Oedipus Victim Of Fate Essay

Oedipus Victim Of Fate Essay
Is Oedipus a victim of fate or does he possess free will? Explain your reasoning. Do you think free will is a reality or an allusion? I find Oedipus to be a
victim of fate rather than having free will. "()". Free will could be seen to be more of an illusion than a reality. People and society like to make you
think you have control over your own life while in you really do not. While it seems he could have tried harder maybe vowing to never sleep with a
women or to never kill a man but is what the play wanted you to think (). He was born damned, to suffer due to his given destiny. Man is to weak to
change fate found in this quote by Teiresias "...the wretch Who murdered Laius––that man is here. He passes for an alien in the land But soon...show
more content...
This flaw was his ultimate downfall in (). Merely being human can be a fatal flaw to Oedipus in that he carries himself like a god but was hit by
(). His quick temper(). The motif of blindness is used rampantly throughout Oedipus Rex. In what ways was Oedipus blind? In what ways are we
(society, individuals) blind? Do we want to see? Oedipus was blind in the ways of the true life he was living and the (). No one wants to really see
the ugly truth, in modern day society we hid it omelas can also be an example of this with the abused boy hidden away. His determination is
another thing which blinds him. Aristotle considered Oedipus to be the penultimate tragic hero. Obviously his situation is tragic, but is he truly
heroic? If so, how? If not, why not? I do not consider Oedipus to be heroic in any sense. He may have perceived himself as a hero with his inflated
ego and gave off the sense he cared so much for his people holds up nothing when comparing his actions to his words. Actions speak louder than
words and within the play he speaks a lot to feed his ego and generate a mask of care towards his people while all he apparently did in the past was
answer the riddle of the sphinx which leaned more to self serving in that it made him the king. The main problem of the plague within Thebes which
begins this story ultimately becomes a selfish quest as well in the sense that he was uncovering
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Oedipus Fate Essay
In the tragedy, Oedipus the King, fate is a predetermined course of events and is also an important factor that caused Oedipus's downfall. Oedipus is
ultimately a victim of his own fate because, despite his and Jocasta's efforts, he could not escape the prophecies. Though others say that Oedipus
created his own fate because he had the free will to handle the prophecies in becoming his own outcome, in the end, there was no chance that Oedipus
could escape the prophecies. It was the fate for Oedipus getting saved after being left to die by his parents. Also, the gods brought the plague into
Oedipus's city, which caused him to search for the murderer of Laius. The truth behind the prophecy was also planned for Oedipus before he even
knows it....show more content...
The plague is also Oedipus's fate because it is like a curse from the gods to Oedipus which causes the city to be in danger. Because of this situation,
Oedipus sends Creon to find a cure for the plague, thus, Creon brought a message back, which was killing the murderer of Laius will save the city.
For this reason, Oedipus begins searching for the murderer, but he doesn't know that he himself is the person who murdered Laius. "My birth all
sprung revealed from those it never should, myself entwined with those I never could. And I the killer of those I never would" (267). Before, it
could be a coincidence that Oedipus happens to run into Laius without realizing it is him, gets angry when forced off the road as a result of his bad
temper, and kills Laius. But it seems too perfect for a plan to be a coincidence, making it clear that this must be the work of fate.
It is also fate that Oedipus was cursed and has to avoid it. Because the prophecy applies to him, he tries to avoid the outcome by escaping it, but he
can't escape his fate. "Revealed at last, brother and father both to the children he embraces, to his mother son and husband both––he sowed the loins his
father sowed, he spilled his father's blood!" (281). The truth was revealed by Tiresias and in fact, it already had happened to Oedipus even though he
tried so hard to avoid it. But after the truth was revealed, Oedipus cannot change what he had already done. Similarly,

The Power Of Fate In Oedipus The King
Sophocles states that "Fate has terrible power. You cannot escape it by wealth or war. No fort will keep it out, no ships outrun it." Fate derives from a
Latin word, fatum, meaning that one's future is predetermined. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles unfolds the misfortune of a noble king who searches for
knowledge. Evidently, Greek heroes like Oedipus are destined to rule, but are also bound to fall, therefore, he cannot alter his own fate. This tragic
play proves that the power of fate is indeed stronger than one's free will. Despite his attempts to fight his destiny, Oedipus can never outrun his fate.
Regardless of his parents' desperation to evade the predicted outcome, fate guides his journey for knowledge, leading to his destruction. Oedipus
rises as a hero, but eventually loses his power when he faithfully commits to terrible deeds. Jocasta, the wife and mother to Oedipus, doubts that the
oracle of Apollo is genuine. Since she and her previous husband, King Laius, left Oedipus to die in the mountains, they refuse to believe the oracle.
She claims that " ..It was fate that he should die a victim at the hands of his own son, a son to be born of Laius and me. But, see now, he, the king,
was killed by foreign highway robbers at a place where three roads meet" (Sophocles, 493: 791–796). Despite Jocasta and Laius's intentions to change
their fate, the prophecy remains unfeigned. The fact that Oedipus is alive even after being abandoned, is evidence that their fates are

Oedipus Fate And Fate Essay
Fate 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, that main character Antigone decides to go againstCreon's (her
uncle who has inherited the throne) decree and bury the brother, Polynices, knowing the consequences would lead to her death. In Sophocles' plays
Oedipus Rex and Antigone, the theme is mankind not being able to escape their fate.
While free choices, such as Oedipus' decision to pursue knowledge...show more content...
Oedipus' fate could not have been changed; he was destined to have a messed up family tree.
In Antigone, Antigone and her sister Ismene return to Thebes in an attempt to reconcile their brothers–Eteocles, who was defending the city and his
crown, and Polyneices, who was attacking Thebes. However, both brothers were killed, and their uncle Creon became the king. He forbade burial is
the corpse of Polyneices, declaring him a traitor. Antigone, moved by love for her brother and convinced that the command went against the law of the
gods, she buried Polyneices secretly. Antigone lines 72–74 "And if I have to die for this pure crime,/ I am content, for I shall rest beside him;/ His love
will answer mine". It was Antigone's fate to die after burying her brother. It also was her fate to be Oedipus' daughter/sister.
It was soon discovered what Antigone had done. Creon her to be executed and was imprisoned in a cave. Her fiancГ©, Haemon, son of Creon,
begged his father to let her go. He finally agreed but he was too late, Antigone had hanged herself. Haemon was devastated that his love was dead, so
he committed suicide. At the news, Creon's wife and Haemon's mother, queen Eurydice, commits suicide fulfilling Creon's fate of being responsible for
his family's death. Antigone lines 1335–1336 "From suffering that has been/ Decreed no man will ever find escape".
In Sophocles' plays Oedipus Rex and Antigone, the theme is mortals ot being able to escape their destiny.

Fate In Oedipus The King
Fate is defined as the development of events beyond a person's control. In "Oedipus the King," Sophocles, tells us about a tragic hero (Oedipus) in
which his life is predetermined by fate, because he is deprived of free will. The first act of fate on Oedipus was him being saved by a shepherd when
his parents (Queen Jocasta and King Laius) left him in the mountains to die, he then met and killed his father without knowing who he was, and last, he
married Queen Jocasta, later realizing that she was his mother. Every action that Oedipus took to prevent his fate, would soon be the ultimate downfall,
not only for himself, but for his family and the people of Thebes.
As Oedipus was born into royalty, he started his life in a condemned manner. At only a few days old, Oedipus' family tried to stop the prophecy that
was given by the oracle. Clearly worried about the message, the King took matters into his own hands trying to stop a per–determined fate. "He wasn't
three days old and the boy's father fastened...show more content...
The Sphinx had the body of a lion, wings of an eagle and the rest of a human women. The Sphinx asked Oedipus a riddle " this creature walks on
four legs in the morning two at noon and three in the evening" If he gets it right he lives and if he gets it wrong he will die. Oedipus got the answer
right, the answer being a human, and the Sphinx jumped off a cliff. They kingdom was so happy they appointed him king, and even let him marry the
Queen, his mother, Jocasta, again without knowledge of who she really was. Oedipus soon realized that all his efforts of trying to prevent the
inevitable, was just fate's way of completing the Prophecies. Whether it was predicted before his birth, told at the time of his birth or orchestrated
throughout his life, Oedipus had a per–determined lot to follow. No matter the derailed plans or unplanned events could stop the sad, tortured life that
Apollo had laid out for

Sophocles' Oedipus the King: Fate vs. Free Will
In Oedipus the King, one of Sophocles' most popular plays, Sophocles clearly depicts the Greek's popular belief that fate will control a man's life
despite of man's free will. Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. Throughout Oedipus the King, the concept
of fate and free will plays an integral part in Oedipus' destruction.
Destined to marry his mother and murder his father, Oedipus was partly guided by fate. This prophecy, as warned by the Oracle of Apollo atDelphi,
was absolute and would inevitably come to pass. As for free will, Oedipus' actions, temper, impulsive nature and pride (hubris) as well as his erroneous
judgment (hamartia) all...show more content...
Not knowing he was the murderer, Oedipus had now cursed himself. "Whoever he is, a lone man unknown in his crime or one among many, let that
man drag out his life in agony, step by painful step – I curse myself as well... if by any chance he proves to be an intimate of our house, here at my
hearth, with my full knowledge, may the curse I just called down on him strike me!" (606)
Oedipus journey in search of Laius' murderer has merely helped the prophecy become reality. His ignorance, pride and remorseless quest for the truth
ultimately contributed to his destruction. An explicit example can be seen when Oedipus was told (after threatening Tiresias), that he was responsible
for Laius' murder. Oedipus became enraged and called the blind prophet a liar. Oedipus thought he could overcome the gods, but in fact, his every
action moved him closer to his destiny.
Upon unearthing of the truth of his birth from the shepherd, Oedipus cries out, "O god all come true, all burst to light! O light now let me look my
last on you! I stand revealed at last cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands". (631). Oedipus now knew
that his fate had indeed come to pass, and feels cursed by it. Due to the crimes he committed, Oedipus punishes himself (free will) by stabbing his eyes
with one of Jocasta's brooches.
Overall, Oedipus achieves his foremost sin when he attempts to

Fate in "Oedipus the King" Essay
If prophecy were to be real, one could expect what is bound to happen in the future. This is true; at least in "Oedipus the King" in which the
protagonist, Oedipus calls forth his doom unwillingly. Fate is defined as something that unavoidably befalls a person. The author of "Oedipus the
King," Sophocles, writes a tragic fate that Oedipus was born to experience. Fate is what is meant to happen and cannot be avoided or unchanged.
Furthermore, events that lead to other events could be the result for one to meet their fate. In "Oedipus the King," Sophocles expresses the nature of fate
to be determined upon choices made. In the story, "Oedipus the King" before Oedipus became king of Thebes, he made choices that led to events that
defined his...show more content...
I killed them all," (Gioia, 2010). Killing the stranger was indeed a bad choice made by Oedipus. In fact, that stranger who Oedipus killed was later
identified to be his biological father. Perhaps if Oedipus ignored the god's statement, then maybe this would have never happened. The other part that
settled Oedipus's fate was when he chose to accept the reward as ruler and husband of the widowed queen of Thebes. Oedipus was given this fine
offer after solving the riddle of the sphinx that many tried but failed and died. "...Oedipus won both the throne and the recently widowed queen of
Thebes as a reward for riding the city of the sphinx, a winged, women–headed lion. All who approached the Sphinx were asked a riddle, and failure to
solve it meant death," (Gioia, 2010). Although being given such a fine offer to be empowered as king, Oedipus could have refused and would have
made it impossible in marrying his mother. However, Oedipus did accept the offer and was the result necessary to support his fate. Undoubtedly, this
event of Oedipus marrying Iocaste, his mother, led to a much worse event. They had children of their own. Blame could not be held upon Oedipus so
heavily for his actions, but for his hubris. Throughout the play, Oedipus portrayed great importance in finding the one who killed King Laios. It is
ironic that Oedipus investigates to find the one who

Oedipus: Destiny and Fate Essay
Although it is widely alleged that destiny is by choice, there are a vast number of people who believed that it is by fate. Those who believed it is by
choice follow the directions and guidance of their elders. For example, they will try to hold on to the values that their parents instilled in them and use
them to guide their entire lives. Others who believed that destiny is by fate, believe that the outcome of their lives is determined by luck, and that no
matter what they do or how careful they are, whatever has to happen to them must happen. These proponents that emphasize that destiny is by fate may
have gotten their belief from myth such as the story of Oedipus, which is a perfect illustration of how destiny is by fate. Just like...show more content...
Throughout his childhood to manhood, Oedipus started to inherit little pieces of his past. But when he tried to obtain more information, no one
would say anything. So he went to the Oracle of Delphi. There he was informed of his fate in an unclear way. When Oedipus heard of this, he left
Corinth to avoid killing his adoptive father who he believes is his real father. On his way to Thebes, he runs into this chariot. It just so happens that
this chariot had his birth father in it, but both father and son didn't know nor recognize each other. They got into a heated fight because Laius ordered
him out of the road. Oedipus thought of this demand as being an insult, and furthermore killed his father and his guards (Fun Trivia). As you can see,
no matter how it's sought out, whether knowing consciously or not, fate is going to come true.
According to the story, "Oedipus the King" (trans. By Stephen Berg), a famous part of Oedipus's life was when he came across the Sphinx at the cross
roads that asks riddles to travelers. No one ever passed this intersection to or from Thebes because no one ever got one of his riddles correct. The
specific riddle he asked Oedipus was: "What walks on four in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night?" Oedipus answered, " Man; as an
infant he crawls on all four, as an adult he walks on two legs, and in old age he relies on a walking stick." He was the first to answer a riddle correctly,
which caused the

Oedipus Fate Essay
In Oedipus the king the Prophets tells Oedipus how his life will pan out and that there is nothing that he can do about it. Oedipus, however thinks he
can prove them wrong being the self righteous person that he is. He believes that fate is not real and that its all about free will and individual decisions
that lead to and determine the future. Oedipus is wrong for thinking that he can change his fate because the world is controlled by fate not free will.
"Do you know who your parents are? Unknowing you are an enemy to kith and kin in death, beneath the earth, and in this life. A deadly footed, double
striking curse, from father and mother both, shall drive you forth out of his land, with darkness on your eyes, that now have such...show more content...
Oedipus begins to realize that he is wrong and that the prophet is right. Oedipus talks to Jocasta, who heard from the one man who went home safe
from the murder. The man said that it was more than one robber that killed Laius and if that is true the prophet is wrong "I'll tell you; if I find that his
story is the same as yours...clearly the burden of the guilt inclines towards me." (Sophocles 974–982). Oedipus left Corinth in attempts to escape his
fate, but he is wanted to be the king. The messenger tells Oedipus that who he thought was his father (Polybus) is in fact not his father. (Sophocles
1147–1149). The messenger then told Oedipus that he was taken from a Shepard, the Shepard of Laius. (Sophocles 1182–1188) it is said that Laius's
son had his feet pierced and when the messenger was telling Oedipus about where he came from who told him that his feet were pierced giving more
proof that Oedipus I indeed the son of Laius. After knowing this the king brought forth the Shepard who then made it clear that he was the son of
Laius. (1329–1339) Oedipus accepted his fate and said in lines 1363 through 1368
"o, o, o, they will all come, all come out clearly! Light of the sun, let me look upon you no more after today! I who first saw the light bred of a match
accursed and accursed in my living with them I lived with, cursed in my killing." Oedipus blinded himself and

Oedipus Fate
I think for Oedipus to receive this fate or prophecy may not have been fair. He probably did not think so either but during that time if you were given
a prophecy, that was your fate and you had to accept it. I think that for him to receive this fate he must have done something to deserve it, although his
parents received this prophecy before Oedipus was born. Then again fate is fate, and the gods are the gods, they are all powerful and what they say,
goes. If I had received this fate and was in Oedipus's situation I would have told my parents hoping there could be some mistake or a way they could
help me to get through it. If Oedipus had have done this his parents may have told him the truth of his birth. To avoid this certain fate he would

Oedipus the King: A Victim of Fate Essay
Oedipus the King would not have been successful throughout centuries as a tragic play, if Oedipus were clearly responsible for his own tragedy. The
play's ongoing success was do to Oedipus' innocence which immediately makes one think he can not be fully responsible and to blame. I do not believe
Sophocles would have wrote the story, or I do not think people would have ever read it or studied it had it simply been a story of a criminal's
retribution. Sophocles himself believed Oedipus to be the innocent victim of an ironic tragedy, and built the play around this belief. This story was
destined to happen and I believe the author would agree. The story revolves around destiny, the resistance of people to it and the ultimate ending of
destiny...show more content...
For example when Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter to the gods his wife was angered with him for taking his own child's life and rather than
waiting to see what was to be destined to her husband she killed him. She took the matters into her own hands and found justice her own way. These
traits are also seen in Oedipus, for he values the power of truth. Instead of relying on the gods, Oedipus counts on his own ability to root out the truth;
after all, he is a riddle–solver.
People make the assumption that Oedipus murdered his own father, however this is flawed. The play clearly states that this act was provoked;
therefore, all he is guilty of is self–defense. Oedipus describes a wagon about to shove him off the road with "brute force", this angered him to strike
the driver, and when the old male passenger (a stranger to Oedipus) tried to prong him in the head, he attacked him – this is far from being guilty of
murder. This makes you think that Sophocles is writing it from the angle that Oedipus was innocent.
In order to discuss the issues at hand, we need to assess the degree of free will that an individual has when there is gods ruling over them. The
characters who tried to avoid the oracles did not realize their limits as humans; they listened to their egos and perhaps believed their choices were in
their hands rather than the hands of the gods and fate. Oedipus and Laius tried to prevent the prophecy that the oracle presented them with, and in doing

Examples Of Fate In Oedipus
It is the responsibility of man to take ownership of his destiny which separates the human condition for that of other earthly beasts. From birth,
Oedipus, the tragic hero of Sophocles' Greek Tragedy Oedipus Rex, is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Although by the opening act of
the play, Oedipus has earned the throne of Thebes for solving the riddle of the Sphinx, the eponymous character is unaware that he has already
fulfilled his prophecy. Meanwhile, the people of Thebes are dying of a plague that will only end when the unknown murderer of Laius, the previous
Theban King, is punished. Through retrospection, Oedipus believes that he might be responsible for Laius death and is told that the King and Queen
of Corinth who...show more content...
Oedipus' pride regardless of the class he is born into has led him to ignore Jocasta's warning believing that she will be dismissive of him if he was born
of low social standing. This pride has also fueled Oedipus' determination to discover who he is and to learn the truth of his parentage which as modern
audiences know will lead to his own fall from grace to ruin. Moreover, Sophocles' insightful word choice is used to further explore the themes of free
will and fate. While Jocasta is trying to convince Oedipus to go no further in his quest to learn his lineage, she tells him in her dialog, "You're doomed
––/may you never fathom who you are!"(4–5). Sophocles' choice of the word "doomed" is again a word implying an inescapable fate. However, since
Jocasta knows the prophecy has already been fulfilled the ill–fated future that she foreshadows is Oedipus' tragic fall. Thus it is of significance that
with her next line in the script in response to Oedipus calling to a servant to fetch the shepherd, Jocasta says to Oedipus, "Man of agony––/ that is the
only name I have for you,/ that, no other–– ever, ever, ever!"(10–12). This is a turning point for Jocasta, not only has her speech become reduced to
short clauses, she has also come to the conclusion that Oedipus has inflicted his physical and mental trauma on himself by his choices. As Jocasta exits
the stage to commit suicide after

In our world today, fate and free will remains the biggest mystery of all; is everything we do controlled or do we have the freedom of choice? In the
story "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, the author uses the idea of fate and free will to explain the struggle of Oedipus's life. Fate and free will is
explained as; fate is controlled by an outside supernatural force, and there is no way of controlling it. Free will is when each of us is responsible and
controls all aspects of our own life. The author of "Oedipus the King" uses ironic devices to convey a tragic attitude toward the struggle of fate and free
will.
The city of Thebes has been cursed by a plague caused by an unclean being that murdered Laius. While in despair, Oedipus cursed...show more
content...
So the irony is Oedipus had no idea that the person who killed Laius would be himself. After hearing this Oedipus is outraged and says it is all a plan for
Creon to over throw him. These examples of irony are also examples of fate and free will. It is fate that Oedipus killed the king, his father, but it is
free will that he is cursing and accusing himself.
There was an oracle told to Oedipus when he was younger that he would kill his father and wed his mother. Jocasta tells Oedipus that prophets are not
correct all the time. She went on to tell him that she once bore a child to Laius, and Apollo told them that this child would grow up to kill his father
and marry his mother. At that point Oedipus was scared because of the oracle told to him when he was younger. It is ironic that Oedipus could have
this much guilt placed on him in this short amount of time. He replied to her, "As I listen, my queen, my thoughts went reaching out and touched on
memories that make me shudder..."(lines, 759–760). Oedipus has just reacted to what Jocasta, his wife/mother, has told him. He is terrified because he
believes that he may have been the one who killed Laius. Oedipus goes on to ask Jocasta multiple questions about who, what when and where this all
happened. After every answered question Oedipus reacted with more and more grief. Every question showed more and more evidence that Oedipus had
been the murderer of Laius. When the messenger

Since the dawn of time prophecies have supposedly been passed down directly from the gods unto the prophets. In the ancient Grecian time, god's
word was worshipped and fate was all but fact. In the bible, Moses was one of the most famous prophets. In the 1500s, Nostradamus, who was a
French apothecary and seer, wrote an entire collection of prophecies. Throughout history there have been theses men and many more who claimed to
know details about the future. Why would so many prophecies become world renowned if there were no truths to them? More importantly, does fate
even exist? I believe that people have the will to make their own choices and make decisions throughout their daily life however no matter what
choices we make the...show more content...
(Sophocles)
The shepherd gives Oedipus the affirmation that what he refused to believe is indeed true. He accepts that fate has caught up with him after all and
lead his life into the foreseen ruins. Even though Oedipus has tried his whole life to escape the prophecy that he had been foretold, he still faces the
same end that had been prophesized of him not only by the oracle of Delphi but by Teiresias as well. One example of modern day prophecies are the
works of Nostradamus. Along with predicting many major world events, he also predicted the existence of certain antichrists. The works of this
soothsayer have been analyzed by many over the years and most experts concur that his prophetic quatrains do have meaning beyond just simply
words. In one of his quatrains in his book Les Propheties ("The Prophecies"), Nostradamus notes:
Out of the deepest part of the west of Europe,
From poor people a young child shall be born,
Who with his tongue shall seduce many people,
His fame shall increase in the Eastern Kingdom. (Nostradamus)
It is clear to me, as it has been clear to many experts that Nostradamus is referring to Adolf Hitler. First off, he says that this person will be from
Western Europe and born into an underprivileged family, both of which apply to Hitler as he was born in Austria and was part of a lower class family.
Secondly, Hitler became so widely known and powerful for his incredible

Oedipus The King, Fate And Destiny
Sophocles is the author of the famous play, "Oedipus the King". In case you did not know, Sophocles is from Greece. In Greek mythology there are
three goddesses who preside over the birth and life of humans. Each person 's destiny was thought of as a thread spun, measured, and cut by the three
Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. In the story "Oedipus the King" fate and destiny was the main theme. On Google the definition of destiny is the
events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future. Fate is defined as, the development of events beyond a person 's
control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. In this paper I will be analyzing the story to help you understand the significance of destiny
and fate to the story.
Do you think your life is already set out for you or its free will and u can decide what happens? The power of acting without the constraint of
necessity or fate is free will. Throughout the story Oedipus Rex figured that he could determine his own fate. So obviously Oedipus Rex thought he
could control his life with free will. The miserable King Oedipus of Thebes and his woeful story is a rather significant thought experiment for those of
us struggling with this "fate or free will" problem.
With Sophocles being from Greece he believes in Greek mythology. The Moirai or Fates were three sister deities, incarnations of destiny and life. Their
names were Clotho, the one who spins the thread of life; Lachesis, she who draws

Oedipus Fate Essay
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, "Who'er 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 he

Oedipus The King Fate Essay
COLLAPSE
I believe fate is an unavoidable and often an unfortunate outcome. Fate is the belief that all events are determined by the divine will or by some force
greater than man, that every event must take place as it does because it has been predetermined. Not a bible word or teaching. The Greeks believed that
fate should be accepted because it ultimately cannot be avoided.
In the Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, the irony of fate brings the downfall of Oedipus. Fate, in this story affects three specific characters. The gods
have already decreed Oedipus and Jocasta's fate even before they know it. Their fate was in fact decreed the day they were born, and trying to avoid
seems to have been pointless.
Oedipus unsuccessfully tries to change his fate. An oracle has confirmed that his destiny is to marry his mother and kill his father. That's why they
tie his legs with a strong roof and order a shepherd to keep him on the pick of the mountain so that the beasts of the mountain eat him. He does
everything he can to change that fate, but because of his parents' actions in ordering him killed as an infant; his knowledge of the people who've
raised him as parents is incorrect. All in all, he had no say in his fate and was incapable of changing anything. Thus, we have our tragedy....show more
content...
He does not keep it on the pick of mountain. Actually, the destiny of Oedipus saves him from certain death. The shepherd gives Oedipus to another
shepherd who is the member of another kingdom. He takes it and shows him to his king. The king has no child so he becomes very happy to get
Oedipus. He and his wife take great care as their child. Gradually Oedipus becomes grower day by

How Does Oedipus Change His Fate
The Greek tragedy Oedipus the King, by Sophocles showed how powerful the gods are and that your fate is pre–determined and there is nothing you
do can change that. What man can change their fate that is already destined? Throughout Oedipus the King, the concept of fate and free will plays an
essential part in the destruction of Oedipus. A person's fate is not a thing of destiny; no human being can change it.
Soon, before Oedipus was born. A prophecy has foretold that if a baby boy is born he will kill Laius and marry Jocasta. Laius and Jocasta had a baby
boy. Too afraid of the prophecy to come true, they both decided to make a permanent decision, "And so, a baby boy was born. At three days old,
Laius drove a rivet between the child's ankles...show more content...
After hearing what his fate would be in Corinth, Oedipus flees the city. "On his hurried trip out of Corinth, Oedipus confronted a chariot that would
not move out of his way. This situation occurred at a point where "three roads meet." Someone with a club struck Oedipus as the chariot slowly moved
past. Perhaps as the first episode on road rage, Oedipus killed the men in the chariot. Oedipus continued on, in turmoil, toward Thebes (Guymon 10–11)
When Oedipus reaches the crossroads the prophecy started to unravel. The prophecy is that Oedipus will kill his own father. Unwillingly out of
his stubbornness did indeed kill his own father. "Or I will make my mother wife, my father dead: my father, Polybus, who reared and gave me life.
Forib, forib, most holy gods! Never let that day begun." (Roche 45) When Oedipus arrived at the city of Thebes a sphinx was terrorizing the city.
"Creon, Jocasta's brother sought shelter from the Sphinx. He offered the throne to Jocasta and anyone who could solve the riddle. That someone was
Oedipus. He solved the riddle, and then married Jocasta." (Guymon 13) When Oedipus solved the riddle, he married the queen of Thebes who was his
biological mother. By doing this Oedipus committed what he was trying to get away

Theme Of Fate In Oedipus The King
Fate is defined as a predetermined event that cannot be changed by mortals. In Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Oedipus is marked by his fate, and he
does not realize it until it is too late. Oedipus learns of his fate when he calls for Teiresias, the blind man who can read and interpret the prophecies.
After being provoked by Oedipus, Teiresias angrily reveals that Oedipus is destined to kill his own father and marrying his own mother, while
eventually gouging out his eyes. However, Oedipus does not fear his fate; he believes that he is invincible to these prophecies. How does one go
about escaping fate? Does one have any control over these predetermined events? Oedipus is a man in pursuit of answers, and the idea of his
prophecy coming to fruition does not sit well with him. He does not even fully understand fate and how it is going to affect him until he experiences
it. Nevertheless, Oedipus understands that free will does exist and is seen throughout the text implementing his own actions into his everyday life.
The idea of fate is flawed, and is used by Oedipus and people of today's society as a scapegoat for one to hide behind their own poor decisions.
Despite Oedipus believing in divine interaction along the lines of his fate, he acknowledges the idea of having free will. While talking to Creon about
the fate of an unknown murderer, Creon says, "The God commanded clearly: let someone punish with force this dead man's murderers" (Sophocles,
Oedipus the King, 15). Oedipus surrounds himself with people who lack the ability to think on their own, making them followers of a higher
authority. These followers are willing to kill because of a command from God. However, Oedipus does not feel chained to the almighty powers of
the gods. He knows that he does not need to execute the murderer because on the next page, he declares that when he drives pollution out of his
land, he will act in his own interest (17). Similarly, when Teiresias delivers the news to Oedipus of him being the murderer of the king, Oedipus
declares, "Your life is one long night so that you cannot hurt me or any other who sees the light" (26). Despite hearing the dreadful news, Oedipus
repudiates Teiresias's message. Oedipus is not fearful of his

Oedipus Victim Of Fate Essay

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