Oedipus The King Research Paper

In the epic Oedipus the King, the idea of fatalism is one of the main themes within the story. The awareness that no matter how hard one tries he will not be able to avoid the destiny that has been laid before him. From this concept, Oedipus was caught in the midst of a very crucial dilemma; without even knowing, he was called upon to kill his father just because the gods decided to. This is just one of the examples within the story that proves that Oedipus is a quarry of the society that is at the mercy of the gods. By analyzing Oedipus’ birth and the death of his father, a reader will be able to see why he is a victim of society. According to the legend or The Norton Anthology of World Literature by Martin Puchner, King Laios who was Oedipus

2, pg 483). This prophecy irradiates the possibility that the gods within Oedipus’ time period cared little about the lives of humans because the oracle did not even provide King Laios an explanation for why his son will kill him as in if this prophecy was a direct result of some of the previous actions that King Laios may have committed or for how he ruled his kingdom. Unfortunately, we as readers are left to ponder the cause for such an action. If Laios was given a valid reason for such a prophecy then he might of have had a change of heart or even accepted the faith that was too happen; however, he did not have this kind of information so as a result

While Oedipus was under the care of the king and queen of Corinth, Oedipus was warned that he would kill his father and marry his mother and hearing this news he immediately absconded the city but little did he know that he would encounter his actual father without even knowing and he ends up killing his father where three roads met: “One day another oracle warned Oedipus that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus fled Corinth and ran away, in the direction of Thebes, to avoid this fate. At a place where three paths crossed, he encountered his real father, Laois, without knowing who he was; they quarreled, and Oedipus killed Laios…He married the newly widowed queen, Jokasta and took over the throne,” (para 3. Sophocles, pg. 483). Fatalism is also noticed within this scene as well but in a very ironic aspect. Oedipus hears of his destiny and is immediately frightened by it and decides to run away yet he is still consumed with ignorance which results in him killing his own father; though Oedipus thought he was running away from his fate, the gods had actually guided him towards