Fate In Oedipus
Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus Tyrannus and Oedipus the King is the first installment in a trilogy commonly referred to as the three Theban plays (Goldhill 231). The second installment is Oedipus Coloneus also known as Oedipus at Colonus with the last being Antigone. Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus are both about the tragedy of Oedipus, a man born a prince in Thebes, raised a Prince in Corinth, reigns as King in Thebes and dies full of shame and regret in Athens (Goldhill 232). The totality of this journey is generally blamed in fate and destiny albeit a careful perusal of the same will clearly show the will, acts, and omissions of man helping fate and destiny along. Like all tragedies, therefore, a good person finds and ignoble end,
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Oedipus can see through most of Oedipus Rex until he intentionally gorges his eye out in despair when the reality of his tragedy hits him, and through his acts and omissions, his own mother commits suicide out of shame (Sophocles and Grene). Therefore, throughout Oedipus at Colonus, Oedipus is blind and indeed without eyes. Surprisingly however, Oedipus is euphemistically blind throughout the duration of time when he can physically see. So blind is he that he kills his own father, marries his own mother and sires children who are also his …show more content…
This is set in three kingdoms from Thebes where he was born and also where he reigns, Corinth where he grew up as a prince and Athens where he dies a disgraced yet dignified man. The entire plot reflects a man with a destiny that was defined before he was born. Through fate, this destiny is realized step by step through to his death at Athens. The plot also seeks to show that albeit fate decrees destiny, character and choices determine how this destiny will come about. The main theme in Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus is the inevitableness of the dictates of fate and destiny. The totality of the story in the two plays confirm that when something is decreed by fate to happen, it forms the destiny of an individual and no matter how many steps are taken to avoid it, it will still happen. The two main inevitable happenings are the act of Oedipus killing his father and marrying his mother which comes to fruition then realization in Oedipus Rex (Sophocles and Grene). The second is the eventuality of Oedipus dying because of these
Oedipus can see through most of Oedipus Rex until he intentionally gorges his eye out in despair when the reality of his tragedy hits him, and through his acts and omissions, his own mother commits suicide out of shame (Sophocles and Grene). Therefore, throughout Oedipus at Colonus, Oedipus is blind and indeed without eyes. Surprisingly however, Oedipus is euphemistically blind throughout the duration of time when he can physically see. So blind is he that he kills his own father, marries his own mother and sires children who are also his …show more content…
This is set in three kingdoms from Thebes where he was born and also where he reigns, Corinth where he grew up as a prince and Athens where he dies a disgraced yet dignified man. The entire plot reflects a man with a destiny that was defined before he was born. Through fate, this destiny is realized step by step through to his death at Athens. The plot also seeks to show that albeit fate decrees destiny, character and choices determine how this destiny will come about. The main theme in Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus is the inevitableness of the dictates of fate and destiny. The totality of the story in the two plays confirm that when something is decreed by fate to happen, it forms the destiny of an individual and no matter how many steps are taken to avoid it, it will still happen. The two main inevitable happenings are the act of Oedipus killing his father and marrying his mother which comes to fruition then realization in Oedipus Rex (Sophocles and Grene). The second is the eventuality of Oedipus dying because of these