In the ancient Greek society, fate played a big role in people’s daily lives. The people believed in the powers of the gods and goddesses, as well as the prophecies and oracles. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles built up suspense of this story by many factors that eventually led to the downfall of Oedipus and caused this tragedy to happen. However, fate is responsible for Oedipus’s tragedies because the actions he took in this play, were all motivated by his attempt to avoid the fate. Former King Laius was told that by fate: he would be killed by his own son, Oedipus. Laius’ wife, Iokaste, was also told that she would marry their son. They believed in the gods and were scared that this prophecy would come true so they decided to try and prevent what fate had planned for their family. The king and queen gave Oedipus up. A shepherd pitied Oedipus and didn’t kill him. King Laius and Iocasta’s actions were driven by the theme of fate. By trying to avoid fate, their actions became the true cost that made …show more content…
To your mind he is foreign born, but it will soon be shown that he is a Theban, a revelation that will fail to please. A blind man, who has his eyes now, a penniless man, who is rich now; and he will go tapping the strange earth with his staff. To the children with whom he lives now he will be brother and father-the very same; to her who bore him, son and husband. The very same who came to his father’s bed, wet with his father’s blood.” (Pg. 79 lines 231-246) When Oedipus found out that he killed his father, he was furious. He was very eager to find out the “actual” truth to prove Tiresias wrong. But the more information he received, the further he got from proving Tiresias wrong. Iocasta didn’t realize Oedipus was the murderer
Humans go through life fearing what struggles they may face, instead of taking control over their problems. In Mythology by Edith Hamilton, the Greek warriors took control over every struggle that came before them. Oedipus did his best to avoid his fate. Achilles knew the prophecy that was put in place for him. Odysseus’s biggest struggle would be his journey home. Hercules’s greatest task would be not letting his strength get the best of him. In Greek mythology, the journeys represented the internal struggles and eventual perseverance of mortals.
The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that the events in Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, are the result of the hero’s self determination and restless attempt to escape a terrifying destiny predicted for him by the oracle of Apollo at Delphi. My intention is to prove that although the Fates play a crucial part in the story, it is Oedipus'choices and wrong doing that ultimately lead to his downfall.
Fate is an old debated concept. Do one's actions truly play a role in determining one's life? Is fate freedom to some or is it binding to others, in that no individual can make completely individual decisions, and therefore, no one is truly free. Nowadays, fate is a subject often rejected in society, as it is seen as too big, too idealistic, and too hard to wrap a persons head around. However, at the time of Antigone, the concept was a terrifying reality for most people. Fate is the will of the gods, and as is apparent in Antigone, the gods' will is not to be questioned. Much of Sophocles' work focuses on the struggle between human law and what is believed to be the god’s law. Fate was an unstoppable force and it was assumed that any efforts to change one's future were unrealistic. In Sophocles' Antigone, fate plays a crucial role the choices that the characters make.
... he could have been born a slave then what previously thought by the king and queen. Oedipus fails to see the wariness Iocaste expresses in his attempts to find out who he truly is, which in returns turns forces him to realize that he is in fact her son. The shepherd he talks to is reluctant if not miserable to speak the truth to Oedipus as well. He then realized the child he took was Oedipus left for death as the Gods wanted, himself. It is through these situations that Oedipus blinds himself loses his wife and mother, and gets sent into exile. He was incapable of seeing other truths besides his own. This pattern exhibited by Oedipus can be highly related to the manner of thinking that many individuals follow. Convincingly adhere to their own beliefs and realties tying themselves to a singular truth as opposed to opening up their mind and gaining new knowledge.
that their son would kill his father and marry his mother (page 56). A son was
The ancient Greeks were fond believers of Fate. Fate, defined according to Webster’s, is “the principle or determining cause or will by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as the do.” The Greeks take on Fate was slightly modified. They believed that the gods determined Fate: “…fate, to which in a mysterious way the gods themselves were subject, was an impersonal force decreeing ultimate things only, and unconcerned with day by day affairs.” It was thought that these gods worked in subtle ways; this accounts for character flaws (called harmatia in Greek). Ancient Greeks thought the gods would alter a person’s character, in order for that person to suffer (or gain from) the appropriate outcome. Such was the case in Oedipus’s story.
This part of the story can be seen as one of the examples of dramatic irony Sophocles displays. The man Oedipus ends up killing is his real father, but he does not realize it was his father till he has to find out who killed the King of Thebes (Weigel). Oedipus does not realize that now that the prophecy is coming true. He has already done the first deed, killing his father. Oedipus’s hubris trying to defy the gods plan fails. This also starts another plague for the people of
In Oedipus The King, Sophocles presents a view of life fixed by fate. This fate, predetermined by the gods, is the sole factor in deciding human destiny. Tiresias expresses his understanding of the unchangeable fate of Oedipus, laid out by the gods, as he argues with the King about revealing the truth of all the Theban troubles. When Oedipus, frustrated by the lack of cooperation, insults Tiresias, he responds "I pity you, flinging at me the very insults / each man here will fling at you so soon."(322) Even more telling of the fated existence of Sophocles' characters is Jocasta's revelation of prophecies given before Oedipus' birth which foretold all that the gods had in store, which had indeed come to pass (332).
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 Sophocles ' Oedipus the King, the themes of fate and free will are very strong throughout the play. Only one, however, brought about Oedipus ' downfall and death. Both points could be argued to great effect. In ancient Greece, fate was considered to be a rudimentary part of daily life. Every aspect of life depended and was based upon fate (Nagle 100). It is common belief to assume that mankind does indeed have free will and each individual can decide the outcome of his or her life. Fate and free will both decide the fate of Oedipus the King.
A vital subject in the play Oedipus the King is the relation between the characters action and fate. Oedipus had the choice to either let destiny play its course, but as seen in the play Oedipus’s chooses his own downfall, he choose free will. His persistence to uncover the truth about his past and his identity are substantial. Fate on the other hand is accountable for many other important and disturbing events in the play one being responsible for Oedipus marring his own mother. Sophocles clearly suggests that both fate and one’s action works hand on hand, it is clear and becomes difficult to judge Oedipus for incest given his unawareness.
The idea of fate has existed for a long time and exists even today. Fate revolves around the idea that people's lives are predetermined and that no matter what is done it cannot be changed. With the gods it was used to explain events that seemed strange. Sophocles expands on this idea by introducing Oedipus' fate. The thought of fate is strong considering no matter how hard he struggles he still receives what was predetermined. As a baby he survived the elements on Mount Cithaeron. As Oedipus was destined to live, it shows the dominance of fate. Having fate play such a large part of the play is certainly an insight into the Greek's idea that fate controls us no matter how hard we struggle against it.
Sophocles demonstrates in the play Oedipus the King that a human being, not a God, ultimately determines destiny. That is, people get what they deserve. In this play, one poorly-made judgment results in tragic and inescapable density. Oedipus fights and kills Laius without knowing Laius is his father. Then, Oedipus's pitiless murdering causes several subsequent tragedies such as the incestuous marriage of Oedipus gets into the flight with Laius. However, Oedipus's characteristics after Laius's death imply that Oedipus could avoid the fight as well as the murder of his father, but did not. Ultimately, Oedipus gets what he deserves due to his own characteristics that lead him to murder Laius: impatience, delusion, and arrogance.
Oedipus was a victime of fate, his futur was foretold by an Oracle, he had no way of knowing that his wife was his mother nor that the stranger he killed was his father. Oedipus could not prevent his own downfall. Oedipus was the king of Thebes, he became king when he cured the city of a deadly plague. He cured the plague by solving the riddle of the mythical creature, the Sphinkx. Now the city is suffering from another plague and as king Oedipus must solve the riddle of this one.
In Oedipus Rex, fate is something that unavoidably befalls two characters. The gods decide Oedipus and Jocasta’s fate, even before they know it. Trying to avoid destiny is pointless because no matter what, it will catch up to you wherever you are. It is often thought that you can change your destiny, but in reality our fate was put into action the day we were born. Throughout the play, Oedipus tries to change his fate.