Fate in Oedipus the King

A detailed Summary of Fate in Oedipus the King

Tragedy is the oldest form of drama in the western world. It generally deals with two particular points: fate and faith. This is especially the case in Greek tragedy. These plays always incorporate these two points, fate being that no matter what the main character or other characters try to do, their destiny is predetermined for them, and faith being that their storylines or moral values in the play are controlled by higher beings, usually the gods. However, despite the Greek notions of supreme power of the gods and fate, Oedipus' downfall is primarily the result of King Laius' and his own actions and attempts to defy the gods, consequently Sophocles says that prophecies from the gods of someone's fate should not be ignored. Prophecies from the Oracle of Delphi are told to King Laius and Queen Jocasta, and to Oedipus.

In Sophocles' play Oedipus the King , the roles of free will and destiny in human life come into question, and it seems that Sophocles took a direct standpoint on the answer. One interpretation of the play provides the notion that Sophocles was pointing out to his fellow Greeks the reality of human free will.

The question arises throughout the episodes of the play: Is it fate or autonomic decision-makin

Other instances in which Oedipus made choices directly linking him to the prophecy were at the points in which he killed Laius at the crossroads, and when he accepted the crown of Thebes. In the former, Oedipus was by no means required to take the life of the man challenging him on the highway. Instead, his stubbornness - another aspect of his character that influenced his choices - led him to murder his father the king, if unknowingly. In the latter instance, after having slain the Sphinx, Oedipus could have refused to take the missing king's throne. Particularly of note is the fact that he did not have to also take the former king's wife, and therefore his own mother, in combination with the throne. These were choices that he made of his own free will. Another example of the exertion of free will accounting for the course of events depicted in the play is in the actions of Jocasta and Laius. The choices they made were not rooted in their individual characters, but merely reactions to a situation that neither of them was prepared to deal with. Upon hearing of the prophecy that foretold the sin of their future house, they made a decision out of fear and sent Oedipus to die in a forest outside the kingdom. This reaction seems exaggerated but natural. Being that an actual oracle dispensed the prophecy, Oedipus' parents responded as any Greek in those times would be expected to. They solved the problem

Some common words found in the essay are:
Jocasta Laius, Creon Jocasta, Oedipus King, , Oedipus Greeks, Sphinx Oedipus, King Laius', jocasta laius, Oedipus Sophocles', choices characters, Oracle Delphi, fellow greeks, character individual, oedipus king, course events, sent oedipus die, oedipus die, sent oedipus,

Approximate Word count = 948
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English