Fate Control In Oedipus Rex
The Control Fate Has The play ”Oedipus Rex" written by Sophocles presents the theme of fate throughout the play. From the birth of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, to the end of the play, fate takes control of his life. Fate is shown in the play when Oedipus is saved from Lauis' wrath as a baby, when Oedipus goes to the fork in the road where he kills his father, and when marries Jocasta, his mother. In the beginning of Oedipus' life, Laius the king planned to kill his him by leaving him on a "trackless mountain" to die (Sophocles 722). A caring shepherd saved Oedipus and brought him to a new family and city. Lauis planned to kill him because he was trying to escape his fate that was to come. “An oracle came to Laius one fine day…and it said
that doom would strike him down at the hands of a son, our son, to be born of our own flesh and blood” (Sophocles 715-717). Even though King Lauis tries to kill Oedipus to stop the fulfillment of prophecy, fate makes his servant save Oedipus. What the gods prophesize will come true and no one can stop it from happening. Oedipus went to seek out the Oracle, as his father did, to see what his fate would be. “You are fated to couple with your mother, you will bring a breed of children into the light that no man can bear to see—you will kill your father, the one who gave you life” (Sophocles 864-866). Oedipus it frightened by the thought of his fate coming true, so he flees to a city and leaves his parents that he thinks are his real parents. Oedipus is once again controlled by the power of fate when after leaving the place of his childhood, he returns fork in the road where he kills his true father. Lastly, fate is shown in the play when Oedipus carries out the last part of the prophecy; he marries his mother. He said, " I would... never have been known as my mother's husband" (Sophocles 745). Oedipus has no control over the outcome of his life. Fate causes Oedipus to know the answer to the Sphinx's riddle and, therefore, winning a marriage to his mother, Jocasta. The chances of marrying Jocasta were very small since there is a considerable amount of people and cities to go. Obviously, fate intervened and caused him to marry his mother. In Oedipus Rex, the characters Oedipus and Lauis try their hardest to escape their fate, but ultimately their attempts to avoid fate bring them face to face with it. The theme that humans have little control over their lives because fate always controls it in some way is presented all throughout the play. Fate is shown in the play when Oedipus is saved from Lauis' wrath as a baby, when Oedipus goes to the fork in the road where he kills his father, and when he marries Jocasta, his mother.
that doom would strike him down at the hands of a son, our son, to be born of our own flesh and blood” (Sophocles 715-717). Even though King Lauis tries to kill Oedipus to stop the fulfillment of prophecy, fate makes his servant save Oedipus. What the gods prophesize will come true and no one can stop it from happening. Oedipus went to seek out the Oracle, as his father did, to see what his fate would be. “You are fated to couple with your mother, you will bring a breed of children into the light that no man can bear to see—you will kill your father, the one who gave you life” (Sophocles 864-866). Oedipus it frightened by the thought of his fate coming true, so he flees to a city and leaves his parents that he thinks are his real parents. Oedipus is once again controlled by the power of fate when after leaving the place of his childhood, he returns fork in the road where he kills his true father. Lastly, fate is shown in the play when Oedipus carries out the last part of the prophecy; he marries his mother. He said, " I would... never have been known as my mother's husband" (Sophocles 745). Oedipus has no control over the outcome of his life. Fate causes Oedipus to know the answer to the Sphinx's riddle and, therefore, winning a marriage to his mother, Jocasta. The chances of marrying Jocasta were very small since there is a considerable amount of people and cities to go. Obviously, fate intervened and caused him to marry his mother. In Oedipus Rex, the characters Oedipus and Lauis try their hardest to escape their fate, but ultimately their attempts to avoid fate bring them face to face with it. The theme that humans have little control over their lives because fate always controls it in some way is presented all throughout the play. Fate is shown in the play when Oedipus is saved from Lauis' wrath as a baby, when Oedipus goes to the fork in the road where he kills his father, and when he marries Jocasta, his mother.