Oedipus
Fate is uncontrollable, and nothing one can do will hinder its becoming. In modern time, most people would protest this statement, but in the time of the ancient Greeks, they would live by it. They believe the Gods decide your entire destiny. The great playwright Sophocles displays how unavoidable fate is in his famous work Oedipus the King. Oedipus is born with a horrible fate, and everything he does to hide from it makes it come true. Through a brilliant display of his characters Jocasta, Tiresias and Oedipus, Sophocles shows that fate is unavoidable. Jocasta, the mother of Oedipus, later wife of Oedipus, is a strong believer in denying fate and in return is blind to the fact that the fate had already come true. Even when the evidence is clear, she doesn't realize that she married her son and bore his children. In believing that she had out-maneuvered the prophets, Jocasta told Oedipus, "There is no human being born that is endowed with prophetic power" (p. 50). Since Jocasta believes that she no longer is tied into this awful fate, she believes that there is nothing to fear. And in trying to persuade Oedipus into not believing in fate Jocasta states, "Fear? Why should man fear? His life is
governed by the operations of chance. Nothing can be clearly foreseen" (p. 67). Throughout all of her denial, Jocasta only makes her own fate evident and even more unavoidable even on both views. The mains character, Oedipus, tackles a very large dilemma is the story of his unavoidable fate. Throughout his younger life as a citizen of Corinth, he lived with his adopted parents Polybus and Merope. He was brought up to believe that these were his real parents. Upon leaving Corinth in order to avoid his fate, he in advertently makes it come true. But in twenty years time, he finally discovers the truth that he, in fact, did kill he father, and married his mother, the one who brought him into this world. By the oracle Tiresias, the truth is born in Oedipus. From the start, he would not accept the fact that it could be slightly true. When Oedipus accepts and figures that his inexplicable fate has come true, he is in deep agony and pain. This quote truly shows his humiliation, Oedipus--"O God! It has come true. Light, let this be the last time I see you! I stand revealed-born in shame, married in shame, and unnatural murderer" (p. 89). This shows that he has finally accepted his horrible fate and that he is ashamed of himself. He believes punishment is the only answer for h
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 871
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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