Oedipus
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Carrie A. Bailey
Leonardi
English Literature
November 6, 2007
Oedipus Rex
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is one of the more abnormal, while still very interesting, works of ancient Greek drama. One of the main questions a reader will face while reading this play is whether one persons fate is determined by the Gods, or by his or her own decisions and actions. Oedipus, the title character, had the events of his future predicted by the oracle of Delphi at the very beginning of his life. When Oedipus learns of this prediction, he flees his kingdom in hopes of avoiding his tragic destiny. Ironically, running only helped to manifest the very same fate he was trying to escape. The reader soon realizes that no matter what Oedipus did, he couldnt escape inevitability. Oedipus Rex gives a look into the past to show its audience how critically the gods were taken in this time period.
When Oedipus was born, it was stated that he would murder his father and marry his mother. After learning of this, Laios bound the infant Oedipuss ankles and left him with Iocoste, who asked a herdsman to bring the infant to a mountaintop to die. The fear of the Oracles predictions cause Oedipuss parents to act harshly; although unknowingly, the herdsman did not carry out his duty and handed the infant to a messenger from Corinth to be taken to the messengers kingdom. The infant was presented to the King and Queen of Corinth and Oedipus was raised as if he were their own. The actions taken by the herdsmen can arguably be the gods controlling Oedipuss fate through the herdsmans compassion.
Oedipus grows and learns of his predicted fate. In effort to avoid this cursed life, he flees Corinth and ends up in Thebes. In time he solves the riddle of the sphinx, marries Iocoste, and becomes the king of Thebes. Oedipus must find Laioss murderer in order to relieve Thebes of its plague. While attempting to find this murder, Iocoste explains to Oedipus how Laios was murdered by strangers, not by his son as was predicted. “By marauding strangers where three highways meet; but his child had not been three days old in this world before the King had pierced the babys ankles and left him to die on a lonely mountainside.” (1302 – 1303 – 190) Oedipus remembers that while on his way to Thebes he had murdered 4 men at the exact place Laios was murdered and realizes that he himself murdered Laios. At the time, Oedipus does not know that Laios is actually his blood father. Although leaving Corinth was Oedipuss own choice, fate pulled Oedipus and his biological father to the same place.
Shortly after coming to the realization that he in fact murdered Laios, a messenger from Corinth comes to Thebes to tell Oedipus that King Polybos