Oedipus

From insane mothers to self—destruction Sophocles’s Oedipus the King and Shakespeare’s Hamlet define how your own noble actions can be your downfall. With similar themes, the plays epitomize what a true tragic hero can be by highlighting each flaw and exemplifying it with each character. We are introduced to Oedipus as the king who saved his kingdom with his wit and desired to save his kingdom again to prove his authority to his people, but due to his overconfidence, he ignored all the signs pointing to his demise throughout his quest to find what happened to the late king. When seeking for help, he calls upon the local prophet but then challenges the prophet’s power. By doing this Oedipus puts himself higher than the gods, attacking the culture and the religion of that time to show how self—centered and boastful he actually was.

Then he continued to neglect his wife’s and the shepherd’s warning to stop his search, because of not only his hubris but also his determination to help the people of his kingdom at the beginning. His intentions to better his kingdom slowly became hunger to uncover a truth that would cause the death of his wife and mother, Jocasta, and cause his blindness. That truth was his fate his prophecy to kill his father and sleep with his mother made him run away from what he considered to be home, but as we know right into the arms of his real parents that also tried to escape their fate. The king tried to test these fates but willfully ignored them, making him a tragic hero. Even when blatantly told how to avoid his fate, Oedipus is overconfident and determined to realize this until it is too late, making the things that once made him great, his tragic flaws.

Unlike Oedipus, Hamlet dies due to his inability to find his truth. Still grieving his late father, the former King, Hamlet watches his mother marry his uncle and take his rightful throne. While dealing with this pain, he is confronted by a ghost that appears to be his father that asks him to kill the new king At first he swears to avenge him because of his loyalty to his father, but after a second thought while waiting for the perfect moment to strike he battles between what is right and wrong. His battle is not that simple though, the battle of honor versus Hamlet’s salvation is his true fight because his religion tells him to never kill a man but he could not let his father’s honor be tarnished. This constant battle drove him to pretend crazy, which he actually became close to the end.

During this transitional period of beliefs, Hamlet could not favor one side or the other causing him to kill the people around him which only drove him madder. This constant spiral of actions led to all of the main characters dying and paying for their choices, especially Hamlet. He played a part in pushing the people around him to unbearable lengths by his loyalty to his father and his need for a rigid wrong and right. While all admirable characteristics, it makes him a tragic hero, because the end result could have been avoided if he had not gone mad. Both tragic heroes, who led to their own unavoidable demise, faced similar obstacles in the play.

Each character was dedicated to finding a truth, while Oedipus searched for a literal truth, Hamlet looked for the illusive definition of right and wrong. They also had a strong characteristic that led them to their fate, like all tragic heroes do, but in their search for their truths, they tested their limits of freewill and ended up with a horrible tragedy. The characters faced a different demise though. Oedipus ignorantly forced his own fate instead of facing it, while Hamlet showed an actual thought process to his actions, although they were the wrong ones, he showed some compassion when faced with each obstacle. This, making Hamlet a much more tragic hero due to his spiral downfall that could have been prevented.

The Greeks believed that man can be portrayed with exaggerated fables that can be taught to people of all ages, young and old. One of these stories tells a tale of a tragic hero known as King Oedipus, he is well known for saving Thebes from a powerful Sphinx. Sophocles gives the reader a twisted, but a well-bound story of a man trying to outrun his own destiny, as a reader we see what can happen when you test fate and disrespect the ‘Gods’.

Oedipus throughout his journey one thing is always repeated time and time again his arrogance and the fact he is an egoistic ruler. Thus, the overall hamartia demonstrated by King Oedipus is his self-absorbent nature, in which Sophocles provides the reader with the theme that when one concerns excessively with oneself; seeking to take advantage of the well-being of others for self-gain will only lose everything that is precious to them. King Oedipus’ first interacting with Teiresias, foreshadows that Oedipus cannot take the truth and often blames others for his action, which creates more harm than good. A prime example is when he accuses Creon and Teiresias of trying to plot against him to take control of a falling kingdom, Oedipus says “I tell you I do believe you had a hand in plotting and all but daring this very act,” (KO 38). Many things can be clarified from this quote, but one that can stick with many is when Oedipus imputes Creon and Tiresias for plotted against him. For the reader, this can signify him blaming others, which is reoccurring throughout the story. As an audience, the reader is introduced to Oedipus’ stubbornness early in the book this also shows Oedipus’ pride and ignorance toward the truth. When this is said this the congregation follows the mood that is set after proclaiming this.

Throughout King Oedipus, his actions portray his distaste toward people belittling him, Oedipus says “By no means. I would have you dead, not banished,” (KO 43). With this passage, the reader analyzes that Oedipus is serious and in trying to resolve the problem as quickly as he can. Examining this section, Creon and Teiresias can get a good idea of how disillusioned Oedipus is. After the confrontation with Creon, Jocasta must come in to break up the tension in the room which if this had not happened the story could have turned out differently, As Jocasta comes, she says “What is the meaning of this loud argument, you quarrelsome men? I wonder you are not ashamed, in this time of distress to air your private troubles. Come in my husband; and Creon, you go home. You are making much of some unimportant grievance,” (KO 43). Thanks to this encounter the reader can conclude that the “in the most depressing manner, all that was worst in a ruthless society”. (Gale, Thomas Bernhard 137). is a quote which can convey this story if Creon and Teiresias were to really try to overthrow Oedipus they would have done so without him knowing, this also shows, that though a king, you still cannot jump to conclusions and when you find out the truth it will hit you the hardest. Oedipus lashes out at the people of Thebes, proclaiming that whoever is found to be poisoning Thebes will be exiled or killed, blinded by the fact he is accusing other rather than looking at himself or his past. With Oedipus, still residing in Thebes the corruption is spreading until it has wiped Thebes out of existence.

Oedipus displayed his faulty character throughout the play by showing how he is filled with ill-temper and pride, but they knew Oedipus’ action may lead to devastating effects by saying “He comes to find the answer (to his cost)” (KO 38). With this, the reader can interpret the events that lead to the fallout with his wife Queen Jocasta as the reader progresses through the book. As this characterizes King Oedipus as an insightful a self-sufficient King prone to getting himself into trouble. One other instance of someone telling King Oedipus that he was too full of himself is when Jocasta, finally understanding the urgency and disgust in the truth, of Oedipus being her actual son tries to intervene and get Oedipus to give up his quest to find the truth of his birth. After trying her best to stop him, shamed from the sins she has committed blurts her final word before ending her life saying, “Doomed man o never to learn the truth, this is my last words to you” (KO 55). As these chilling last words sink into the audience, the reader can finally interpret King Oedipus as prejudiced, ignorant, biased, uninterested by show the reader these characteristics throughout the book. No matter, Jocasta was unsuccessful from stopping King Oedipus by ending her life devastated from the still body and pool of blood unable to hold back his guilt grabs his dead mother/wife golden brooches and repeatedly stabs his eyes.

The Attendant witnessing this, informs the reader by saying, ‘Her dress was pinned with golden brooches, which the king snatched out and thrust, from full arm’s length, into his eyes/Henceforth seeing nothing but night… to his wild tune he pierced his eyeballs time and time again, till bloody tears ran down his eyeballs” (KO 61). This action is when Oedipus has realized his mistake and finds what he has sought only to find his mother/lover dead. Sometimes the truth is not worth searching. In retrospect, Oedipus’ demonstrates his hamartia of self-driven ethic, for the duration of the anecdote. You can imply a greater tragedy than the one inflicting Thebes. As the assemblage, we see Oedipus’ hubris even with his first interactions with Teiresias. Only Oedipus’ self-absorbent nature had brought the fall and corruption to Thebes.

Oedipus being the arrogant king he is, fails to acknowledge that no one, not even himself, can escape the prophecy set by the gods. Blinded he soon comes to his senses and understand that his physical sight was only blinding him from himself and was he was impaired he finally understands what he was lacking for so long. This goes along with the theme that when one concerns excessively with oneself; seeking to take advantage of the well-being of others for self-gain will only lose everything that is precious to them.

Titans who devoured Dionysus. [3] Only his heart remained, which Zeus ate and Dionysus was born a second time. [4] Zeus destroyed the Titans with lightening, and from their remains sprang human life, consequently humans are both divine and evil. [5] Sophocles embodied this aspect of God given human nature, mutual opposites, In the character of Oedipus. His actions are driven by the mother. 6] He is not consciously guilty of the crimes of incest, but the reality and irony of the play states that he is endorsing them. He takes the role of husband and son, brother and father; he is mutually guilty and innocent, despite the Juxtaposed nature of these conditions, a reflection of the conditions from which humanity sprang. There is a definite tone of reverence in the dark subject matter, and a subsequent lesson that Gods that their prophecies demand respect. Nevertheless, the setting of the festival and tribute to the Gods make it a fundamentally religious lay.

Central to religious drama is the concept that ‘man must conform to divine order- even at the cost of himself. 17] In Oedipus Rexes, this divine order Is predetermined by the prophecies of the Oracle which is the driving force for the entire plot. Oedipus’ parents receive the prophecy at his birth; later, when called a ‘bastard’, Oedipus goes to the Oracle and receives the same Information; and when a plague attacks Thebes, Croon Is sent to consult It again, which reveals Its fulfillment. [8] The oracle’s presence Is highly active, and In this sense, fulfils the role of an antagonist.

Its also enforces Aristotle notion that a character is only a result of plot, as the characters action are solely dictated by the information provided by the Oracle. [9] The role is further enforced by the fact that it is not a mere invention; it was a very real part of Greek culture, where spirituality and politics are intricately linked. Despite the characters best efforts (Accost and Alias leaving their son for dead, and Oedipus fleeing who he believed to be his parents. ) Its fulfillment was seemingly inevitable, perhaps even caused by their knowledge of the prophecy. 10] It s in the avoidance of circumstance in which the prophecy could be fulfilled, that is proximity to the dangerous other, that Oedipus and Alias were able to meet. [11] As afore mentioned the prediction is the force behind the plot, but it is the characters resistance that cause the conflict and therefore the drama. Not to taint a religious discussion with a Freudian psychoanalytical perspective, but, as this conflict shows, opuses Is perhaps ten least Kelly person to nave an opuses complex; en allocates his life to its avoidance. 12] When he discovers his predicament, his costs are encashment, the loss of his children and his eyes, “Now I will do what must be done to the source of This is a highly symbolic action as in Greek the words for ‘know and ‘see’ are correspondent. [14] He is literally removing the ‘knowledge’ of his sins, knowledge he sought with such dynamism from the oracle, an image drenched with irony. The eventual acceptance that Apollo will have been fulfilled is, perhaps, the religious moral of the play; the Gods are omniscient, therefore their laws will always be up held.

Aristotle states, within its six elements (plot, character, diction, spectacle, thought ND song)[1 5], that ‘Tragedy is an imitation… Of events inspiring fear or pity[16] and that the Tragic hero is ‘above the common man’, but not definitively good, he must have a flaw. [17] In relevance to Oedipus Rexes, and the sense in which it is a religious play, these elements highlight the enforced influence the presence of the Gods have on the actions of the characters, and the concept of free will. The event ‘inspiring fear and pity is most likely the act of incest.

Although a taboo subject regardless of culture and period, its interpretation changes across time. A modern view is one that inherently links incest to child abuse, as we are greatly influenced by feminist theory. [18] Such theory states that incest is an abuse of the power dynamics in the family unit, usually from father to daughter. [19] However the incest portrayed in the play is unwittingly performed, by consenting adults, but, nevertheless, provokes a disgusted reaction. The cross-contamination of ‘blood’ is universally considered tainted and unnatural’. 20] The circumstances surrounding Oedipus and Costar’s union could be the fear provoking element. The magnitude of the tragic universe created requires he reader to question whether or not Oedipus would really have killed a stranger over ‘right of way, if the riddle of the ‘Sphinx’ was honestly that difficult- which allowed his passage to Thebes, or if the drunken mans accusation of ‘bastard’ were mere coincidence. The enormity of the irony suggests some foul play on the part of the Gods.

Freud. But on the other and in some sort of situations or moments, according to what Dry. Freud called the unconscious level, we are capable of free our most deep emotions and feelings leaving aside the reason, and acting in a very primitive way. In both cases, these schemes are a predictable behavior or reaction that could be found and several times reproduced in different cultures with different structures. This is a never ending fight between reason and feelings.

In order to clarify my point of view I will use some examples from the play Oedipus The King: A) The intelligence and sides of Oedipus I think, is the representation of our desire to control things according to our own schemes, we have to be In control of everything that we are capable of, we neglect our subconscious that In this case Is the prophecy and we Just try to avoid this kind of situations as possible with all of our will. But, what causes more anxiety is that we very deep know that we have to fight our subconscious desires because they can show at any moment.

For example: Page 749: locate: Why should anyone in this world be afraid, since fate rules us (Subconscious) and nothing an be foreseen? A man should live only for the present day (The satisfaction of emotions and feelings (subconscious more than reason Conscious because we are not responsible for what we decided, it is our fate) have no more fear of sleeping with your mother: how many men, in dreams, have lain with their mothers! No reasonable man is troubled by such things.

Oedipus: That is true; only if my mother were not still alive! But she Is alive. I can not help my dread. (From a conscious perspective, be aware of our deepest Instincts and fight against them). B) lactate’s Insistence of not Interviewing the shepherd: locate: For God’s love, let us have no more questioning! Is your life nothing to you? My own is pain enough for me to bear. Oedipus: You need not worry, Suppose my mother a slave, and born of slaves: no baseness can touch you. locate: Listen to me, I beg you: do not do this thing!

Oedipus: I will not listen; the truth must be made known. locate: Everything that I say is for your own good! , Oedipus: My own good snaps my patience, then; I want none of it. locate: You are fatally wrong! May you never learn who you are! In this lines I can understand the sire of locate to not let the reason to guide our will, instead of this a less conflictive solution will be found to keep things in the way they are, and you can read the warning that locate does to Oedipus cursing him to never know who he Is.

This is again the fight between desire and consent, we from an unconscious level can desire a vast amount of feelings, but our reason and schemes help us to consent only what It Is appropriate. As Dry. Freud says: “he Is at the same time compelling us to recognize our own inner minds, in which those same impulses, though suppressed, re still to De Taunt. ” c) I en sexual Impulse Tanat Dry.

Freud retire In t : “l Is ten Tate AT all of us, perhaps, to direct our first sexual impulse towards our mother and our first hatred and our first murderous wish against our father”. I truly believe that Dry. Freud not only refers to a sexual impulse but to a large group of emotions that are represented by the mother and father, from our most basic needs like food, protection, to the most complex ones like sexual behavior with a desire or attraction and the desire of independence and power.

How grave I am, for sprouting the seed of my loins, little knowing the ill fate that you would ultimately suffer, my son. If I was able to gather my thoughts and brag to how life was golden, I wouldn’t be able to, as your life ended as soon as it started in a way, as you were not even given the opportunity to live it; now you leave me with a loneliness feeling like a long descent into nothingness – I am empty.

No justice, no peace, the pain and suffering have forcibly left me unable to eat or sleep; as with each passing moment I cannot stop thinking about you and missing you. The attempts to block out this ache have been in vain because of the fact that I cannot and will not stop thinking about you and that day. Let’s face it; my own guilt has been the driving force behind my state now. My ignorance was your downfall and I blame myself; now you are up there with your head in the clouds looking over me, a broken man.

You’re looking over me and seeing that the one father you used to look up to has been influenced into an all but complete state of insanity since I am now finding myself sitting in a room as dark as where this nightmare lives within me. Stuck in between a rock and a hard place, is what I am, this has given me the feeling that death is a necessity and a journey should not last forever. However, death can be an end; a time to let go. The latter of which is easier said than done, as whenever I see your pictures on the wall, it’s drowned out into the weeping walls.

Your eyes in these photos have been gone to be filled with hope and innocence into vicious oceans of darkness and sorrow. Your death has broken my heart and the border between my guilt and regret, but one thing that that the passing of you cannot break is the memories of all those happy times we had together and the bond we have. From this, I’m left thinking to myself, why did it not happen to me? I remember him at the tender age of six, his smile and eyes aglow, he was the light from the sun.

What I wouldn’t give to have you in my arms again, I reminisce over when you were younger, the days where I watched you sleep to see your chest fall and rise and how I always used to feel your heart beat underneath my touch as you slept, to hear the harmony that would also send me gently to slumber; the rhythm was magnetizing. At this age you were so very innocent, hadn’t a clue about the world around you. I recall the days where I could hear you playing outside and your childlike giggling would make my heart melt like the steel at a blacksmiths.

And after a hard day, seeing your face and the smile you softly used to fill the silence like a speech made my day a whole lot better. But as they do, his heart grew cold as if it were the cold breath of his grave. With age comes detachment, by the time he was in his teens we were two separated souls; it was like the end of infinity. It was as if the chapter of all our memories and brilliant times together had been finished and disposed of as if it were a book that was slashed and torn like a broken saw. But, I had to respect that an unwritten chapter had began for him, until that fateful day.

All I could imagine what had happened was that the memories of his smile and his face filled with bliss had reverted into a shadowy face, which showed his emotions in a whirlwind of his worst nightmares. I’m left to dwell over, why did it not happen to me? I got introduced to heartbreak on that day. I was so proud of him, when he was alive he had the heart of a lion, however I suspect on that day, he had that heart trod on and spat out by his own fear. I blame myself. If it hadn’t been for my own ignorance and plain stupidity, he would still be here right now.

If I had not argued with him that morning, then it may not have happened. Over an insignificant argument, he went to college that day and didn’t want to come back home, and paid for it, as did I. It is so unjust; it reminds us, of just how worthless our lives are to the justice system. When will scum like this get off the streets? Getting caught up in someone else’s business is the worst way to die – dying from crossfire of bullets during a petty gang war. How could this happen? He was only seventeen in a mad man’s dream and an innocent boy’s nightmare.

His life had just begun; all of a sudden it was taken away, fading like a cloud in the horizon. Only God could see what happened to him, but I can imagine the vicious blood-curdling scream of anguish, set out to break his soul. A sense of fear must have run through his nerves like the chill of an icy wind, it must have felt like a moment of obscurity, where all of his worst nightmares were realised in a blur, sending him into his grave. Thinking about the way you died, will drive me even closer to insanity and my eventual demise, it has left me reeling.

Your nightmare has become my most horrible nightmare which will never leave me as it is engraved within my soul. I will never stop thinking about you and missing you, and thinking about the way you died, it was so unfair. This nightmare is breaking the bond between me and you, but I will not stand down, as I will remain a soldier until the war is won, and your spirit will live long in the memory. If only it wasn’t a memory. You could still have been here reminding me of the hopes I had for you, with your face lit up by a smile like a pale wintry sunshine.

But I’m left pondering, why did it not happen to me? I am in a state of darkness where negative thoughts of pain and sorrow are clouding my judgement; I’m being forced to sit in a room and dwell on my regrets. This state of darkness is all I know at the moment. All I hope is that he is in a better place; at Heaven’s Gate which is made of the finest threads of gold, glistening into the shimmering silver which lines each and every cloud in this picturesque place. I envision the face of God himself as clear as I would in a mirror, taking care of my son in a manner in which I’ll be proud of.

God and death are similar; they both come forth to carry you home, so I thank you God for that. However, there is another face to God and death; it’s a velvet cloak, impossible to resist thus disguising the revealing truth that being with gods in the clouds can bring such misery and sadness to the people below them that can break down any man. I ask you God, why did have to be him? I wish it was me now. I wish it was my soul resting up there. Hope is sometimes all we have and that is when people look to you God.

But, you always give people false hope as the truth is, you have the grimmest face, like a carved mask and all you bring to people is misery and sorrow as sad as seeing your own son die. Coping is something I am unable to do. My state is one of insanity and it’s been expressed in this entry. To end my son, your spirit will always live on in the memory and I will endeavour to not let your death phase me, and I will live my life in peace and harmony. I will never forget the times we had together, even though we drifted more and more apart, I still can never forget your face at that young age, so full of hope and promise. I love you.

Antigens is about a princess, Antigens, who buries her brother after he and her other brother fought each other to death. As a result, King Croon wants to punish/kill Antigens for this while still him remembering that he had raised her. Due to the brothers fighting to death, a place to be king opened up for Croon to become the new king. The quote, “Where love rules, there Is no will to power; and where power predominates, there love Is lacking.

The one Is the shadow of the other,” is by Carl Jung. The quotation relates to how when Croon wasn’t inning, he ruled by love, but when he became king, his love lacked and ruled by pride and power. The quotation by Carl Jung relates to Croon one way by how Croon, before he was king, ruled by love. This ruling by love was evident when Croon raised Oedipus’ four kids, He was a father to them and took care of them. Whenever he could, he would settle things as If he were their father, by love, and was fair to them before he became king.

An example of Screen’s fairness to them was since both of Oedipus’ sons were both next in line to be king, Croon made a deal with them which was that the sons take turns with each other being the king for a year. Croon had his own blood- related son, Hammond, who in a scene argues with Croon, “Antigens is as much your daughter as I am your son… You, to your own son, are seeking to take away what I love most without reason” (1. 3. 8-91 p What Hammond was meaning was that Croon loves Antidote as a daughter. Croon, before blinded by power and pride, ruled by love and not by will power.

Another way how Carl Junk’s quote relates to King Croon is by how when Croon became king, his love lacked, and ruled by power and pride. Whenever King Croon learned of Antigens being the one who buried her brother, his pride and power louder his judgment. “girl guilty of treason. Breaking the given laws… [your death] gives me everything” (1. 2. 81-94). The referenced phrase from the play Antigens, is an example of Screen’s Judgment being clouded thinking that it was an act of anarchy and treason so she had to be punished/killed.

Croon let pride decide the fate of Antigens. He didn’t care if Hammond and Antigens were engaged, he was just to set on the idea that since he is king, than she must be punished and killed. The pride and power that King Croon had clouded his Judgment and Instead of ruling by love, he ruled by power. In conclusion, that quote by Carl Jung perfectly relates to King Croon. One way that Croon, before blinded by power and pride, ruled by love rather than will power.

The quote also relates to when Croon became king, pride power clouded his Judgment, and ruled by power, instead of ruling by love. By Trinitarian that he had raised her. Due to the brothers fighting to death, a place to be king opened up for Croon to become the new king. The quote, “Where love rules, there is no will to power; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other,” is by Carl Jung. The quotation relates to how when Croon wasn’t kids. He was a father to them and took care of them.

Whenever he could, he would settle things as if he were their father, by love, and was fair to them before he most without reason” (1. 3. 8-91)? What Hammond was meaning was that Croon loves Another way how Carl Jung quote relates to King Croon is by how when Croon clouded his Judgment. “girl guilty of treason. Breaking the given laws… [your death] Antigens. He didn’t care if Hammond and Antigens were engaged, he was Just to set on power that King Croon had clouded his Judgment and instead of ruling by love, he

Every human being makes choices, but what leads us to make our choices? Some may believe that everything In life Is predetermined by God. Predestination is the belief that whatever will happen in your future is already fixed. However others may believe that everything is a matter of free will. Belief in Free will is the belief that your own choices lead you to your destiny. In Oedipus Rexes the idea of predestination is the most important theme of the play.

The main Characters Oedipus, Coast and Alias all try to escape their destiny and take taters Into their own hands but do not escape from their fate. Oedipus speaks to the people of Thebes from his palace and tells them that there Is nothing he can’t do to save his city. He asks for the person who committed the crime to come forward. “Only banishment will be his punishment” (Page 31). When no one comes forward, Oedipus calls the prophet Eateries in hope that he will disclose what he knows of the murder. The prophet is reluctant to tell the King what he knows.

Oedipus responds, “What? Something you know, and will not tell? You mean to fall us and to see your city perish? ” (Page 35). Eateries Informs the King that It is better not to know. Oedipus will not take that as an answer so. He continues to threats the prophet until finally, Eateries says, “Then hear this: upon your head is the ban your lips have uttered – from this day forth never speak to me or any here. You are the cursed polluter of this land” (Page 35). Oedipus believes that he is playing a trick and rejects Eateries’ testimony and begins to place the blame on Croon.

Eateries replies, “Not Croon either. Your enemy Is yourself’ (Page 36). Nevertheless, Oedipus has been doomed with fate and nothing he could have done would change his destiny. An example in the story that supports the idea of predestination is when Eateries identifies the murderer of Alias as Oedipus. Also Eateries foreshadows when saying, “A revelation that will fail to please. A blind man who has eyes now; a penniless man, who is rich now. “. This prophecy is saying that in the future there will be a man that is blind and poor, opposite of what he is now. He Is talking about Oedipus.

The plot of the story leads up to show also that when Oedipus tries to run away from his prophecy, he actually runs Into It. No matter what Oedipus does, he can’t escape his fate. His actions don’t alter the outcome of his fate; they just alter the way in which the predestination occurs. Oedipus, after discovering his dead mother and could no longer bear what he had done, he blinded himself. “Her dress was pinned with golden broaches, which the king snatched out and thrust, from full arm’s length, into his eyes – eyes that should e no longer his shame, his guilt. (Page 61) The blind Oedipus demands Croon, now king of Thebes, to banish him from his city, as he had earlier demanded be Oedipus had no idea this would be directed to him. It therefore proves that no matter what you do, there is no way to change your destiny once the gods have decided it. Oedipus’ fate was determined, not by him, but by an unknown force. He and his family understood this by the end of the play, with these words being said, “Chance rules our lives, and the future is unknown” (Page 52).

It has been discussed how fate plays an important role in the lives and actions of King Oedipus. Evidence of predestined events can be found, beginning with the oracle’s promise of the demise of Oedipus’ father and the marrying of his mother, to Eateries’ prediction of a blind and exiled man. All his life, try as he may to run away from his fate, Oedipus ended up running right into it. Oedipus realizes that, in the end, he could do nothing to change the course of the fateful events that made up his life.