Oedipus Destiny Quotes

“No mortal eyes but looked at him with envy, yet in the end ruin swept over him.” (Exodus. 1470-1471). This quote describes the destiny of Oedipus in the play Oedipus Rex. Oedipus, King of Thebes, was prophesied that he would kill his father and marry his mother, so his parents decided to get rid of him, but that doesn’t go as planned. Oedipus feels totally tormented when he realizes that he fulfilled the prophecy and killed his father Laius, but never knew about it until after an oracle was sent demanding death or exile to Laius’s murderer. The symbols in the play Oedipus Rex, like Oedipus’s ankle scars and his questioning as to what’s real or not, displays the fact that people can’t easily escape their destiny even if they attempt to do so.

For example, Laius and his wife Jocasta try to get rid of Oedipus when they are told of a prophecy that tells them that Laius’s son would kill him and marry his wife. The shepherd tells Oedipus what he was told and Oedipus questions him: “‘They said it was Laius’s child; but it is you wife who can tell you that.’ ‘My wife!--Did she give it to you?’ ‘My lord, she did.’ ‘Do you know why?’ ‘I was told to get rid of it.’”(4. 1106-1109). Unfortunately, that doesn't come to happen since Oedipus is saved and comes back to fulfill the prophecy set about him. The shepherd states, “I pitied the baby, my King, and I thought that this man would take him far away to his own country. He saved him--but for what a fate!” (4. 1113-1115). The shepherd tells Oedipus was saved, changing his destiny of early death, but that didn’t matter since he still fulfilled the prophecy as he was originally supposed to and now must be condemned to exile or death. These quotes state that one can try to leave their destiny, but the conflicts that come with such decision can stay with them

When the shepherd reveals to Oedipus that he was the baby who should’ve been killed, he realizes that the truth was covered from him, as he states,

Ah God!

It was true! All of the prophecies!--Now,

O Light, may I look on you for the last time!

I, Oedipus,

Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage damned,

Damned in the blood he shed with his own hand! (4. 1118-1123)

Oedipus is stunned when he finally figures out that he was supposed to be killed to free his family from the prophecy, yet he didn’t die and eventually does kill his father. Therefore, he condemns himself due to his fulfillment of the prophecy, blinding himself afterwards. Oedipus, after blinding himself, then questions himself why did he believe that the lies told to him were his truth. Oedipus states,

God. God.

Is there a sorrow greater?

Where shall I find harbor in this world?

My voice is hurled far on a dark wind.

What has God done to me? (Exodus.