Oedipus the King by Sophocles is about the life of Oedipus the king of Thebes and how his fate effects the man he becomes. Fate holds a role that changes the course of events throughout the play and effects the outcome of the lives of the characters and to some extant Oedipus is equally a victim and an investigator of is fate because of the actions that he and his parents both biological and adopting parents have taken.
Fate plays a major role in Oedipus the King. Fate affected the lives of the most important characters of the play. Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laios’ fate were set from day one. Jocasta and Laios tried to change their fate by killing their son but that plan backfired on them because it happened anyway. When Oedipus found out his …show more content…
When Oedipus became the king of Thebes, he was forced to find the murder of the previous king, Laios, to end the plague that had sickened the city. To find the murderer, Oedipus calls upon the assistance of the prophet, Teiresias, who said to know all and can help find the cause of the plague and the Laios’ murderer. When Teiresias arrived he immediately, regretted his visit saying, “I never should have come… Let me go home. That way is best, for you, for me” (Sopholces, 37). Through continuous badgering and belittling remarks, Oedipus angers Teiresias, who attempted to maintain his silence, and forces him to speak saying, “…you, you are the murderer you’re looking for… I say you live in shame, and you do not know it… you do not in what shame you live in.” (Sophocles, 40). Oedipus is now angered and feels disrespected that Teiresias would accuse of him such a thing and would curse him like that. Teiresias’ anger continues on page 43, when he says, “Call me a fool if you like, but your parents, who gave you life disrespected my judgment” (Sopholces, 43). From this point on Oedipus became a victim of his fate because he was unaware of what Teiresias was talking about. When Oedipus was told about his fate back in Delphi he assumes the king and queen of Corinth were his birth parents …show more content…
This is because though he was told to find the truth to help the city of Thebes was bound to his fate from the start. Laios and Jocasta attempted to get rid of him as child to make sure that he would grow up to fulfill his fate. He was raised in Corinth and he heard of his fate he left what he knew as a home to make sure it didn’t happen, but ends up unknowingly fulfilling his fate. Another reason some may say that Oedipus is a victim is because of Jocasta. Jocasta on numerous occasions, tells Oedipus not to worry about what Tieresias said to him. Saying “Oedipus, forget all of this. Listen to me: no mortal practice the art of prophecy…” (Sophocles, 55). Jocasta attempts to reassure him that fortune telling is sort of a joke and can’t be taken too seriously. She also tries to make the idea of sleeping with one’s mother is normal because “many men have slept with their mothers in their dreams” (Sopholces, 66). This makes it seem that maybe Jocasta knows exactly what she’s doing and purposely sleeps with Oedipus without telling him his true
Fate plays a major role in Oedipus the King. Fate affected the lives of the most important characters of the play. Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laios’ fate were set from day one. Jocasta and Laios tried to change their fate by killing their son but that plan backfired on them because it happened anyway. When Oedipus found out his …show more content…
When Oedipus became the king of Thebes, he was forced to find the murder of the previous king, Laios, to end the plague that had sickened the city. To find the murderer, Oedipus calls upon the assistance of the prophet, Teiresias, who said to know all and can help find the cause of the plague and the Laios’ murderer. When Teiresias arrived he immediately, regretted his visit saying, “I never should have come… Let me go home. That way is best, for you, for me” (Sopholces, 37). Through continuous badgering and belittling remarks, Oedipus angers Teiresias, who attempted to maintain his silence, and forces him to speak saying, “…you, you are the murderer you’re looking for… I say you live in shame, and you do not know it… you do not in what shame you live in.” (Sophocles, 40). Oedipus is now angered and feels disrespected that Teiresias would accuse of him such a thing and would curse him like that. Teiresias’ anger continues on page 43, when he says, “Call me a fool if you like, but your parents, who gave you life disrespected my judgment” (Sopholces, 43). From this point on Oedipus became a victim of his fate because he was unaware of what Teiresias was talking about. When Oedipus was told about his fate back in Delphi he assumes the king and queen of Corinth were his birth parents …show more content…
This is because though he was told to find the truth to help the city of Thebes was bound to his fate from the start. Laios and Jocasta attempted to get rid of him as child to make sure that he would grow up to fulfill his fate. He was raised in Corinth and he heard of his fate he left what he knew as a home to make sure it didn’t happen, but ends up unknowingly fulfilling his fate. Another reason some may say that Oedipus is a victim is because of Jocasta. Jocasta on numerous occasions, tells Oedipus not to worry about what Tieresias said to him. Saying “Oedipus, forget all of this. Listen to me: no mortal practice the art of prophecy…” (Sophocles, 55). Jocasta attempts to reassure him that fortune telling is sort of a joke and can’t be taken too seriously. She also tries to make the idea of sleeping with one’s mother is normal because “many men have slept with their mothers in their dreams” (Sopholces, 66). This makes it seem that maybe Jocasta knows exactly what she’s doing and purposely sleeps with Oedipus without telling him his true