Oedipus Fate Essay - 843 Words

Oedipus the King is a story about a prominent king torn by fate and the effect his own actions have upon his destiny. Much can be learned from the catastrophic story of Oedipus, who was prophesied to kill his father, to marry and have children with his own mother. As soon as Oedipus learns of this prophecy, he tries desperately to escape it, by running from his hometown, and even avoiding his supposed parents. Despite the fact that fate may have played some role in Oedipus demise, it ultimately was brought about by his own free will and his reckless actions. Although he may not realize it, Oedipus own actions contribute to his downfall; it is his arrogant short temper and his excessive pride that causes him to make the decisions that set†¦show more content†¦Both Oedipus and Jocasta act as though the servant’s story, once spoken, is irrefutable history. Neither can face the possibility of what it would mean if the servant were wrong. This is perhaps why Jocasta feels she can tell Oedipus of the prophecy that her son would kill his father, and Oedipus can tell her about the similar prophecy given him by an oracle (867–875), and neither feels compelled to remark on the coincidence; or why Oedipus can hear the story of Jocasta binding her child’s ankles (780–781) and not think of his own swollen feet. While the information in these speeches is largely intended to make the audience painfully aware of the tragic irony, it also emphasizes just how desperately Oedipus and Jocasta do not want to speak the obvious truth: they look at the circumstances and details of everyday life and pretend not to see them. However, Sophocles imbues these opening scenes with even more dramatic irony. Oedipus takes the problem quite personally, as he vows, Whoer it was that slew/Laius, the same wild hand may seek me ... too:/And caring thus for Laius, is but care/For mine own blooda (12). The irony here is obvious: Oedipus has pledged to seek out whoever it was that killed Laius, with the same vigor that he would if it were a member of his family that he was avenging. Firstly, Oedipus has ultimately promised to destroy himself, since it was heShow MoreRelatedOedipus Fate And Fate Essay777 Words   |  4 PagesFate as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary is ‘an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end’. Sophocles discusses fate vs free will in his plays. In the play Oedipus Rex there was a prophecy that Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, he attempts to escape his destiny by running away to Thebes where he meets his fate. In the play Antigone, th at main character Antigone decides to go against Creon’s (her uncle who has inherited the throne) decree and buryRead MoreOedipus Fate Essay1478 Words   |  6 Pagesresponsible for their actions or is it fate? Is fate inescapable? 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