Sophocles' Oedipus

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Recommended: Characterization in Oedipus the King by Sophocles

Sophocles' Oedipus You can Run, but you can’t Hide Sixteenth century play writers often focused on the tragic irony of fate. One such play-writer is Sophacles. In one of his later plays, “Oedipus”, he writes the tragic story of a man who can’t avoid his pre-destined fate, and that some things just can’t be changed by the people in your life no matter how hard they try. Oedipus, the main character of this tragedy, he is a protagonist ruled by conflict and fate. This is evident in the characters traits and motivations, interactions with others, and the characters language and what others say about him. Destined to kill his father and marry his own mother Oedipus is cursed. When people find out about the curse, Laius, the king of Thebes, his birth father orders a shepherd kill the infant after his birth mother has him, but the shepherd instead gives the infant to the shepherd of another kingdom nearby called Corinthian. The shepherd of Corinthian gives the baby to his king and queen who can’t bear any children and they raise the child, Oedipus without telling him that he isn’t their true son. Then one day the Delphic oracle tells Oedipus about the curse and Oedipus tries to run away from the horrible fate but instead he runs straight to it. He finds his father the King of Corinthian and kills him in a squabble in a crossroad. He then saves the kingdom of Thebes from a riddle and marries the queen who unknowingly is his mother. Oedipus is a character that is destined by his tragic fate but at the same time his pompous nature contributes to his fate. In the beginning of the play Oedipus is so witty he is able to solve the riddle cursing Thebes and therefore is crowned king. He is a very confident ruler as he feels... ... middle of paper ... ... a doubt makes it apparent through her desperate tone she is willing to continue to deny the truth so that their lives will be unchanged and blissful. Her position on the issues disturbs the king and he wishes her death. The fallout of the once blissful mother and son, and husband and wife, is inevitable as it was the predestined fate of the glorified king and savior of Thebes. Through Oedipus’s traits and motivations, interactions with others, and language of others it is evident that fate is not something you can run or hide from. Work Cited Burton, Akhmed. "A King in Denial". AGNI 1966: 23-27. Layton, Elizabeth. Oracle Thoughts. New York: 2006 Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice. Literature: A pocket Anthology 3rd ed. ED R.S Gwynn. New York: Penguine, 2006: 849-96

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