Role Of Fate In Oedipus The King

Oedipus the King Fate Sophocles’ play, Oedipus the King, can be called as one of the most famous works in the history of literature of the entire world. The play with all its aesthetic quintessence and artistic portraiture of the subject matter has triumphed over the scythe of time, and has been immortalized in the hearts of the avid readers or audience. The play stands out with its portraiture of the male protagonist, Oedipus, who was shown as a powerful man, yet so helpless at the mockery of fate. Fate came across as the omnipotent power that looms over the lives of living beings manipulating their actions and consequences with its brutal clutches so that mortal beings could never escape in spite of their endeavors. A close introspection of the play would make it clear to one and all how fate is of paramount importance in the course of the play in shaping the lives and occurrences that are described by the stalwart playwright. The play showed King Oedipus endeavoring to save his subjects from the wrath of a terrible curse that had befallen the land of Thebes. He went on to send his brother-in-law, Creon, to reach out to Apollo for his invaluable advice. At this, Oedipus came to know that the curse would only get lifted if the assassin of the former king,

He could very well have opted not to marry the former king’s spouse. However, he went on to accept both of these propositions sans any regrets. In case his decisions were different, he could have averted the impending course of events that led him to his ultimate doom. One can very well opine that these were choices made by Oedipus and they were reflections of his own free will. Thus, his own decisions and judgments also played a part in leading him to his downfall. Fate loomed over his existence and guided him in his meandering up to the tragic