If prophecy were to be real, one could expect what is bound to happen in the future. This is true; at least in “Oedipus the King” in which the protagonist, Oedipus calls forth his doom unwillingly. Fate is defined as something that unavoidably befalls a person. The author of “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles, writes a tragic fate that Oedipus was born to experience. Fate is what is meant to happen and cannot be avoided or unchanged. Furthermore, events that lead to other events could be the result for one to meet their fate. In “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles expresses the nature of fate to be determined upon choices made. In the story, “Oedipus the King” before Oedipus became king of Thebes, he made choices that led to events that defined his fate. The first event emerged when Oedipus heard a drunken man saying that the ones who cared for Oedipus at Corinth were not his biological parents. The terrible news is what set forth the very first steps towards the beginning of the events that led to his fate. Oedipus confused and interested in the truth, went on to speak with God. However, the God did not answer what Oedipus questioned and instead had his fate foretold. “The god dismissed my question without reply; he spoke of other things. Some were clear, full of wretchedness, dreadful, unbearable: As, that I should lie with my own mother, breed children from all men would turn their eyes; and that I should be my father’s murderer,” (Gioia, 2010). Oedipus still unfamiliar, of who his parents were, chose to flee from home in attempt to prevent the God’s statement of his fate from coming true. Oedipus’ choice of fleeing the country was perhaps a bad decision. It was what led him to experience the first event of his fate. As Oedipus goes his... ... middle of paper ... ...that fate. Events that lead to other events will eventually lead one to their fate. “Oedipus the King” is a great play that sets an example of what fate is. Oedipus chooses to flee from home, in attempt to avoid the god’s statement of his fate from coming true. However, Oedipus’s decision for fleeing is what was necessary to make his fate come true. Undoubtedly, this is what was meant to happen because Oedipus allowed it to. Perhaps if Oedipus ignored the god and never did a thing then perhaps the outcome could have been different for Oedipus. However it did not turn out that way and the choices that Oedipus made is what led him to his doom. Works Cited What does the bible say about fate? (2011). Retrieved from gotquestions: http://www.gotquestions.org/fate-destiny.html Gioia, X. K. (2010). Literature An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Writing. Pearson.
that their son would kill his father and marry his mother (page 56). A son was
Sophocles' tragic tale of Oedipus presents the reader with a very bleak view of mankind and the world in general. According to the story, every person is predestined to enact a role scripted by fate, a "mysterious power" that rules even the greatest of Greek gods (Hamilton, 27). In this tale, the source of this fate is not as clear as its function.
Fate is defined as “the determining cause by which things in general are believed to…happen as they do,” “It is “an inevitable…outcome.” (Merriam-Webster) However, fate isn’t the determining cause, it is dependent on karmas. Karmas are derivatives of the invisible Karman particles that are all around the world. (umich.edu) Through ones’ thoughts and actions karmas bond to the soul. (umich.edu) Over time the karmas accumulate and begin to cloud the once pure and truly knowledge soul. Ancient Greek tragedian Sophocles uses the idea of fate as the basis for his tragedy “Oedipus the King.” The character Oedipus ultimately turns out to be an exemplification the notions of Karma and fate.
From previous Greek literature, fate has been manipulated by the gods, mortals can try, but it is impossible for mortals to achieve something of this supernatural magnitude. Oedipus tries to circumvent his inevitable future, but the outcome will always be the prophecy. Oedipus explains his reasoning, “When I heard that, I ran away from Corinth. From then on I thought of it just as a place beneath the stars. I went to other lands, so I would never see that prophecy fulfilled, the abomination of my evil fate.”(956). Fate is unavoidable, but the thought of killing your father and defiling your mother is even worse, so the choice of Oedipus is sane. His choices to leave Corinth lead him to his peripeteia, therefore in a way this is all a matter of coincidence or prophecy. . Oedipus tried to manipulate his own prophecy so he wouldn’t have to deal with his unfathomable fate. In Greek literature, coincidence is apart of a prophecy, in most Greek pieces, prophecy runs the story
“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another”. This quote by Napoleon Hill signifies that whatever we do or say will have an impact on the people around us. This also shows how fate and free will can tie into influence. Whether it be a higher power deciding your life for you or choices that people make. Fate means being influenced by a higher power to fulfill your fate. Where free will is defined as having a personal choice for your behavior. In the play Oedipus king of Sophocles, Oedipus is destined to fulfill a prophecy. During his reign there is a curse put on Thebes. While looking for the murderer a prophet and one of his officials realize how ignorant
Something many people get confused is fate and freewill itself. The two words mean two different things, and are not connected to each other. Fate is believing that things will happen for a reason and that they are meant to take place, and free will is having the freedom of making choices that are your own and are not affected by the past or future. The contradiction of the two words can be seen when Jocasta is talking to Oedipus about his prophecy. “Listen to me and learn that human beings have no part in the craft of prophecy. (814-815)”. Here Jocasta plainly states that the actions of people have no effect on their fate. Meaning that someone can make their own choices and live their life, but cannot change what is meant for them. For example, when
Fate may state what will be in one's life however, how that destiny comes about is a matter of man's own choice. In other words, incidents don't occur because our destinies are written. In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare expertly uses the theme of fate vs. free will and raises the pre-eminent question of which holds power over the characters. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, fate is not the cause of his downfall, his own desires and choices prove to be the deciding factor.
Oedipus is first give his fate by an orcul and he runs away from home to try to escape unknowing that the wheels of fate have already started to turn(Sophocles). Oedipus runs away from his home after the gods have given him their verdict on how his life will go. He is unwilling to blindly submit to these so called gods and runs away from his home not knowing that he has run right into the web of his prophecy. While Oedipus is travelling he encounters a group of me and after a squavel he kills them but does not know that in doing this he has taken the first step into a chasm of suffering(Sophocles). Oedipus ran away from what he believed to be his prophecy in hopes that he could escape it but has only come closer to it. When the gods have given a prophecy it is like they have given you a birthmark; no matter what you attempt to do at the end of the day it will still be there and will still be apart of you. Oedipus learns that there was once a time where the former king and Jocasta had a son that was given the same prophecy as the later and soon learns that they are one in the same(Sophocles). He learns that he was given his fate before he was even able to walk and that the gears of fate have never once stopped for him. Oedipus was discarded at birth in hopes that he would never be able to fulfill the fate that the gods have bestowed upon him but the gods words are not
The idea of fate has existed for a long time and exists even today. Fate revolves around the idea that people's lives are predetermined and that no matter what is done it cannot be changed. With the gods it was used to explain events that seemed strange. Sophocles expands on this idea by introducing Oedipus' fate. The thought of fate is strong considering no matter how hard he struggles he still receives what was predetermined. As a baby he survived the elements on Mount Cithaeron. As Oedipus was destined to live, it shows the dominance of fate. Having fate play such a large part of the play is certainly an insight into the Greek's idea that fate controls us no matter how hard we struggle against it.
Oedipus was born with an unfortunate fate, which ultimately lead to his downfall. Despite his destiny, Oedipus attempts to change his fate, which is shown in the first act:
Oedipus had many options after he learned of the Prophecy, and the choice he made to leave Corinth was one of his own free will, showing that destiny was not the factor that caused the horrific conditions in his life. In this part of the story, Oedipus had just found out, from the drunk man, that his father was not Polybus. So he went to the Oracle, and the Oracle told him that he
In Oedipus Rex, fate is something that unavoidably befalls two characters. The gods decide Oedipus and Jocasta’s fate even before they know it. Trying to avoid destiny is pointless because no matter what, it will catch up to you where ever you are. It is often thought that you can change your destiny, but in reality our fate was put into action the day we were born.
Throughout Greek literature, fate is a predominant theme. Characters often feel that their actions have little meaning because their fate is already predetermined. In The Iliad and Oedipus the King, Achilles and Oedipus have received oracles that reveal their fate. However, Achilles and Oedipus react in drastically different ways to their fate. Ultimately, though, fate and their reactions lead to their downfall.
Fate and freewill are two sides of the same coin. The differences are that fate is the uncontrollable force that shapes one’s destiny, while freewill is the power one has to mold his own future. The confounding mystery is, which of the two governs life? The famous tragedian, Sophocles, in his play, Oedipus the King, illustrates the perplexity of the question. Oedipus’s life is one of great tragedy and he experiences many things throughout his life, but the essence of the play is comprised up of the battle of fate versus freewill.
When Oedipus realizes what his future holds he decides to avoid it at all costs. As a result, he picked up and ran away. He decided not to tell his parents he was leaving so that he could avoid hurting their feelings. When he was on his journey to Thebes there were people coming towards him and they got in an upset about who had the right of way where three roads crossed. He ended up killing all but one of the men there. This is where Sophocles proves that you can never run from your fate. Even Jocasta accounts for this happening, “That it was fate that he should die a victim at the hands of his own son, a son to be born to Laius and me. But now, he the king was killed by a foreign highway robber at the place were three roads meet-so goes the story” (1.1.791-796). The man he killed in that street was actually his dad.