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Oedipus Essay

 

            
             "One meets his destiny often on the road he takes to avoid it." One can only do so much to try and dodge the inevitable, but in the end you cannot stop it; sometimes there is just a set plan that is meant to be. Oedipus, the king of Thebes in Sophocles" play Oedipus the King, moved away from his home and began a new life to avoid his fate, but he ended up exactly where the oracle knew he would. The play shows has many aspects that can determine ones character; such as, knowledge does not bring one happiness, one gains wisdom through suffering, and leadership can determine the fate of a nation. Hence, these concepts make Oedipus a symbolic figure for all man kind. .
             Knowledge does not bring one happiness. One always wants to get all of the facts on every situation, but it does not always lead to contentment. For example, Oedipus wants to get the entire truth about who murdered King Laius, the original king of Thebes and Oedipus's real father. He sends for a holy profit, Tiresias who is very laconic with the information he gives, so he can answer the questions that he has involving the murder. Tiresias is not happy that he has to give Oedipus this information he torments him by stating: "I charge you now to carry out the articles of the proclamation you made. From now on do not presume to speak to me or to any of these people. You are the murderer, you are the unholy defilement of this land." (23) Tiresias says this to Oedipus when he asks him who murdered King Lauis, this answer did not make Oedipus happy, and he was outraged. Also, after Oedipus begins to find out small parts of the truth about the murder of Lauis, he becomes more curious about his murky past. He begins to ask Queen Jocasta, his wife and mother, about King Lauis and what she had heard happened to him when he was killed. She told him that there was only one person who was still alive that was there the day that King Lauis was attacked, but that this man no longer lived in Thebes, he had asked the Queen to send him away the day that Oedipus became King.


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