Thwarting Fate in "Oedipus The King"

Unfortunately for Oedipus, he has play right into Fate's hands because as he travels away from Corinth, he is harassed by a group of travelers and kills them in self-defense. Oedipus does non realize it at the time, but one of the travelers is Laius, King of Thebes, who is his alliance father. Like Oedipus, Laius went to the Oracle, and was told that he would authorise at his son's hand. He consequently sent Oedipus away from Thebes in order to protect himself. Jacosta explains to Oedipus, " hence did we cheat/Apollo of his will. My child could slay/No father, and the King could sop up away/The fear that dogged him, by his child to die/Murdered" (Sophocles 48). Both father and son believe that they washstand thwart Fate, but it follows them until they ultimately fulfill the roles designated for them.

Oedipus is also ineffective to avoid the part of the prophecy that declares he will sopor with his mother. By killing Laius, he has left Thebes without a pouf and Jacosta a widow. When he is able to answer the riddle constitute by the Sphinx, the deal of Thebes are so grateful that they square hit to make him their new king. As a result, Oedipus is married off to Jacosta, who then bears his children. By choosing to leave Corinth, he has only cognizant that the Oracle's prophecy will come true. In the aftermath, Oedipus is left to wonder why Fate has chosen to torture him. He believes that he is "the gods' abhorrence" (Sophocles 80), and as he turns the kingdom over to Creon, Oedipus tells him,

Muir, Kenneth. "Tragedy." Encyclopedia of Literature and Criticism. Ed. Martin Coyle et al. New York: Routledge, 1990. 363-374.

Thus, in light of Oedipus's fate, Oedipus The King is considered a tragedy, as "Oedipus [is]acaught in a trap set by the gods -- caught by the actions of well-meaning people who were trying to prevent the fulfillment of a terrible prophecy. Oedipus is goddamn by the gods who are likea sadistic monsters" (Muir 365).

Sophocles does not suggest, however, that Oedipus's inability to take the field his fate is the result of punishment for some wrong doing on his part, or even evidence that the Gods simply wish to edge their power. Instead, "in the ode that immediately follows the catastrophe the chorus saysathat the fate of Oedipusais characteristic of human life and fortunes" (Kitto 140). There is not necessarily a reason behind Oedipus's fate; it is part of a intention that men energy not be able to see. Indeed, " bewilderment are allowed to glimpse something of the grand logic by

Somerstein, Alan H. Greek bid and Dramatists. New York: Routledge, 2002.

"God speed thee! And as meed for bringing them/whitethorn Providence deal with thee kindlier/Than it has dealt with me!" (Sophocles 81). He very much feels the dupe of Fate's whims, but at the play's conclusion, after Jocasta has committed suicide and Oedipus has blind himself in disgust, he is more concerned with what the future might hold for his children because he understands that one cannot fight Fate. Oedipus declares, "I reck not how Fate deals with me/But my unhappy c
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