Symbolism in Oedipus the King Many famous literary works commonly contain symbolism which is used as a way to expand the plot and give deeper meaning to otherwise insignificant objects or concepts. One such piece, in this case a play, is Oedipus the King by the famous Greek writer Sophocles. Being a philosopher Sophocles was very good at hiding symbolism within his writing. Some of the most powerful symbols he uses, such as the crossroads at which Oedipus kills Laius and both the “true” sight and vision of the blind prophet Tiresias, as well as the scars on Oedipus’ feet, add a very complex second layer which gives each person a different reading experience and the chance to develop their own connotations. Throughout history countless poem writers, authors and even directors have used a crossroad as a metaphor to represent an important decision or turning point in a characters life. For Oedipus this life changing point came when he was confronted by 5 men at a three way crossroad “Well, Laius , so the story goes, was killed by foreign robbers at a place where three highways meet” (Sophocles 50) the author further goes on to say “ As for the son-three days after his birth Laius fastened his ankles together and had him cast away on the pathless mountains” (Sophocles 50). This shows that the crossroad may not have represented much of a decision at all but only a life changing moment. This is because not only did Oedipus kill Laius at a three way crossroad but he was left to die three days after birth. This is symbolic because the number three can be related to the three headed, one head for each the past, present and future, Greek god of fate Hecate. Neither Oedipus, nor his birth parents were able to avoid what has ultimately always been fated to happen to them. Just like with crossroads many stories of the past seem to contain an old and somehow crippled man