Oedipus the King and Thebes
Terry Sin
Final Draft
Period 7 The Adventures of Oedipus and Fate Is it sin to follow fate or is it sin to go against it? In the play, “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles, Oedipus is the king of Thebes who tries to lift the curse of Thebes. To lift the curse, he must rid of the murderer of Laios, the previous king of Thebes. However, a prophecy bounded Oedipus to an unfortunate event: he would murder Laios, his father. Oedipus followed his fate unknowingly and was blamed for his crime. He isn’t guilty of his unspeakable sins. In the prophecy, it was said that a man, Oedipus, would murder his own father and sleep with his own mother. Corresponding with the first part of the prophecy, Oedipus did kill Laios, but it was to protect himself. Oedipus did not think Laios was the king of Thebes, nevertheless his father. Had he known better, he would have avoided killing his father to avoid the prophecy. According to the second condition of the prophecy, Oedipus would sleep with Iocaste. Since it is the prophecy, incest would be inevitable for Oedipus, but when he did so, he had not known she was his mother. He married Iocaste when he saved Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx. He was crowned king of Thebes and was acknowledged as a wise man rather than a sinner by the people of Thebes. No one knew of his biological parents and neither did Oedipus. He should not be blamed for what he did not know of. As for the curse of the Sphinx, Oedipus solved the riddle and was honored by the people of Thebes. Although he did know of the prophecy, it would be hard for Oedipus to consider himself as the unlucky child of the prophecy; after all, he did save Thebes. It would not be discovered that he was the child until later years. Before then, Thebes was prosperous and lively. He was the savior of Thebes and his title shrouded his fate. Hence he should not be accused of his sins. Oedipus tried to avoid fate countless times, but instead he just ended up fulfilling it. He
Final Draft
Period 7 The Adventures of Oedipus and Fate Is it sin to follow fate or is it sin to go against it? In the play, “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles, Oedipus is the king of Thebes who tries to lift the curse of Thebes. To lift the curse, he must rid of the murderer of Laios, the previous king of Thebes. However, a prophecy bounded Oedipus to an unfortunate event: he would murder Laios, his father. Oedipus followed his fate unknowingly and was blamed for his crime. He isn’t guilty of his unspeakable sins. In the prophecy, it was said that a man, Oedipus, would murder his own father and sleep with his own mother. Corresponding with the first part of the prophecy, Oedipus did kill Laios, but it was to protect himself. Oedipus did not think Laios was the king of Thebes, nevertheless his father. Had he known better, he would have avoided killing his father to avoid the prophecy. According to the second condition of the prophecy, Oedipus would sleep with Iocaste. Since it is the prophecy, incest would be inevitable for Oedipus, but when he did so, he had not known she was his mother. He married Iocaste when he saved Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx. He was crowned king of Thebes and was acknowledged as a wise man rather than a sinner by the people of Thebes. No one knew of his biological parents and neither did Oedipus. He should not be blamed for what he did not know of. As for the curse of the Sphinx, Oedipus solved the riddle and was honored by the people of Thebes. Although he did know of the prophecy, it would be hard for Oedipus to consider himself as the unlucky child of the prophecy; after all, he did save Thebes. It would not be discovered that he was the child until later years. Before then, Thebes was prosperous and lively. He was the savior of Thebes and his title shrouded his fate. Hence he should not be accused of his sins. Oedipus tried to avoid fate countless times, but instead he just ended up fulfilling it. He