In the play Kind Oedipus, by Sophocles, Oedipus is caught in a series of tragic circumstances. When only a few days old he is left on a mountainside to die because of an oracle telling that he will grow up to be the murderer of his father the king. However, the baby is found and taken to the nearby city of Corinth, where Oedipus is adopted as the son of the king and queen. He is never told about his true past. After growing up, and having returned to Thebes, Oedipus becomes a victim of fate due to his strange circumstances and inability to escape the oracle.
The oracle, put upon Oedipus’ life from his birth, condemns him from the start. Firstly, the fear of this prophecy that Laius and Jocasta have, causes them to have their son‘s feet nailed together and have him left to die on a mountain. The second time the oracle is told, Oedipus is a young man, and hears it for himself. Assuming that it applies to Polybus and Merope, he flees Corinth. “As this I fled away, putting the stars between me and Corinth, never to see home again, that no such horror should ever come to pass.” (795-797) Lastly, instead of just living out his life and destiny, Oedipus tries to run from it. This causes Oedipus to think he has overcome the oracle. By running, however, he just makes it worse by coming closer to his real problem. Oedipus can’t escape the relentless fate that pursues him. Inevitably the oracles prophecies are fulfilled.
By being kept in the dark about his true past, Oedipus is living a lie. Not knowing the true identity of his parents causes him to murder his father. “Quick as lightning, the staff in the right hand did its work; he tumbled headlong out of the carriage, and every man of them there I killed.” (813-814) Soon after that Oedipus reaches Thebes, and by answering the Sphinx’s riddle, he becomes king and marries his mother, the queen. Of course he does not know this is his mother. For years Oedipus lives this sin and lie, and rules Thebes in wealth and prosperity while having four children. With all these things done, the world seems to be trapping Oedipus into a fateful web.
The Essay on Oedipus The King Symbols Of Lightdarkness Seeingblindness
Oedipus the King: Symbols of Light/Darkness; Seeing/Blindness Throughout history there have been some astonishing Greek plays. Some plays were more comedic in nature, so were romance plays and then there were some that were tragic plays. One of the greatest Greek tragedy plays ever written was Oedipus the King. Brilliantly conceived and written, Oedipus the King dramatizes the self-discovery and ...
The plague in Thebes and Oedipus’ search for truth finally causes an end to his reign of king and hero. To rid the city of the mysterious plague, the murderer of Laius must be discovered. As Oedipus searches for this truth, it brings him closer and closer to self-exposure. As the last piece of the puzzle falls into place, Oedipus the detective, becomes Oedipus the criminal. Upon finding this out, Oedipus’ reign ends. After then blinding himself, he requests to be banished. “Cast me away this instant out of this land, out of the sight of man.” (1468-1469) Also, after finding out the horrible truth, Jocasta takes her own life. The name of Oedipus and that of his children are forever tarnished. Oedipus’ search for truth lead him to the discovery that he is not a child of luck, but a man of misfortune.
Oedipus can not escape the relentless fate that purses him, due to the oracle and his tragic circumstances. His fate was determined before his birth. Oedipus is forced to then live a lie because of has lack of knowledge about his true identity. Yet Oedipus’ passion for the truth and to help his city causes him to lose his kingdom. All that he can do is live out his destiny. He does this with a dignity and heroism, which shows there is nobility even in suffering and despair. He shows what it means to endure in the face of certain defeat. In a cruel and hostile world, Oedipus becomes a victim of uncontrollable forces, and a relentless fate.
