How Is Fate Shown In Oedipus The King

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In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus displays his characteristic bravery and overconfidence in his heroic hunt for the murderer of Laius, King of Thebes. In this tragedy, fate crashes down on Oedipus. Fate not only affects Oedipus, but also his birth parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta, and pre-determines their destinies of Oedipus murdering his father and wedding his mother and reproducing with her. The moral behind the story of Oedipus the King is that we are helpless in the hands of fate. Oedipus was cursed with this destiny, with no ability to avoid it. Laius and Jocasta think they can escape this fate by killing their baby. Laius had been warned by an oracle that he was fated to be killed by his own son; he therefore abandoned Oedipus on a mountainside. The baby was rescued, however, by a shepherd and brought to the king of Corinth, who adopted him ("Oedipus"). Oedipus believes Polybus and Merope to be his real parents so when Oedipus hears the oracle foretell his fate, he is certain he knows who his parents are and how to escape…show more content…
He correctly answers the riddle presented to him causing the Sphinx to jump from the side of the mountain and die. The Priest tells Oedipus, “You came and by your coming saved our city, freed us from tribute which we paid of old to the Sphinx, cruel singer… Noblest of men, go, and raise up our city, go, —and give heed. For now this land of ours calls you its savior since you saved it once” (Sophocles 1564-1565). When Oedipus returns home he is gifted to Queen Jocasta, who is his mother, as the new King in reward of his bravery and intelligence. Oedipus marries his mother and has four children with her. When Jocasta finds out the truth, she runs to her bedroom and hangs herself. When Oedipus finds his dead mother, he takes the pins from her dress and gouges his eyes out. Oedipus is now physically blind like Tiresias, the blind prophet who told him he was blind to the

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