Fate of Oedipus Rex - Essay Example

Number] Fate of Oedipus Rex The Greek tragedy Oedipus the King or Oedipus Rex written by ancient Greek tragedian Sophocles was performed in c.429 BCE for the first time. It has been regarded as the most notable monuments in the world literature. The story revolves around a nobleman Oedipus who was settled in his life with his known parents but things abruptly changed after receiving a prophecy. The tale of Oedipus raises several questions about fate that compelled people to act in certain manner to fulfil the things decided in their fate and often revealed to them through prophecy. The tragedy also gives a lesson to accept the fate rather making life worse by going against the fate that is not possible at all. Oedipus tried to go against his fate and eventually he found himself in intensely distressed and miserable situation where he left everything and retuned home empty handed. The tragedy tells that Oedipus left his hometown after receiving prophecy that he will marry his mother after killing his father. He wanted to escape from the fate and the things revealed in the prophecy but his fate didn’t leave him and took him to the places where he had to act according to his fate while he remains unconscious about it for several years. After receiving the prophecy Oedipus decided to go away from his home and parents because the thought that moving away from them would prevent him from killing his father and marrying mother. At this point, he was unaware of the reality that his known parents were not his real parents and in real he was the son of the King of Thebes. He travelled towards Thebes and on his way he came across some riders who strived to push him in to crossway. He had harsh conversation with them and eventually he killed them. When he reached Thebes he came to know that the people of the city were badly tormented by Sphinx. The King Laius was killed and the queen Jocasta and his brother Creon was looking at the matters of the countrymen. Oedipus took the challenge of Sphinx to answer his riddle and became the King. He then also married the widow of king Laius Jocasta and also had children from her. After several years he was told by a blind prophet Tiresias that the King Laius was among the riders whom he killed during his way to Thebes. His fate was again revealed to him when Tiresias told him that he will be “blind, though now he sees - and poor, though now hes rich - hell use a stick to guide his steps into another land\ hell be revealed a brother and a father to his children in his house, husband and son to her who gave him birth; wife-sharer and the killer of his father” (Scene 2, Line 454) Oedipus refused to accept the predictions of the prophet but actually he was worried after hearing all this. He then investigated the matter and after listening to the story of Jocasta and survivor of King Laius group he eventually came to know that he was actually the son of King Laius who also received the same prophecy after which he sent his son to a distant city where a couple brought up him as their own child. The prophecy was fulfilled when Oedipus killed the King Laius near Thebes and made his mother his queen after marrying her. Her mother Jocasta committed suicide after knowing all this whereas Oedipus also made him blind and left Thebes along with his daughter. In this way the fate of Oedipus revealed by Tiresias also became true when Oedipus became blind and left Thebes. The tragedy shows the role of fate in determining the tragic end of Oedipus life and rule on Thebes. The act of Oedipus to run away from his home to avoid killing his father and marrying the mother shows that no one can run away from the fate. The things revealed in the prophecy are going to happen in any way no matter the people are willing to act upon them or not. Oedipus was running away from his home but he didn’t know that he was actually going close to the place where he has to meet his fate. If he will not pay attention towards the prophecy and stayed at the home then it would have possible that he will not kill his father however, it was his fate that insists him coming out of home and travelled towards Thebes where things were going to happen as they were determined by his fate. The tragic tale of Oedipus revolves around the powerful role of fate. The act of his father King Laius to give his son to a faraway settled couple was governed by the thought that if he will send his son to a distant place then it would not be possible for him to kill the king and marry the queen however, despite his arrangement Oedipus returned Thebes to act according to his fate. In fact his life was changed due to his fate that has decided him to be killer of his father and husband of his mother. He was settled in his life at a faraway place from Thebes but it was his fate that brought him out and compelled towards Thebes. The tale of Oedipus possesses very deep message and a universal lesson. It teaches that we should not mess up with the fate because we cannot do anything to stop certain things already decided. The story tells that the things determine in the fate are going to happen anyway and one could not go against his fate so rather making life more despondent and dismal it is better to leave certain things on fate. In the end like Oedipus we don’t have to blame ourselves for all the bad things happened to us since we have not tried to go against our fate like Oedipus and thus we would also not be responsible for the good or bad things that happened to us according to our fate. Work Cited Sophocles, Oedipus the King 1220-1226; Euripides, Phoenissae Read More