Oedipus Victim Of Fate Essay

After reading the play it is clear that there are few different themes, though the one which will be discussed in this essay is the theme of blindness. Blindness appears in all people; because there is not anyone who can predict his/her future or fate, even if they have the ability to "see’’. they tend avoid "seeing" the truth or trying to understand it clearly and perfectly with a way which the fate had choosen for them, this state can supported with a famous quote;"A blind man knows he cannot see and he that is blind in his understanding, which is the worst blindness of all, believes he sees as the best, and scorns a guide". Throughout the story Oedipus is "blind" by his inability to understand that the prophecy

Fate is the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. It is a very common theme used in literature. We’ve seen examples from stories such as: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Iliad. We’ve been reading Oedipus the King written by Sophocles. My main thesis that I would be talking about is if: Oedipus was actually a victim of fate, or did he deserve what he got.

A tragic hero exhibits both tragic and heroic qualities, and Oedipus was no exception. Oedipus conquered the Sphinx and earned his title as King of Thebes. He humbly placed the people of Thebes first and was considered very selfless. Moreover, Oedipus stood with integrity and justice. Oedipus was courageous in trying to change his fate the gods had cursed him with. And finally, he embraces truth of who he is and

In “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles, being blind and seeing appear to be an important theme throughout this section of reading. On page 719 Teiresias says, “But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind: You can not see the wretchedness of your life” (Sophocles 196-197). This quote shows how Teiresias is blind but is able to see the truth and Oedipus for who he actually is, while Oedipus is able to see but is blind to the truth and who he really is. I find it ironic how Oedipus is so determined to find the person who murdered Laius, yet in the end, he was the murderer. The way that the sentences are broken up between different lines was different than what I am used to reading. Overall, I have found this short story interesting and not

Oedipus is blind, not only in "mind," but also in "ears." He has proven himself to be a man who can listen carefully, but when he becomes angry he cannot hear anyone’s views but his own. His ability to reason, his second great virtue, falls victim to his

" The blindness Tiresias speaks about is the truths that blind Oedipus' judgement. When the truth is revealed, it is then that Oedipus is truly able to see. Oedipus feels guilty, "I stand revealed at last-cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives, I cut down with these hands...blind in the darkness--blind. He then, voluntarily blinds himself, with broaches from Jocasta's

Oedipus’ journey begins in the darkness that comes from lack of knowledge. A person may see the truth or be blind to it just as a person may have perfect vision or no vision

In Sophocles’, Oedipus the King, fate and free will are two prominent themes presented. Often times the main character in a story is given a predetermined fate from the moment they are born, and feels inclined to live up to it or avoid it- taking away their free will. Immediately, Oedipus’ fate is decided by the Gods, but there is also an aspect of free will. Throughout the whole play, we see how Oedipus decides on how he wants to approach his fate decided by the Gods. One may argue that there was no free will in mythology and just fate, but in Oedipus, we see aspects of both themes.

Oedipus’ destiny or fate had little to do with his downfall. The prophet told Oedipus that he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, but the prophet never mentioned Oedipus murdering Laius on the highway, or solving the Sphinx’s riddle, or accepting and taking advantage of his kingship. Oedipus blinding himself was an example of free will, “for he removed from…[Jocasta’s] garment the golden brooches which she was wearing…” by choice “…and struck the sockets of his own eyes..” blinding himself Free will and hubris, according to the ancient Greeks, were separate from unavoidable fate. Oedipus’s fate was to kill his father and marry his mother. However, everything else, including fleeing Corinth, solving the Sphinx’s riddle, and finally pursuing the truth about his life, was by his own free will, a direct result of his ego and pride. Oedipus Rex is a story about the dangers of pride and arrogance, one teaching about the importance of humility and tolerance, and one stressing about the control of hubris, a potentially perilous quality that destroyed Oedipus’s vision and his life.

In Oedipus Rex many characters are blinded metaphorically. This inhibits them to see the truth and to be able to see what is right in front of them. It can cause them to make unwise decisions. Oedipus was a character that was blindsided the most in the play.

In the Greek tragedy, Oedipus, he was constantly told throughout the story that he was “blind”. The idea of blindness, both figuratively and physically, are very important in the story. The farther the reader gets in the story, the more irony will be found around the concept of blindness. Oedipus fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mom but refused to see all this signs. The blind prophet Tiresias repeatedly told Oedipus that he was the killer. Near the end of the story he comes to realize that he in fact killed his dad and married his mom. This results in him taking his own eyesight because he sees how blind he's been and goes back to the mountain where it all started. “

Oedipus displayed his faulty character throughout the play by showing how he is filled with ill-temper and pride, especially during his confrontation with Apollo’s blind prophet, Tiresias. He allowed his own hubris to take over him, eventually leading to his disaster at the end of the story. Now, some critics may argue that Oedipus did not actually go through a downfall in the play, but when looking back at the definition of a tragic hero, it can be seen that there are evidence to prove that Oedipus is a tragic hero.

The events in Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, show an underlying relationship of man’s free will existing within the cosmic order or fate which the Greeks believed guided the universe in a harmonious purpose. Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. Both the concept of fate and free will played an integral part in Oedipus’ destruction. Although he was a victim of fate, he was not controlled by it. Oedipus was destined from birth to someday marry his mother and to murder his father. This prophecy, as warned by the oracle of Apollo at Delphi was unconditional and inevitably would come to pass, no matter what he may have done to avoid it. His past actions were determined by fate, but what he did in Thebes; he did so of his own will.

It is a man of honorable qualities, intelligence, and power, but by no means perfect. Likewise, Oedipus is not a perfect being and as a tragic character he has a tragic flaw or “hamartia”. Inundated by his power, Oedipus becomes a “hubris” man. A man of extreme insolence. He is too proud and presumes to much about his own understanding: “I Oedipus whom all men call the great” (11). He disregards the fact that he can not control chance and fate and turns a blind eye to the obvious truth. As shown in the seen with Tiresias, it is evident that he has bad temper and wrong judgment. His misjudgment was present even before he becomes a king when, without even doubting his wits, he kills a man old enough to be his father, and marries a woman old enough to be his mother. Furthermore, blinded by his confidence, he promises his people he will get rid of the pollution and save the city of Thebes once more when, unbeknownst to him, he is the pollution. Unknowingly, Oedipus digs his own grave and dooms himself to an inevitable

In Oedipus the King, Sophocles leads the story with two things: fate and free will. Throughout the play, there are examples of both, making either a probable cause of the occurrences in the narrative. On one hand, many of the choices made by the characters have direct side effects which help the story progress. On the other hand, there are seemingly random events which are very important and could be a result of destiny. The question of fate or free will applies to the three main factors which influence the plot: the characters, the gods, and prophecies.