Fate in Oedipus the King Essay - 1065 Words

If prophecy were to be real, one could expect what is bound to happen in the future. This is true; at least in â€Å"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 â€Å"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 â€Å"Oedipus the King,† Sophocles expresses the nature of fate to be determined upon choices made. In the story, â€Å"Oedipus the King† before Oedipus became king of Thebes, he made choices that led to events that defined his†¦show more content†¦I killed them all,† (Gioia, 2010). Killing the stranger was indeed a bad choice made by Oedipus. In fact, that stranger who Oedipus killed was later identified to be his biological father. Perhaps if Oedipus ignored the god’s statement, then maybe this would have never happened. The other part that settled Oedipus’s fate was when he chose to accept the reward as ruler and husband of the widowed queen of Thebes. Oedipus was given this fine offer after solving the riddle of the sphinx that many tried but failed and died. â€Å"†¦Oedipus won both the throne and the recently widowed queen of Thebes as a reward for riding the city of the sphinx, a winged, women-headed lion. All who approached the Sphinx were asked a riddle, and failure to solve it meant death,† (Gioia, 2010). Although being given such a fine offer to be empowered as king, Oedipus could have refused and would have made it impossible in marrying his mother. However, Oedipus did accept the offer and was the result necessary to support his fate. Undoubtedly, this event of Oedipus marrying Iocaste, his mother, led to a much worse event. They had children of their own. Blame could not be held upon Oedipus so heavily for his actions, but for his hubris. Throughout the play, Oedipus portrayed great importance in finding the one who killed King Laios. It is ironic that Oedipus investigates to find the one whoShow MoreRelatedFate And Fate In Oedipus The King By Sophocles1001 Words   |  5 PagesFate is an abstract concept displayed in many myths and stories. The idea that a set fate will happen has been popularized into the media for years. From greek myths to modern day books, authors create prophecies that the characters cannot avoid. However, the idea that fate is unavoidable in Oedipus the King by Sophocles is false. Although Oedipus ends up succumbing to the prophecy, his downfall is not a product of the prophecy. Oedipus falls and rises independent to the augury. Oedipus’ downfallRead MoreOedipus The King, Fate And Destiny1201 Words   |  5 Pagesplay, â€Å"Oedipus the King†. In case you did not know, Sophocles is from Greece. 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