Irony of "Oedipus the King"
In our world today, fate and free will remains the biggest mystery of all; is everything we do controlled or do we have the freedom of choice? In the story "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, the author uses the idea of fate and free will to explain the struggle of Oedipus's life. Fate and free will is explained as; fate is controlled by an outside supernatural force, and there is no way of controlling it. Free will is when each of us is responsible and controls all aspects of our own life. The author of "Oedipus the King" uses ironic devices to convey a tragic attitude toward the struggle of fate and free will. The city of Thebes has been cursed by a plague caused by an unclean being that murdered Laius. While in despair, Oedipus cursed the murderer into exile. "I curse that murderer; if he is alone I curse him"(Sophocles, line 263). The murderer of King Laius is Oedipus, so Oedipus is cursing himself into exile. The irony of that statement is that Oedipus is cursing himself and does not know it. Then Oedipus continues the speech and he says that, "I will fight for him like I would fight for my father. My search will never end until I take in chains the murderer of Laius"(Lines 282-285). Laius
Once again Oedipus has caused his own punishment, by not listening to Jocasta. When he comes, he asks to be sent away because he fears the truth. She went on to tell him that she once bore a child to Laius, and Apollo told them that this child would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. When the messenger came Jocasta begged Oedipus not to ask of him the truth, "But evil lies in wait for you. Teiresias, an old and blind prophet, is summoned to find the person who is unclean. So the irony is Oedipus had no idea that the person who killed Laius would be himself. Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is the unclean person that is causing the city so much pain. Once again fate has figured the two oracles to be the same, but free will has punished Oedipus. It is ironic because once again Oedipus punished himself by not granting the Shepard's wish of silence, instead Oedipus found out the horrible truth. After every answered question Oedipus reacted with more and more grief. In the example Oedipus is just asking to be accused of the crime, Teiresias has already warned him he doesn't need to know the truth. This shows how fate and free will can take on mans happy life and turn it into sorrow. Oedipus children are taken away as he sits blind in the middle of town and he begs to be banished. Every time it has all be punishment on him.
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