What Role Does Fate Play in King Oedipus
Oedipus Rex is a notable literary work by Sophocles. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Oedipus Rex.
Answer
What role does Fate play in “Oedipus Rex”?
Fate plays the most important role in Sophocles’ (c. 496 – 406 BC) “Oedipus Rex” (first performed in c. 429 BC). From the very beginning, Oedipus’s life is controlled by fate. No matter what he does, he cannot escape it.
Prophecy and Fate: Before Oedipus was born, the Delphic Oracle gave a terrible prophecy: Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. His parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta tried to stop fate by leaving their baby to die on a mountain. However, the baby was saved by a shepherd. Later, Oedipus was adopted and raised by the King and Queen of Corinth—whom Oedipus thought to be his real parents.
Fate Comes True: As Oedipus grew up, he heard the same prophecy. Believing his parents in Corinth were his real parents, he ran away to escape his fate. But his actions led him straight into the prophecy. On his journey, he killed his real father, Laius, at a crossroads, without knowing who he was. Then, he arrived in Thebes, solved the Sphinx’s riddle, and became king. He married Laius’ widow, Queen Jocasta—without knowing she was his real mother. In the end, Oedipus realizes that his fate has come true:
Oh god—all come true, all burst to light!
Oedipus and Jocasta both believed they could avoid fate. But everything they did only made the prophecy come true. This proves that fate is stronger than human actions. Even though Oedipus was a good and intelligent king, he could not change his destiny. The play shows that fate is stronger than humans.
In the end, when Oedipus learns the truth, he blinds himself. His story shows that in Greek tragedy, humans cannot outwit fate. The Chorus warns us about the fate that no one can escape suffering until death:
Count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at last.