By controlling fate, the gods carry all the responsibility of Oedipus in killing his father and marrying his mother. They are the only ones who can control fate, and thus they are the only ones to blame for what happened to Oedipus. They could have made Oedipus’ life less miserable, but th

“I would never have become my father’s killer, never have been known to all men as my own mother’s husband. Now I am godforsaken, the son of an accursed marriage, my own father’s successor in the marriage bed. If there is any evil worse than the worst that a man can suffer—Oedipus has drawn it for his lot.” (p. 98)

To destroy Oedipus, the gods granted the power of prophecy to oracles that delivered these prophecies to Laius and Jocasta. As a result, they kill their child to get rid of him and his terrible prophecies. Unfortunately, these prophecies came true because Oedipus didn’t know his real parents. If he had known his real parents, he wouldn’t have killed his father and married his mother.

The gods didn’t find all of this destruction enough, and they continued destroying Oedipus by sending a dangerous plague that ruined the city. They afflicted Thebes with this plague to destroy Oedipus and punish him for murdering Laius, in which they stipulated that the murderer should be killed or condemned to exile in order to end this plague. “Banishment—or repaying blood with blood. We must atone for a murder which brings this plague-storm on the city.” Also, Apollo tried to clarify the murderer’s identity by telling Creon that the murderer is in Thebes. “Here in Thebes, Apollo said. What is searched for can be caught. What is neglected escapes.” Basically, the gods concluded their destruction series in condemning Oedipus to exile or having him executed.

Oedipus is ashamed of himself and unsatisfied with his situation, even though it is not his

Some topics in this essay:
Laius Jocasta, Oedipus Oedipus’, King” Sophocles, Oedipus Apollo, Thebes Apollo, Thebes Finally, Delphi Apollo’s, , Thebes Apollo’s, prophecies true, laius jocasta, real parents, destroy oedipus, kill child, apollo’s oracle, power prophecy, telling oedipus, telling oedipus fate, oedipus family, destruction oedipus, people power prophecy, apollo’s oracle told, father marrying mother, man’s life family,