Sophocless Oedipus the King described a tragic story of a hero named Oedipus, who killed his father, married

his mother and even sired children with his mother. Oedipus, who was a stranger to Thebes, quickly became the king of the city after saving it from the Sphinx. Throughout the play, he was portrayed as a powerful ruler, one filled with confidence and determination. He was deemed a great leader by the way he addressed and satisfied his peoples needs. For example, Oedipus revealed that he already knew that the city was in a bad situation. Thus, he sent Creon to Apollo to find a solution. These positive and powerful qualities that Oedipus possessed quickly led to his downfall. Even though Oedipus had done unethical things, he should not be charged with killing his father and having an incest relationship with Queen Jocasta. Oedipus did not intend to kill his father or even to marry his mother. He was unaware that King Laius and Queen Jocasta were his birth parents. For example, Oedipus said, Parents-who? Waitwho is my father? (629). Oedipus had always thought that his real parents were King Polybus and Queen Merope; My father was Polybus King of Corinth. My mother, a Dorian, Merope (638). If Oedipus knew about his real mother and father, he wouldnt have done what he did. Towards the end of the play, Tiresias, the blind prophet was able to see the truth while Oedipus, who was not blind, failed see the truth: How terrible-to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees! (626). This is also one of the themes of the play; the ability to differentiate between seeing with the eyes and seeing with the mind. People need to understand that they need eyes to comprehend and not just to see things with them. Tiresias, the blind prophet understood what he saw even though he had no eyes, while Oedipus failed to understand the concept. Oedipus finally saw the truth and

understood everything when he became blind by gouging his eyes out. Even though Oedipus was guilty of ignorance, he should not have been blamed for his actions because one cannot fight against fate. Fate played a big role in the play. In the past, many people took oracles seriously because they were predictions of the future. In the beginning of the play, Oedipus took oracles seriously by doing things to prevent the prophecy from fulfilling. For example, Oedipus sent Creon to the oracle because he believed that events were not determined randomly. He also fled to Corinth after hearing the oracle, which claimed that he would kill his father, marry his mother and sire children with her. For example, Oedipus stated, I heard all that and ran. I abandoned Corinth, from that day on (638). Queen Jocasta and King Laius also took the oracle seriously by preventing the prophecy from fulfilling. For example, Jocasta pierced her babys ankles and abandoned him in the mountains. In Greece, when a child was born unhealthy, parents did not continue to nurture him or her. Therefore, Jocasta had to make a blemish on Oedipus by piercing his foot. This was how Oedipus derived his name, because Oedipus meant swollen foot. Towards the end of the play, Jocasta found the oracles worthless because she assumed that the oracles did not come true for her. The oracle prophesied that her son would kill Laius. So when Laius was killed, Jocasta did not believe that it was her son who killed King Laius since she abandoned her son on the mountains. She assumed that it was just a stranger who killed Laius. For example, Jocasta said, my son was doomed to kill my husbandmy son, poor defenseless thing, he never had a chance to kill his father. They destroyed him first. So much for prophecy. Its neither here nor there. From this day on, I wouldnt look right or left (640). Jocasta believed that everything is luck and random;

Fear? What should a man fear? Its all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark. Better to live at random, best we can (643). Jocasta also believed that there was no need for preparation in life since life was random. However, Jocasta was wrong for not preparing for the oracle. Eventually, she found out that the oracle was true, which made her committed suicide. This proved that no one can escape from the power of the oracles and preparation must be done carefully. This was another reason why Oedipus should not be charged with killing his father and having an incest relationship with Queen Jocasta. King Laius and Queen Jocasta were responsible for not taking care of the preparation properly. It was mentioned that Laius was killed at a place where three roads met, a crossroad. A crossroad usually symbolized different choices to make, each with different outcomes. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus had no choice when he arrived at the crossroad, because the power of fate and prophecy were stronger than free will. Its easy to blame Oedipus for being blind or foolish the whole time, however, one needed to keep in mind that he seemed to have no choice in fulfilling the prophecy. For example, he was sent away from Thebes as a baby and, by a coincidence, saved and raised as a prince in Corinth. After he had heard about the oracle, he ran away from Corinth and by another coincidence, ended up back in Thebes. He became the king of Thebes and married the widow Queen Jocasta, thus replacing his father. Even though Oedipus had done every thing possible to avoid the prophecy from coming true, his fate continually caught up with him. Again and again this play, and other myths, returned to the fact that prophecies do come true and that the words of the gods must be obeyed. People cannot avoid prophecies

and it was warned that they should prepare wisely. As one can see, King Laius and Queen Jocasta had not completed their mission, which led the fulfillment of the prophecy. Even if King Laius and Queen Jocasta had done everything right, it was still doubtful if the prophecy were to come true because of the power of fate. Either way, Oedipus should not be blamed for killing his father or marrying his mother.

Work Cited

Lawall, Sarah. "The Norton Anthology of World Literature." Beginnings to A.D. 100. Volume A. New York: Norton & Company, 2002.