The Role of Fate in Oedipus the King – Essay Sample

Oedipus the top executive was written by Sophocles and was is titled Oedipus Rex in Latin. It is one of the most well-known Greek tragedies. As is the case with Greek tragediesor roughly most tragedies that make their way to stage bunch dawdles a key role in the events in Oedipus the King. The play is also the origin of the term Oedipus complex. Fate as Antagonist The primary antagonist in this tale is fate. Most tragedies where fate is the driving theme the characters in its web all attempt to escape it.Unfortunately fate cant be avoided and if it is tempted fate will usually render a far worse conclusion for attempting to deprive it of its will. Laius Fate Apollo tells Laius that he and Jocasta would have a son that would kill him. When Oedipus is born, Jocasta sends Oedipus to his own fate and leaves him on a mountainside to die. Jocasta attempts to cheat fate by doing away with her son to save her husband, but Oedipus is found by a shepherd who saw the whole thing and raised by King Polybus.Laius fate comes when he kidnaps the son of King Pelops and basically showed little respect for Pelops hospitality by doing so. The Fate of Thebes Oedipus sends Creon to the temple of Apollo to figure out what will conk of Thebes and how to do away with the plague. Fate is tempted here by the Oedipus attempting to end the plague when it is not his place to do so. Apollo tells Oedipus that he will end up cleanup spot his father and taking his mother. Oedipus believes he will end up killing King Polybus. Oedipus Fate TeiresiasApollos blind prophettells Creon of Oedipus fate.Oedipus is busy trying to fall upon the murderer of Laius. Teiresias cryptically tells Oedipus the nature of his marriage, but Oedipus doesnt interpret the meaning in Teiresias words. He tells Oedipus that the shame of his relationship will bring just about ruin and that the insults Oedipus gives to him will be returned as a result of his deed. Oedipus sets himself up for downfall further when he forsakes Teiresias word and says he has no special ability.As prophets are basically the mouth of the gods and do their directwill, Oedipus is in a way committing blasphemy. The provocation leads Teiresias toagain crypticallytell Oedipus that he is actually on level groundwork with his children and that the truth with crush him. When Oedipus relays the events to his wife, she tells him to ignore the prophecy and that Apollos prophecy didnt hold up as she believed that her husband was killed by a bandit. Strands of Fate fix Up Oedipus finds out that Polybus doesnt die at his hands, but of natural causes so it seems the prophecy didnt come true.However, Laius is killed by Oedipus when the two argued over who had the respectable of way on a road. Neither man recognized the other. Oedipus marries Jocasta, widow of Laius making his both wife and son to her and father and brother to his children. Oedipus finds out about the true nature from a shepherd, finds his wife Jocasta who ha d hung herself, took her jewelry and smashed them into his eyes. Oedipus ends up blind and destitute and his children cursed by being the product of incest.