The first major theme of fate is what had gotten the family of Oedipus where they were when the play began. Fate is why Oedipus winds up killing his own father and eventually ended up marrying his own mother and then later on he found out about all of this. ... In the first paragraph of the play it reads, "My darling sister Ismene, we have had a fine inheritance from Oedipus. ... This just shows how terrible fate has treated the family of Oedipus. ... Indeed, in her terms these absolutes are, paradoxically, just the things that live always. ...

• Word Count: 2111
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School