Oedipus Is A Fate

In Sophocles' Oedipus the King, the element of fate versus freewill shows up frequently all through the play. It is foreseen to Oedipus' parents, Jocasta and Laius, that their child would grow up to slaughter his father and wed his mother. Jocasta and Laius endeavor to dispose of their child, however, fate triumphs. Oedipus' fate all through the play has been chosen by the fate which adds to his annihilation. Various societies and cultures all through history have embraced similar perspectives, accepting a fate or destiny for their lives. Such points of view are very common is Greek myths who had confidence in "the three Fates" — goddesses who controlled the lives of individuals and the world in general. Clotho the youngest spins the thread of human life. She decides who will be born and when. Lachesis, a matron, measures the thread deciding a person’s lot in life. She is shown with a measuring stick, a scroll, a book, or a globe that represents the horoscope. Atropos, the oldest, choses the mechanism of death and ends the life of each mortal by cutting their thread. She is usually portrayed with a cutting instrument, a scroll, a wax tablet, a sundial, or a pair of scales. Even in modern day, some Christian philosophies incorporate destiny as fate. Many Jews acknowledge that their God has an arrangement for their people and nation.

Fate as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary is ‘an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end’. Sophocles discusses fate vs free will in his plays. In the play Oedipus Rex there was a prophecy that Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, he attempts to escape his destiny by running away to Thebes where he meets his fate. In the play Antigone, that main character Antigone decides to go against Creon’s (her uncle who has inherited the throne) decree and bury the brother, Polynices, knowing the consequences would lead to her death. In Sophocles’ plays Oedipus Rex and Antigone, the theme is mankind not being able to escape their fate.

“You were born for a reason and you will relive until that task is completed,” a motivator one said. One incarnates to learn something he or she hadn’t learned in the previous life. Questions about this may still remain like the following: does it include personality traits? Is one predestined to his or her fate? What determines what our next life will be like? Sophocles once said, “Fate has terrible power. You cannot escape it by wealth or war. No fort will keep it out, no ships outrun it,” but is one’s fate planned out before birth? Some may say that people are predestined to their fate, while others believe people have the ability to change it if they want. However, it may be more appropriate to say that even though one tries to change his

Sophocles states that “Fate has terrible power. You cannot escape it by wealth or war. No fort will keep it out, no ships outrun it.” Fate derives from a Latin word, fatum, meaning that one’s future is predetermined. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles unfolds the misfortune of a noble king who searches for knowledge. Evidently, Greek heroes like Oedipus are destined to rule, but are also bound to fall, therefore, he cannot alter his own fate. This tragic play proves that the power of fate is indeed stronger than one’s free will. Despite his attempts to fight his destiny, Oedipus can never outrun his fate. Regardless of his parents’ desperation to evade the predicted outcome, fate guides his journey for knowledge, leading to his destruction.

Oedipus’s parents, Jocasta and Laius, were told by the gods that their son, Oedipus, would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother, a terrible fate. In the play, Jocasta tells of a prophecy given to

Throughout the vast history of literature, various concepts have come and gone. The idea of fate or fatalism has been a concept that has survived the test of time. Numerous characters have succumbed to the power of fate and the character of Oedipus from Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is a prime example of the vast power of fate within literature. Sophocles effectively depicts the wrath of fate as he portrays how Oedipus fell victim to fate and his efforts to disregard fate were futile. Once again fate manages to triumph and displays no character whether king or slave can avoid its gaze.

Are all events predetermined? Does everyone have a prophetic destiny that they must fulfill? If so, who determines their fate? Who—or what—binds them to their fixed ending? Is there really no way to resist? Is fatalism—the theory that all events are preset and inevitable—true? And if it is—is there ever such a thing as free will?

The Greeks believed fate was the cause also because Oedipus acted on free will made this so. "Power corrupts karma those who have power usually become corrupt by it-Oedipus arrogance and blindness and hubris behavior truly gets the best of them, someone who displays hubris behavior similar to the antagonist is only setting up himself for further destruction". Oedipus ended up meeting with this biological father which he was trying to avoid. Oedipus was also living in darkness all the while and probably this accounted for part of the fact of what was happening. Oedipus would never kill his real father and that was why Oedipus was trying to run away. He did not want to kill him thus, marrying his mother. Fate is played out throughout the play for it was fate that apparently mapped out Oedipus' misfortunes. To account for his change of attitude and manner by comparing his speech and behavior in the opening and closing scenes, Oedipus is partly to blame for some of what happened on the other half he can't he faulted for that. Nevertheless, he himself can be credited for his misfortune because he was trying to find  King Laios' real killer however in so doing he discovered who he

Fate, does it exist? According to the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King, the famous tragedian Sophocles, it does. Oedipus, according to the tragedy, was told at a young age by Apollo at Delphi that he is “...fated to couple with your mother… you will kill your father” (Sophocles z873, 875). This was his destiny, and it occurred. This brings forth a question, is everyone doomed to a certain outcome in life or can people change it? Oedipus’ fate came true despite all he did to stop it. Even with the multiple prophets predictions, matching and how the testimonies from all different people line up to prove his destiny, it is proof that fate is a very real concept, which has affected this story greatly. Moreover, fate affected Oedipus' life negativity

Sophocles is the author of the famous play, “Oedipus the King”. In case you did not know, Sophocles is from Greece. In Greek mythology there are three goddesses who preside over the birth and life of humans. Each person 's destiny was thought of as a thread spun, measured, and cut by the three Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. In the story “Oedipus the King” fate and destiny was the main theme. On Google the definition of destiny is the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future. Fate is defined as, the development of events beyond a person 's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. In this paper I will be analyzing the story to help you understand the significance of destiny and fate to the story.

In Oedipus the king the Prophets tells Oedipus about how his life will pan out and that there is nothing that he can do about it. Oedipus, however thinks he can prove them wrong being the self righteous person that he is. He believes that fate is not real and that it's all about free will and individual decisions that lead to and determine the future. Oedipus is wrong for thinking that he can change his fate because the world is controlled by fate not free will.

“The journeys we as humans take over our lifetimes are all a matter of choices. As we age, our daily decisions shape the overall outcome of our collective destinies” (Java, 2009). We usually take this for granted, but in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, no one in the play can change or escape their tragic fate. There are three aspects of the play that show that. First, several characters try to change their fates, but it ends up backfiring on them and causing their ruins. Second, no matter how hard they try fate still has its way and the characters have no say in the matter. Lastly, Oedipus’ actions, causes pain and suffering to those around him.

Fate played an important part in the plays and literature of the Greeks as is shown in Sophocles' play

Oedipus’s life and destiny was said to be set by the god’s, but together with his parent’s lies and his own ignorance, he brought upon his downfall foretold so long ago. It was only when he was born that a prophecy of Oedipus, who was to kill his father and marry his mother. Terrified and without much thought of the consequences, Iokaste and Laius abandoned the child to die. Oedipus did not die. Instead he became a strong and well respected prince, who believed his real parents were king and queen of Corinth. Oedipus’s adoptive parents kept him in the dark about his true identity. For this reason, when ignorant Oedipus hears of his prophecy, he runs away terrified. Ironically, on his journey away from home, he encounters his real father, Laius King of Thebes, which he kills due to an argument. Moreover, he goes on to become King of Thebes and husband of Iokaste, his biological mother. So, without realizing, the fate that Oedipus wanted to impede so badly occurs right before his eyes, showing that fate “lies within Apollo’s competence/As it is his concern” (Oed.

Oedipus the King would not have been successful throughout centuries as a tragic play, if Oedipus were clearly responsible for his own tragedy. The play's ongoing success was do to Oedipus' innocence which immediately makes one think he can not be fully responsible and to blame. I do not believe Sophocles would have wrote the story, or I do not think people would have ever read it or studied it had it simply been a story of a criminal's retribution. Sophocles himself believed Oedipus to be the innocent victim of an ironic tragedy, and built the play around this belief. This story was destined to happen and I believe the author would agree. The story revolves around destiny, the resistance of people to it and the ultimate ending of destiny