Who Controls Fate in Oedipus the King,
Oedipus the King, is a play in which its readers are presented with the relationships between Gods and humans. Throughout the play humans rely upon gods for support, guidance, and assistance. Humans have the knowledge that the gods are all knowing and powerful; yet they show arrogances, and contempt in their belief that they can control their own fates. Oedipis, and the dead king Laius, tried to change their fates that had been prophesied and foretold by the God Phoebus. It was their own actions, to avoid their foretold futures, which ultimately aided in bringing about their fates. Humans may think they can control their own fates, but in the presents of gods their fates have already been decided. Starting on line 765, Jocasta conveys a story to Oedipus of how an Oracle had predicted Laius' fate. There was an oracle once that came to Laius,- I will not say that it was Phoebus' own, but it was from his servants-and it told him that it was fate that he should die a victim at the hands of his own son, a son to be born of Latius and me. (lines 769-774) Jocasta, in the above quotations, is playing a nurturing motherly roll. She is trying to cal
Oedipus states, no sickness and no other thing will kill me. And that poor creature did not kill him surely, -for he died himself first. and for the son - before three days were out after his birth King Laius pierced his ankles and by the hands of others cast him forth upon a pathless hillside. and accursed in my living / with them I lived with, cursed in my killing. Oedipus' belief, that he can avoid Phoebus' prophesy, is falsely confirmed when he learns that Polybus has died. Oedipus, after learning he has killed his father, and that Jocasta is his birth mother; realizes his attempts to avoid the god's prophesy was in vain. This is the place where his parents sent him to die as an infant. We soon learn Oedipus unknowingly murders his father, while fleeing from Corinth, therefore fulfilling Phoebus' prophesy. (lines 1517-1520)We, the readers, observe how Oedipus has accepted his fate and how he realizes it was set by the gods from the day of his birth; and that his attempt to avoid it was foolish and arrogant. They prophesied that I should kill my father! But he's dead and hidden deep in earth, and I stand here who never laid a hand on spear against him,- . Jocasta, in her dialogue, refers to how King Laius tried to circumvent his fate by choosing to murder their son. Oedipus, in discussions with Creon near the end of the play, talks about "my mountain" (line 1513). So as far as prophecy goes, henceforward I shall not look to the right hand or left.
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Acceptance Essays
