Oedipus The King By Sophocles - 1022 Words

Fahad Khan Prof: Ian Moore CPL 210-101 Due date: 10/20/2014 Oedipus the King The affairs in Oedipus the King, authored by Sophocles, show a relentless desire to discover the truth around Laius’ murder and the question neighboring his own birth, force him to the awful realization of his dreadful deeds. Oedipus’s pride depicts the distrust in the gods and the expedition for the truth, leave the king restless. The idea of fate and free-will which the Greeks believed to guide everything in creation to a balanced direction. The choices a manmade was simply accountable for his own actions. The concept of both fate and free-will play a extensive role in Oedipus’s destruction. Even Though, Oedipus was the sufferer of his fate, his intentions were†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Upon the murderer I invoke this curse- whether he is one man and all unknown, or one of many- may he wear out his life in misery or doom! If with my knowledge he lives at my hearth, I pray that I myself may feel my curse,† (pg. 438; lines 266-27 1). While he curses the killer, he decides to curse himself too. This hubris act showed how much pride he had in himself and his free-will allowed him unknowingly to curse himself twice within that statement. However his act was sincere regarding the former king but these characteristics is what leads him to his doom. Oedipus constantly tries to flee his fate and avoid the prophecy, if he had not been so determined to challenge the Gods, his fate could have been different. Perhaps, he was cursed and had to achieve the prophecy because he was trying to escape his destiny. He plays god throughout the play he curses himself without knowing and tries to run away from reality of knowing that he might not get far. Oedipus pushes his free-will to the next level by accusing Tiresias of treason, Oedipus and Jocasta are doubtful of his prophecy. Jocasta tells Oedipus that a previous prophecy that Tiresias revealed didn’t come true and what he was saying is false. They have made the God s angry with them at that point because of the distrust they had for the almighty. When Oedipus learns the truth about his fate he gouges his eyes out, this act would be a curse from Tiresias because he was blind