Comparing Medea And Oedipus The King

“Parent Just Don’t Understand”, a rap written by Will Smith about the issues teenagers faced in the late 80’s. Although the song written over 30 years ago, some of the issues discussed in the song still affect teenagers today. Some issues and obstacles faced by humans withstand change over time. This is highly evident in the plays of Medea and Oedipus the King. W.J. Miller even states that although the ideology of humans changed, people who love literature find themselves facing the same challenges literary characters, such as Oedipus, have. Oedipus the King presents the audience with the themes of fate versing freewill and disease and epidemics, these themes are apparent in any civilization located anywhere in the world. Not only does Oedipus

Miller’s statement appears feasible because in today’s society, humans interact with religious beliefs and the conflict between the ideas of free will and predetermined fate. Many of the most populous religion, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, believe that a single God plays a part in human life. Although the monotheistic ideas are contrary to the polytheistic views of the ancient Greeks, both ideologies confront themselves with the argument of free will and fate or destiny. This idea is still alive in society, especially when disaster or positive repercussions occur. Most people blame or thank a higher being due to the outcome of a certain situation. For instance, when a person wins the lottery some would thank a higher being for “blessing” them with that reward. On the other hand, others would say that it was merely the person's choice of numbers that rewarded them. The lists of examples are endless; when a hurricane or tornado strikes injuring and killing people, some deem it as an act of a higher being or regard it as “ the time for those people to meet their maker.” Contrarily, others reckon that the disaster struck and killed people due to that location which would fall on the choice people made to live in an area that experiences many natural disasters. In Oedipus, the main character, Oedipus, struggles with his predetermined destiny of killing his father and marrying his mother. In the end of the story, Oedipus realizes that his fate occurred and forcibly stabs his eyes out. Many of the readers and critics of Oedipus argue if Oedipus’ experienced fate or just made that happen to himself. If Oedipus did not kill anyone older than him and marry anyone older than him, he could of escaped his predetermined fate which would in turn not make that his fate. So the question that arises is was Oedipus tragic ending due to fate or his