Moral Responsibility In Sophocles Oedipus The King
Oedipus the King, also called Oedipus Rex, is a tragedy written by the Greek playwright Sophocles. This play is the second work in a trilogy of plays that deal with the Greek hero Oedipus, who was the mythical king of Thebes. This play revolves around an oracle that Oedipus is given on his way to Delphi in his search for his true parents. This oracle said that he is going to kill his father and sleep with his mother. Oedipus, in an attempt to avoid this prophecy, leaves his home of Corinth so that he does not fulfill this prophecy. In doing so, he unknowingly fulfills it. As he is wandering along a road, Laius, king of Thebes, roughly pushes Oedipus off of the road and attacks him. Oedipus then kills Laius and his entire entourage. Soon after,
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James Wyatt Cook explains this concept, saying, “Even Oedipus, King of Thebes, is shown to be, in the end, pitifully subject to his destiny. Oedipus, who presents himself as supremely confident, thus furnishes the ideal object lesson in the fragility of moral understanding and self-determination.” This is one of the central themes of the play, in that no human, regardless of title, power, or ability, can escape the workings of fate and the gods. Not even Oedipus, a man presented as “the first among men,” was still subject to his fate and could not avoid it, regardless of his efforts to do so. Oedipus tried to take his fate into his own hands and change the fate he was given by the gods, yet this only brought him closer to the people he was trying to avoid. His attempt to try and overcome his fate was predicted by the oracle, and he was fated to take the path that he did. Had Oedipus been a different person, and not acted as rashly when he decided to leave Corinth, he still would have committed the atrocities that he did. Oedipus could only determine so much in his life, but there were certain things that Oedipus was predestined to do. He could not avoid his fate and, as a result, killed his father and slept with his mother. Regardless of Oedipus’ inability to avoid his fate, Oedipus willingly searched for the truth about his past, and caused his own
James Wyatt Cook explains this concept, saying, “Even Oedipus, King of Thebes, is shown to be, in the end, pitifully subject to his destiny. Oedipus, who presents himself as supremely confident, thus furnishes the ideal object lesson in the fragility of moral understanding and self-determination.” This is one of the central themes of the play, in that no human, regardless of title, power, or ability, can escape the workings of fate and the gods. Not even Oedipus, a man presented as “the first among men,” was still subject to his fate and could not avoid it, regardless of his efforts to do so. Oedipus tried to take his fate into his own hands and change the fate he was given by the gods, yet this only brought him closer to the people he was trying to avoid. His attempt to try and overcome his fate was predicted by the oracle, and he was fated to take the path that he did. Had Oedipus been a different person, and not acted as rashly when he decided to leave Corinth, he still would have committed the atrocities that he did. Oedipus could only determine so much in his life, but there were certain things that Oedipus was predestined to do. He could not avoid his fate and, as a result, killed his father and slept with his mother. Regardless of Oedipus’ inability to avoid his fate, Oedipus willingly searched for the truth about his past, and caused his own