Chaos In Oedipus The King

Throughout Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King, the hopes of straying away from evil ironically causes most of the chaos. Cursed with killing his father and marrying his mother, Oedipus decides to take actions into his own hands. Unfortunately, his attempt to fight a lesser evil is what ultimately led to turmoil and tragedy. Oedipus’ first mistake is when he kills his biological father in the carriage. Oedipus and Jocasta start to put the pieces together when Oedipus says “He lay there on his back. Then I killed them all.” (813). Now having killed his father, Oedipus had fulfilled part of the prophecy that he was actively trying to run from. His attempt to stop the prophecy has only sped its approach. Not only that but Oedipus’ decision to kill Laius also caused the Gods to plague the city. Evidence of this is shown when Creon says “Laius was killed. And now the god is clear: those murderers, he tells us, must be punished,” (125-126). In an attempt to change his fate, Oedipus had put the entire city in danger. Now not only will Oedipus’ life be greatly impacted, but so

The news of Oedipus being her son is the cause of Jocasta’s death, “She killed herself” (1475). The deeper Oedipus attempts to dive into his prophecy the more people are getting hurt. This just adds one more way Oedipus’ fate destructively influences the ones around him. Once again Oedipus’ decisions effected everyone, he explains this to his kids by saying “I think about your life in days to come, the bitter life which men will force on you.” (1758-1759). Oedipus knows that nobody is willing to marry someone whose parents are as corrupted at theirs. Oedipus saying this to his children foreshadows the plays to come. Although the prophecy was placed on Oedipus, the veil of illusion that he is the only one being hurt has been