Revenge And Fate In Sophocles Oedipus The King

Oedipus’ murder of his father and his subsequent marriage to his mother in Sophocles’’ Oedipus the King are arborous and difficult to imagine one doing. The king’s character flaws of anger and pride play a part in his downfall but either alone or together, his flaws are not enough to cause him to commit the acts he does. Instead, his flaws are used against him to in an effort to lead him towards fulfilling the prophecy. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, primarily Fate causes Oedipus’ fall (fulfillment of the prophecy).

The gods’ revelation of the prophecy allows it to be fulfilled. The god’s decision to reveal the prophecy has an effect on Oedipus’ life that cannot be ignored. First, Oedipus’ removal from his birth parents as a result of the

There are almost too many coincidences to count in the play but two specific coincidences stand out as important to Oedipus’ undoing. First, Oedipus’ chance adversarial meeting with his father leads to him kill his father. It is true that Oedipus anger caused him to kill his father as he admits “I struck in anger” (344), but the coincidence of the person who happened to be traveling on the same road as him at the same was also his estranged father is unlikely. Furthermore, Laius’ traveling provisions made it easy for Oedipus to kill him since he had “just five in all” (343) traveling with him. This small consort made it manageable for Oedipus to overcome and kill their king. Second, the presence of the Sphinx and Oedipus’s ability to answer its riddle leads him to marry his mother. Sophocles does not explain any particular reason for the Spinx’s presence or how Oedipus was the first to come along who could answer its riddle. Nevertheless, its presence at the moment Oedipus arrives and the city’s need of a king provide so perfect an opportunity that one might suspect a coup to take the throne. With this seizure of power, Oedipus is now positioned to fulfill the part of the prophecy that is perhaps the most unbelievable namely to marry his mother. The circumstances that would cause one to marry his own mother are so unlikely and almost impossible. And yet, here the author has arranged that impossible so that every minute piece of the puzzle perfectly falls into place without Oedipus