Fate Throughout Sophocles' Plays

"Fate" Throughout Sophocles's Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus The classical Greek writers have given the world major literary themes. One such theme is "Fate". According to Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language the word fate is defined as "the principal or determining cause or will by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do: destiny"(529). The Theme "Fate" is applicable to Oedipus and his lineage, in Sophecles's three Theban plays: Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus. "Fate" plays a cruel role in the lives of everyone related to Oedipus. Not only was Oedipus's life condemned from the beginning, but the lives of his four children were also ill fated. The entire bloodline, beginning with Oedipus, met a tragic end or led a tragic life through no fault of their own. Thomas Gould explains, "sometimes it is suggested that Oedipus would not have avoided his misery by having been a better man, but he could have remained prosperous and happy if he had been a less good man" (Gould 51). If not for "Fate", the lives of Oedipus and his entire family could have been much better off. The whole debacle started with the birth of Oedipus. Oedipus was the only child of Laius and Jocasta, king and queen of Thebes. They took Oedipus to the oracle at Delphi to have his prophecy read. The oracle prophesized that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother, "... Why, Loxias declared that I should one day marry my own mother, And with my own hands shed my father's blood. Wherefore Corinth I have kept away far, for long years; and prospered; none the less it is most sweet to see one's parents' face..."(ll. 556-559, 187). In order to prevent this from happening, Laius and Jocasta pierced Oedipus's foot and ordered a shepherd to abandon him on a mountainside. The shepherd pitied the child and gave him to a herdsman from Corinth. The herdsman then gave the child to Polybus and Merope, the childless king and queen of Corinth. They adopted him and raised him as their own. Oedipus grew up thinking he was the prince of Corinth. He heard rumors that he was not the natural son of Polybus and Merope, and he went to consult the oracle of Delphi to find the truth. The oracle repeated the same prophecy that was told to Laius and Jocasta. Thinking that Polybus and Merope were his parents, "Oedipus moves away when he is told his fate" (Jones 41). "Fate" then stepped in and Oedipus met an old man accompanied by several servants at a crossroads. The old man was Laius, on his way to Delphi. Since both men were proud, they refused to step aside so the other could pass. Oedipus lost his temper and in a rage he killed them all, except for one servant who escaped, ... I found myself upon the self-same spot where, you say, the king perished ... When in my travels I was come near this place where three roads meet, there met me a herald, and a man that rode in a colt-carriage ... And the old man himself, would thrust me, I, being enraged, strike him who jostled me-- The driver-- and the old man ... He paid though! duly I am not; but in brief, smitten by the staff in this right hand of mine ... out of the carriage straight he rolls down headlong; and I slay them all...(ll. 1104- 1112, 217).

When Oedipus kills his father, Laius, "it is not out of hatred of his parents" (Vernant 110). Oedipus has no idea who the "stranger" is. All Oedipus realizes is that he has his life in danger. Fate is what has Oedipus murder his father. Not realizing that he had fulfilled half of his terrible prophecy, Oedipus continued on his way to Thebes. When he arrived a

A Blindness in Oedipus Rex

In Sophocles' play, "Oedipus the King", one of the main themes is blindness. The author uses physical blindness, as well as intellectual blindness to illustrate Oedipus' status In the beginning of the play, Oedipus has perfect physical vision. However, he is "blind" and ignorant to the truth about himself and his past. He desperately wants to "see", but he cannot. This is exemplified in the play when Oedipus states that "once more [he] must bring what is dark to light" (1259). Oedipus wants to overcome his

The Dramatic Irony of Blindness

TIRESIAS - THE DRAMATIC IRONY OF BLINDNESS Throughout history there have been some astonishing Greek plays. Some plays were more comedic in nature, so were romance plays and then there were some that were tragic plays. One of the greatest Greek tragedy plays ever written was Oedipus the King. Brilliantly conceived and written, Oedipus the King dramatizes the self-discovery and tragic downfall of Oedipus, the King of Thebes. It tells the story about a young Greek who was fated to murder his father, marry his mother, and in the process become the King of Thebes, before ultimately meeting his downfall due to his own deeds. That makes this play so fascinating is that there are numerous underlying themes within the story, and I will attempt to shed light on one of these themes, that being the dramatic irony of blindness. I shall do this by focusing on the words and actions of a minor character in the play, Tiresias. A minor character is a character that is developed in such a way to help reveal themes and depict certain literary devices. Literary devices are used in mostly all literary works, as they can help reveal pertinent information and also move the story along. In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the minor character of Tiresias is responsible for foreshadowing Oedipus' fate, developing the theme of blindness, and also illustrating dramatic irony. Tiresias uses his fortune teller abilities to foreshadow the anguish and destruction that Oedipus will encounter after he learns the truths of his life. Tiresias is also responsible for further developing the theme of blindness by using his own physical blindness to reveal to Oedipus his intellectual blindness. Lastly, Tiresias is ultimately responsible for imposing dramatic irony because of his great knowledge of the truth of

Oedipus. In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, the character of Tiresias is developed in such a way that he utilizes many dramatic devices in order to reveal information and move the play along. As a fortune teller, Tiresias is able to see the fate and destruction of Oedipus' life. Tiresias uses his great ability to reveal to the reader the downfalls in Oedipus' life that will soon occur because of his quest to know his fate. The character of Tiresias demonstrates the use of foreshadowing in order for the reader to be aware of Oedipus' fate. "You have mocked at my blindness, but you, who have eyes, cannot see the evil in which you stand; you cannot see where you are living, not with whom you share your house. Do you even know who your parents are? Without knowing it, you are the enemy of your own flesh and blood, the dead below and the living above here. The double-edged curse of your mother and father, moving on dread feet, shall one day drive you from this land. You see straight now but then you will see darkness. You will scream aloud on that day; there is no place which shall not hear you, no part of Mount Cithaeron here which will not ring its echo, on that day when you know the truth about your wedding, that evil harbor in which you sailed before a fair wind. There is a multitude of horrors which you do not even suspect, and they will equate you to yourself and to your own children." This passage foreshadows the destruction and misery that will soon be a part of Oedipus' life. Tiresias also foreshadows the self-mutilation and destruction of Oedipus. The following quotation clearly displays the use of foreshadowing by Tiresias, The preceding quotation foreshadows the self-destruction that Oedipus will commit because of the blindness that he holds towards his past and his fate. Tiresias explains to Oedipus that even though he can physically see now, in the future he will be blinded because he has learned the truth of his life. Tiresias clearly utilizes foreshadowing to illustrate the downfalls that will occur in Oedipus' fated life.