The Role of Fate in Oedipus the King

A detailed Summary of The Role of Fate in Oedipus the King


The Role of Fate in "Oedipus the King"

Is Oedipus a victim of the gods, their prophecies, and destiny, or his own fatal flaws? I am under the impression that Sophocles wrote the play to underscore the uselessness of trying to avoid one's fate. He implies that we need to turn to the gods because we cannot see the whole picture. Or rather, we are not willing to see the truth. He insinuates throughout the play that people should turn their trust back to religious fundamentalism. I read this on the Internet. I believe it is said so fittingly:

In the Middle Ages, tragedy was associated with the downfall of eminent people through the inevitable turning of Fortune's wheel; their fall exemplifies the inconsistency of Fortune and the folly of placing trust in worldly goods rather than God's will.

http://www.maclab.uvic.ca/writersguide/Pages/LTTragedy.html


He was a pawn for the gods to toy with. I think that the all mighty gods knew all along exactly what was going to happen and how. Then they let the right people see at the right time to try to test Oedipus. Just as the famous line said by Puck, "What fools these mortals be." This is also what I think Sophocles is trying to show us in this play; mortals are fools and cannot be trusted without some kind of divine direction.

Here Oedipus is blaming the gods for his misfortunes. So far, he believes that there is no free will and that the gods control life's outcomes. Then Jocasta leads him to believe that there is no meaning to these prophecies:

Destiny guide me always, Destiny find me filled with reverence pure in word and deed. Great laws tower above us, reared on high born for the brilliant vault of heaven.

Wasn't I born for torment? ...Else I'm doomed to couple with my moth

Some common words found in the essay are:
Middle Ages, Live Oedipus, Else I'm, King Oedipus, fate oedipus, oedipus victim, chain command,

Approximate Word count = 600
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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