A Struggle with Fate in Oedipus the King by Sophocles

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Oedipus the King, a greek tragedy, is the story of a man's struggle against his fate. The author Sophocles, uses many different themes and contrasts in his writing. The most obvious theme being irony. An oracle was given by the priests of Apollo, that a son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta would murder Laius and marry Jocasta. Oedipus was taken as an infant, left to die, but was rescued by a shepard and his wife. Oedipus grows up, not knowing his true identity and fulfills the prophecy. After unknowingly killing King Laius during a chance encounter, Oedipus travels to the city of Thebes, where he solves the great riddle of Sphinx that no one else could solve. The people of Thebes were so overjoyed to be free from the Sphinx that they made Oedipus their new king. He then marries Queen Jocasta, fulfilling the final portion of the prophecy. The story begins with a priest coming to King Oedipus with grave details of the city of Thebes' tribulations. He pleads with Oedipus to help relieve their sufferings. Creon, sets Oedipus on a mission to fi...

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