Oedipus Rex Essay, Research Paper

Many Greek myths and legends have a valuable point or lesson which is revealed when told.

Each individual who hears it obtains a different meaning from what the author tries to throw out

to the audience or reader. In Oedipus Rex, one part of The Oedipus Cycle by Sophocles,

there is a lesson of allowing life to take its course instead of steering it to your own advantage or

trying to prevent it from coming true as Oedipus and parents have attempted to do so. The

Gods have predicted what shall happen and it is to remain that way no matter what actions are

taken to avoid it.

What the gods speak of will happen in due time. Oedipus fate was spoken before his

birth to his parents, Laios and Iocaste. Apollo thus said that Oedipus shall kill his father and

then marry his mother. An oracle was reported to Laios once that his doom would be death at

the hands of his own son-born of his flesh and of [Iocaste] . . .It is God himself who can show

us what he wills, in his own way. 1 As told before, it has happened indirectly. Laios and

Iocaste try to prevent this encounterment by giving Oedipus away at birth to a shepherd from

Corinth that took the baby from the king to his own country.. As time passed by and Oedipus

grew up he was mocked by others accusing him of false parents. When he confronted his

parents they simply said that those who speak are fools and should not be taken seriously. In

search for the truth he went to the gods himself.

I went to the shrine at Delphi the God dismissed my question . . .

that I should lie with my own mother, breed children from whom

all men would turn their eyes; and that I should be my father s

murderer 2

On the way to another country Oedipus stop by a three way intersection on the highway where

he was encountered by a chariot. A herald belonging to the chariot forced him off the road

where when Oedipus saw the passenger as he tower over him. As the passenger

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did this Oedipus took a swing at him and made him reach his death. This is the death of the

King of Thebes, Laios, Oedipus true birth father.3 The fate of King Laios death was not

known to the murderer at the time of the death nor did the king expect to die on his trip out of

Thebes. Both the king and Oedipus try to avoid confronting each other trying to not make the

prophecy come true. Laios first attempt was by sending Oedipus away at birth which is not

successful for Oedipus leaves upon hearing the oracle in Corinth and tries to make it his matter

not kill his parents. for all these years I kept cleared of Corinth, and no harm has come-though

it would have been sweet to see my parents again 4 This has been the goal of Oedipus upon

hearing the oracle.

The second part of the oracle stated that Oedipus would marry his own flesh and blood,

his mother. As Oedipus reaches Thebes, the country is face with a severe problem. Oedipus is

able to save Thebes from the Sphinx which caused a drought in nature and in the children that

death took before it breathed the fresh air of the earth. For this great accomplishment Oedipus

is named King of Thebes and is given the queen s hand, Iocaste, in marriage. The hand of his

wife is the hand of his birth mother which Apollo has stated in the oracle. Without knowing that

he is married to his mother Oedipus and Iocaste ruled Thebes and expanded their family with

sons and daughters. your father . . .sowed the womb of her who bore him. 5 The prophecy

was confirmed when Oedipus went to further question his parent s background.

What has brought one prophecy to light is brought about by another prophecy being

told and researched that could not be easily fulfilled. Before Oedipus discovered the truth about

his past he is confronted with another prophecy sent by Creon from Apollo. Apollo wants to

put an end to a fugitive that has not paid for his crime. If he is

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not found then the whole city of Thebes must suffer. The God commands us to expel from the

land of Thebes an old defilement we are sheltering . . . it was murder that brought the

plague-wind to the city. 6 With this oracle stated Oedipus took it within his power to catch the

murdered of King Laios before it could happen to him. He promised to have the murderer be

put into exile from Thebes. Oedipus proclaims that the murderer, whether it is someone who is

a stranger that does not have a motive for his actions or he himself, the punishment is still in

effect. It is not his wish to be a victim to his own punishment but as it turns out Oedipus is the

killer of his father Laios. To prevent himself to see what others thought of him after his crime

Oedipus destroyed his own sense of sight and asked Creon to send him into exile. He has

taken his own consequences to the highest extreme voluntarily. As said by the God Apollo

commands us now to take revenge upon whoever killed him. 7 The actual punishment is not

state clearly in words from Apollo but Creon saw that Oedipus self destruction is suitable.

The Gods speak of what shall happen to the people of any land regardless of who it

affects. Indirectly there is a reason behind every action that the Gods produce which is not

known at the time but is revealed in due time. Putting aside the actual murderer Oedipus

automatically side with the God s against the person who committed the crime. the Delphic

Voice of Zeus has pronounced this revelation. Thus I associate myself with the oracle and take

the side of the murdered king. 8 The coincidence of Oedipus being the murdered is not so

according to the Gods as it might seem for the people of Thebes. After several attempts to

prevent what the oracle had predicted it still resulted the same. The life of Oedipus is set out

before his birth. Actions he has taken during his lifetime was not unexpected and the crime he

committed was planned for him. If I was created

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so, born to this fate, who could deny the savagery of God? 9 Oedipus self proclaimed this.

Proclaimed that if the God s wanted his life to result this way then it is meant to happen. It does

not matter how hard one tries to postpone or completely detour the prophecy it shall fulfill it

contents as given by the Gods. As for Iocaste who encouraged Oedipus to not seek the truth

about the oracle proving that he did marry his mother, she does not want to deal with knowing

the crime that she had committed within her marriage.

The prophecies are taken in by different levels of seriousness. Oedipus was taken by

surprise to hear all the details that proved that his prophecy came true. `Ah God! It was true!

All the prophecies-Now O light, may I look on you for the last time! 10 There are many a

times where the God s prophecies are question. The events that correspond to what was said

to happen. If fate, destiny, or t he Gods determines everything a person will do before they are

born, as is suggested by the play, then what crime is Oedipus guilty of? The homicide which he

is accused of is not really a crime if it was meant to be or is it? Oedipus lived his life as normally

as he can for himself not to prevent the oracle but because one should live for the day. Fate

rules us and nothing can be foreseen? A man should live only for the present day. 11 This

statement is told by Iocaste to Oedipus when both thought that the prophecy was meant for his

parents in Corinth. It is true how Iocaste views this because no matter how one s life is it will

always be vulunerable to the Gods and at there mercy without it being acknowledged.

Therefore what is foreseen must follow through the entire road until it is completed.

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