The Idea of escaping fate is a great way of looking at this text and I feel you make a good argument of Oedipus as a tragic figure. Fate does seem determined to make Oedipus follow the path laid out for him. As you mention, Oedipus is attempting to resist fate. His destiny being revealed to him, he leaves what he believes to be his father and mother never to see them again in an effort to keep the prophecy from coming true. Unfortunately, this action leads Oedipus directly into alignment with
Words: 295 - Pages: 2
Jacqueline Aldaco Anthony Bullock Classics 28 27 April 2012 Knowledge and its Limitations Greeks could never know exactly what their gods were up to, so they often had to travel to visit oracles that were able to give them insight. Greeks saw knowledge as a form of power that helped them gain some control over their lives. To ancient Greeks knowledge was such an important aspect of life they had a divinity symbolize it. Apollo was the god of knowledge and medicine, in many Greek
Words: 1823 - Pages: 8
Nobody wants to be a puppet, dangling from the strings as somebody else directs your every movement. Humans want control of their own lives, and if given an “ugly” destiny, they will make every attempt to destroy that fate and create their own. Both Minority Report, directed by Steven Spielberg, and Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, demonstrate human determination to create their own path. Humans crave the opportunity to shape their own destiny. When given a frightful or potentially life-altering
Words: 1000 - Pages: 4
He fulfilled the second part of the prophecy by solving the Sphinx’s riddle and received his prize, marrying Queen Jocasta and becoming king of Thebes. As a result of attempting to change his fate, he ends up successfully fulfilling the prophecy because he had the choice to kill King Laius and his men. In conjunction with Oedipus, the fate of Odysseus and his men are
Words: 386 - Pages: 2
Sophocles' Oedipus is a perfect fit to Aristotle's Ideal Tragic Hero. Oedipus follows all of the rules, with a hamartia, an anagnorisis, and a peripeteia. The audience is introduced to the hamartia, or tragic flaw, of Oedipus early in the play. Oedipus believes he can dodge the oracle given to him at Delphi that he will kill his father and marry his mother. By leaving the city of Corinth and heading to Thebes, Oedipus thinks that he can outsmart the will that the gods have for him. However, the audience
Words: 3052 - Pages: 13
According to Aristotle, tragedy “depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods. The tragic hero's powerful wish to achieve some goal inevitably encounters limits, usually those of human frailty (flaws in reason, hubris, society), the gods (through oracles, prophets, fate), or nature” (Reeves 175). Aristotle says that the tragic hero should have a flaw and/or make some mistake (hamartia). The hero does not necessarily have
Words: 1229 - Pages: 5
fate by countering, but once it’s decided as fate by the gods there is no stopping it until it comes to pass. For example, the Queen Jocasta of Thebes recounts the oracle's prediction: “There was an oracle once that came to Laius---and told him that it was fate that he should die a victim at the hands of his own son, a son to be born of Laius and me” (1582). Jocasta tells this to Oedipus, but neither one knows yet that Oedipus himself is the son, new husband, and murderer of the late King Laius. Even
Words: 1217 - Pages: 5
Indranie Sharma QMHS Antigone by Sophocles 7/3/14 In this story the theme loyalty is portrayed through Antigone when she defies her uncle to bury her brother Polynices. Apparently Antigone couldn't bear for one brother to be buried with honor and the other left to rot in the sun. Since she felt that it was her duty to give Polynices a burial because he was her brother and was deceived by Eteocles when it
Words: 2493 - Pages: 10
terrorized the city by devouring anyone who crossed its path and was unable to solve is riddle correctly. Oedipus solved the riddle and after slaying the Sphinx Oedipus was given the kingship of Thebes and the hand of its recently widowed queen, Jocasta, in reward. This play has many takes. Play has been a big part of art over centuries. Today you can find plays in big cities, towns, and many
Words: 292 - Pages: 2
completely controlled by it? Oedipus is clearly a man of action, always thinking and jumping to conclusions. His swift and vigorous action can be seen at the beginning of the play. Through out the play Oedipus will to action is relentless. He forced Jocasta , Tiresias and the Shepard, despite their strong reluctance to finally give into
Words: 302 - Pages: 2
