Oedipus The King
Story's are told involving fate but very few capture the true meaning of fate like Oedipus the King. To be successful you have to understand how to use fate to your advantage. Fate is defined as "the immutable law of the universe; inevitable necessity; the force by which all existence is determined and conditioned". In Oedipus the King it is made quite clear by Sophocles that trying to defy your fate is pointless and only results in your fate coming to pass whether you like it or not. The first example of the pointlessness of trying to defy your fate is that of Laius. One day Laius, Oedipus' true father, was confronted by an oracle of Apollo. This oracle told him he would be murdered by his son. When Jocasta, his wife, gave birth to a son, Laius, believing he could defy the prediction of Apollo's oracle, ordered that his newborn son be put to death. He gave the child to Jocasta and she gave the child to a servant in the castle, telling him to bind the baby and leave him on a far hill to die. The child was bound and taken by the servant but the servant could not bare to leave the child to die. Now the servant very easy could have obeyed his orders but did not. The servant found a shepherd in a nearby field and gave him the ch
Oedipus was raised in Corinth as a prince, believing he was the son of King Polybus and Queen Merope. He is the plague, the heart of our corruption, . In a moment of reflection Oedipus realizes the pointlessness of fighting his own fate, "I'd never have come to this, my father's murderer-never been branded mother's husband, all men see me now! Now, loathed by the gods, son of the mother I defiled coupling in my father's bed, spawning lives in the loins that spawned my wretched life. He continues his speech, " I order you, every citizen of the state where I hold throne and power: banish this man-whoever he may be-never shelter him, never speak a word to him, never make him partner to your prayers, your victims burned to the gods. This was but one part of what was revealed. It was now clear to Oedipus and everyone that his fate had come to pass. He agreed and Jocasta and Oedipus went on to have four children and rule the city of Thebes. One day Oedipus set off on a journey to Dephi to seek the word of the oracle on what the future held for him. Continuing on his way, Oedipus then ran into the horrible Sphinx that was terrorizing the city of Thebes. Oedipus, Laius' presumed dead son, is the second example of the pointlessness of trying to defy your fate. On his journey away from home, Oedipus ran into a group of men at a fork in the rode. The speech shows how dedicated Oedipus in the pursuit of the murderer and not only the avenge of the King but to save himself. What grief can crown this grief? It's mine alone, my destiny-I am Oedipus!". The people of the city were very grateful and asked Oedipus if he would marry their recently widowed Queen, Jocasta, and become king of Thebes.
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