Fate and Oedipus
Fate’s Misfortunes
Since the beginning, fate has been the building blocks for human’s lives. Whenever fate has been set in motion, it CANNOT be escaped. In Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King there are several major playing factors in the role of fate. Every action whether intentional or accidental, plays right into the hands of fate. It is absolutely unavoidable. No matter what is done to try to change one’s fate, once it is set in motion there is simply no changing it. The first of these characters to attempt to change their predetermined fate is Oedipus, the king himself. Every event that happens to Oedipus is meant to happen. There is no true “randomness in events. To attribute an event to chance does not necessarily mean that it has no cause, but only that the cause is beyond the speaker’s knowledge or control.”(A Hidden God). This demonstrates that no matter what Oedipus tries, there is no escaping his fate. Subsequently, the next two individuals to try to escape the fate that has been set for them are the characters Laius and Jocasta. Both Laius and Jocasta tried escaping the fate written out for them by excommunicating their son at the hands of a servant to Mt. Cithaeron. In addition to the first attempt at changing her fate, Jocasta also unsuccessfully tried a second time to alter her fate when Oedipus sent out for an in depth search to find the truth of his birth. Jocasta pleaded with Oedipus, saying “What? The man he spoke of? Pay no attention!/ His words are not worth thinking about. Its nothing.” then, only a few lines later in lines she begs him further, saying “For the love of the gods, and if you love your life,/ give up this search! My sickness is enough!”(Sophocles).This is direct verification that Jocasta has realized her fate has still happened as it was predicted all those years ago. Then, before Laiusf predicted death at his son Oedipusf hand, Laius ruled as the king of Thebes, until the Great Sphinx was sent to his kingdom. This was
Since the beginning, fate has been the building blocks for human’s lives. Whenever fate has been set in motion, it CANNOT be escaped. In Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King there are several major playing factors in the role of fate. Every action whether intentional or accidental, plays right into the hands of fate. It is absolutely unavoidable. No matter what is done to try to change one’s fate, once it is set in motion there is simply no changing it. The first of these characters to attempt to change their predetermined fate is Oedipus, the king himself. Every event that happens to Oedipus is meant to happen. There is no true “randomness in events. To attribute an event to chance does not necessarily mean that it has no cause, but only that the cause is beyond the speaker’s knowledge or control.”(A Hidden God). This demonstrates that no matter what Oedipus tries, there is no escaping his fate. Subsequently, the next two individuals to try to escape the fate that has been set for them are the characters Laius and Jocasta. Both Laius and Jocasta tried escaping the fate written out for them by excommunicating their son at the hands of a servant to Mt. Cithaeron. In addition to the first attempt at changing her fate, Jocasta also unsuccessfully tried a second time to alter her fate when Oedipus sent out for an in depth search to find the truth of his birth. Jocasta pleaded with Oedipus, saying “What? The man he spoke of? Pay no attention!/ His words are not worth thinking about. Its nothing.” then, only a few lines later in lines she begs him further, saying “For the love of the gods, and if you love your life,/ give up this search! My sickness is enough!”(Sophocles).This is direct verification that Jocasta has realized her fate has still happened as it was predicted all those years ago. Then, before Laiusf predicted death at his son Oedipusf hand, Laius ruled as the king of Thebes, until the Great Sphinx was sent to his kingdom. This was
Cited: "A Hidden God: Oedipus the King." Sophocles. Ruth Scodel. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1984. 58-72. Twayne 's World Authors Series 731. Gale Virtual Reference - Literature. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. Draper, R. P. "The Mayor of Casterbridge," Critical Quarterly 25, no. 1 (Spring 1983): pp.57–59. Quoted as "Oedipus and Fate" in Harold Bloom, ed. Thomas Hardy, Bloom 's Major Novelists. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2003. Bloom 's Literary Reference Online. Web. 24 Mar 2011 Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Literature: Reading, Writing, and Reacting. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 7th edition. Boston: Wadsworth Centage Learning, 2010. 1745-1785. Print.