Discussion: Argument About Oedipus the King (Essay Sample)

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Oedipus the King
Oedipus the King is a great play with one of the best plots. It revolves around many characters, but the main protagonist is Oedipus, who happens to end his father’s life and tie the knot with his mother. Upon learning of his foretold fate, he attempts as much as he can to prevent it from happening. That notwithstanding, the same actions he takes to avoid the actualization of the prophesied fate are the same actions that culminate in the realization of fate. The author of this play tries to show that there are deities who control everything and that persons are mere puppets to fulfill what gods have wanted in their lives. Throughout this play, Oedipus struggles to prevent the prophecy, but he fails terribly, indicating that what gods have in their plans must happen (Fosso 26). This paper argues that Oedipus the King illustrates how characters act as puppets of fate to fulfill the intentions of gods.
Throughout the play, fate appears as a critical part of a man’s life, and human beings do not have the power and strength to overcome what gods have decided or planned for their lives. What typifies fate is the sequence of events outside an individual’s control, which a supernatural power predetermines. As readers analyze the life of the main character, King Oedipus, they know that the prophetic predictions of Apollo have close associations with the lives of the king and queen - King Laius and Queen Jocasta. For long ago, she and Laius had learned from Apollo’s oracle that it was fate that he should die a victim …” (Fosso 28). The latter gives birth to a baby boy, but his father tries as much as he can to keep himself aloof from the new member of the family.
The king's actions aim at averting the fulfillment of the oracle by Apollo. When King Laius gives one of his best servants the child to leave him in the woods and die there, he gives pities the newborn. Thus, he gives the boy to a shepherd to take care of him. Oedipus asks, “A vagrant shepherd journeying for hire?” (Sophocles). As fate would turn out, the shepherd gives the child to the family of King Polypus and Queen Merope, who adopt him and raise him as a member of this powerful social unit. In other words, the main character is the prince of Corinth. That notwithstanding, he later realizes that the king is not his father and he cannot inherit the kingdom from his father. The main character questions, “My sire no more to me than one who is naught?” (Sophocles). In addition, he learns that he will murder his father and mother. Upon learning this prophetic prediction, Oedipus attempts to do all he can to avoid the terrible fate.
Omnipotence is critical in the works of the oracle, which manifested for the first time following the birth of Oedipus. Critically, although Oedipus is an individual with an exemplary personality, he is a perfect agent through which gods realize their plans. Although he does everything at his disposal to circumvent the oracle’s prophecy, Oedipus’s actions and intentions are all in vain. As Huang (13) contends, Oedipus represents the ordinary Greek citizen who does not subscribe to gods’ wisdom and thinks he or she has more intelligence than deities do. His parents try to impede the prophecy by fastening the child’s feet and ordering the shepherd to kill the boy. However, since Oedipus is an agent of fate in the play, the shepherd does not kill him. Later, he becomes a son to a king in Corinth. From a critical and analytical perspective, this is the first step of Oedipus towards fulfilling the prophecy. Apollo tells Oedipus he will marry his mother and kill his father. However, the main character asks, “Must I not fear my mother’s marriage bed?” (Sophocles).
Although Oedipus runs away from Corinth upon hearing a prophecy from Apollo, he cannot run away from accomplishing what the gods have planned. In his journey, he encounters Laius as well as his followers. Tragically, he kills them all. It is hard for one to believe Oedipus has the power to kill a group of people. That notwithstanding, he has received magical powers to kill his father and followers with little resistance (Huang 14). Oedipus says, “My father? But he’s dead and in his grave…Killed him and so I slew him in a sense” (Sophocles). He has tried to do all he can to avoid the actualization of the oracle, but gods can influence humans in different ways to attain fate. Therefore, it is critical to underscore that the oracle by Apollo has come to fulfillment in the context of Laius and Oedipus.
Upon arriving at the City of Thebes, he helps figure out the puzzles of the Sphinx, saving inhabitants from a myriad of misfortunes as well as suffering. The playwright mentions, “The riddling Sphinx compelled us to let slide” (Sophocles). He motivates and encourages citizens in this city to live free from fear of destruction. The author says, “… make dark things clear. Right worthy the concern …” (Sophocles). However, it is important to note that the main character's fate has unusual things to offer him. Interestingly, as he saves the city from fear and destruction, he marries his mother, the widow of the late king, King Laius. It is upon actualizing the prophetic prediction that he assumes the leadership of the Kingdom of Thebes.
The sequence of events after the death of King Laius that lead to the marriage between the queen and her son is very interesting since it illustrates how gods plan happenings to fulfill the oracle. The play demonstrates that the Sphinx is a monster that eats all persons who do not correctly answer its question. When the monster meets Oedipus, it thinks it has found another perfect prey. However, the main character offers the correct solution (answer). Strikingly, the Sphinx commits suicide by jumping from the mountain. Upon citizens knowing the great success stories of Oedipus, they become very pleased and are willing to give or do something to appreciate him. “He who knew the Sphinx’s riddle and was the mightiest in our state” (Sophocles). Since Queen Jocasta is a widow and lonely, they decide to give her to Oedipus as a wife, not knowing that she is his mother. Strangely, neither the mother nor the son has the knowledge about the identity of each other. If they knew each other identities, they would not marry; thus, the oracle would not be true. Here, the audience learns that destiny has won, and, consequently, fate proves no individual has the power to avoid his or her suffering as well as sorrows.
From a critical point of view, Oedipus is in a state of confusion. The new king killed his biological father and later tied the knot with his biological mother. As all these are happening, he appears to be very ignorant about the identities of his father and mother. At this point, the audience also struggles to conclude whether the main character is liable for the terrible happenings or ill fate. That notwithstanding, one cannot fail to underscore that Oedipus must experience all hardships as the Oracle of Apollo had foretold. At some point, even Teiresias appears to have given up by saying, “I leave to Apollo what concerns the god” (Sophocles). Oedipus’ wish to establish the