Fate and character - oedipus the king
The themes of fate and predestination play major roles throughout the story of Oedipus the King. In the ancient world, much like the world today, society was questioning their existence and the concept of predestination. People often wonder whether they can control their own destiny, or if there is a controlling force that has pre-determined the course of a person's life. In his plays Sophocles wrote about fate as a ruling cosmic order. He believed that although people had free will they could not act outside this cosmic order. Oedipus' fate is closely intertwined with his moral character. In the story, Oedipus calls upon a prophet to find out who killed the former king of Thebes. When the "seer" comes he not only accuses Oedipus of the murder of the king, but also says that he is destined to sleep with his own mother. Oedipus thinks that this is impossible. He thinks that through this embarrassing false prophecy, his friend Creon is trying to steal his throne. Oedipus' wife, Jocasta, tr
It is his pride and disregard for the prophesy that brought the royal family of Thebes to ruins. He also realizes that his real mother was now his wife. Throughout the story Oedipus eventually finds out that he cannot escape his destiny. Oedipus probably wouldn't have been able to avoid his destiny, but his character is what leads him to carrying out the acts. If he took the prophesies more seriously he would have taken a wife that was younger and not the same age as his mother. Oedipus had too much pride to step aside and get out of the way of the king's carriage. Through a long series of events he finds out that the parents that raised him had not given birth to him. Surely he was ignorant of the fact that it was his father but if he had taken the prophesy more seriously he would have avoided these kinds of situations all together. Eventhough it seems like Oedipus was doomed from birth, his character and attitude in certain situations changed the outcome of his life. If Oedipus were more careful about his moral character and thought about his decisions before he made them, he would've had a better chance at changing the outcome of his life. Throughout the story, Oedipus struggles with the idea of not being able to control the course of his life. When the blind prophet comes and tells Oedipus what is to come, he makes fun of the blind man and is very angry with him (eventhough he did not want to tell Oedipus what he saw in his future). Although Sophocles does not tend to draw out Oedipus' flaws throughout the story he does show his attitude toward people that interfere with his pride. Also, if Oedipus had thought things through and not been so rash he wouldn't have taken Jocasta, the queen of Thebes as his wife. When Oedipus figures out that the prophecy is true and finds his dead wife, he blinds himself and leaves the city to wander in the wilderness.
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