2002, justifying war under the pretenses that Iraq's WMD supply directly threatened the United States.

Shockingly,