Fate In Sophocles Oedipus The King

Fate is defined as "the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power". (Merriam-Webster) In Sophocles' Oedipus the King, it was thought that Oedipus' fate could be altered to prevent the death of his father and the marriage of his mother from happening. Through countless endeavors, between not only Oedipus but his family as well, this concept proved to be futile. In Greek mythological times, fate was a large factor in day to day life. It was believed that the Gods knew a person's life story before they were born. Just like Oedipus, a person was born into their life plan and changing it was almost impossible. "I have no more to say; storm as thou willst, and give the rein to all thy pent-up

The servant that was ordered to kill the baby, reneged and left him in the desert to be found or to die. This paralleled with fate because even though they attempted to kill Oedipus, it was not in his life plan to die, so he lived. The servant was unable to kill him, allowing his life to continue on the path it was. He was adopted by a neighboring king and queen where he grew up into a young man. Oedipus did not end up murdering his adoptive father and marrying his adoptive mother like it would have been assumed. When he was told about his fate in a bar by a drunken civilian, he fled his home in the hopes that his horrific destiny would not occur. Oedipus' cloud of darkness is "inescapable, unspeakable, unstoppable, driven by cruel winds." (Oedipus Line 1314) He did not have the knowledge that he was running away from the wrong parents and that fleeing would lead him directly on the path of what he was avoiding. While all this was occurring, Laius and Jocasta thought their issues with Oedipus were over, when truthfully, they were just beginning. These events were another incident that proved that fate could not be