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Oedipus The King Fate Quotes

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Throughout “Oedipus the King”, the idea of fate, destiny and predestination controls most of the play. The play begins with Oedipus on the throne and Thebes being attacked by plague. As a responsible king, he is searching for a cure: “My search has found one way to treat our disease and I have acted already. I have sent Creon my brother-in-law to the prophetic oracle of Apollo to find out what action or speech” (Sophocles). Right at the beginning of the play, author has shown his bias by giving Oedipus that line. Logically speaking, Oedipus could have used his own free will and knowledge to go find out what is the cause of the plague, but he has decided to ask God what to do instead. The quote shows that Oedipus does trust God even though he …show more content…

Teiresias knows the horrifying truth and after being contemptuously mocked for his blindness by Oedipus because he does not give the answer Oedipus wants to hear, he proceeds to say: “You see straight now but then you see darkness. You will scream aloud on that day; there is no place which shall not hear you…” (Sophocles). Tiresias is the living God. Every word from his mouth is indeed prophetic. The quote acts as a catalyst to make the theme of predestination even clearer; it also foreshadows the tragic ending of Oedipus: he would be living with blindness and shame. During Oedipus’ quest for the truth, there are many times where the hints are being given. Nevertheless, it is not until the shepherd’s full explanation that he completely comprehends. Once he does, he shamefully yells: “O God! It has all come true. Light let this be the last time I see …show more content…

God knows us even before we are born, or even before we are in the womb. He knows us and has plans for our live beforehand. However, He creates us unequally as John Calvin- a second-generation reformer, a lawyer, an intellectual writes: “God determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestined to life or to death.” (Keller). The quote explains why the world is a mixture of the good and the evil. In addition, the evil will be punished without any mercy whereas the good will be

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