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Many Greek myths and legends have a valuable point or lesson which is revealed when told. Each individual who hears it obtains a different meaning from what the author tries to throw out to the audience or reader. In Oedipus Rex, one part of The Oedipus Cycle by Sophocles, there is a lesson of allowing life to take its course instead of steering it to your own advantage or trying to prevent it from coming true as Oedipus and parents have attempted to do so. The Gods have predicted what shall happen and it is to remain that way no matter what actions are taken to avoid it. What the gods speak of will happen in due time. Oedipus fate was spoken before his birth to his parents, Laios and Iocaste.
Apollo thus said that Oedipus shall kill his father and then marry his mother. An oracle was reported to Laios once that his doom would be death at the hands of his own son-born of his flesh and of [Iocaste]... It is God himself who can show us what he wills, in his own way. 1 As told before, it has happened indirectly. Laios and Iocaste try to prevent this encounter ment by giving Oedipus away at birth to a shepherd from Corinth that took the baby from the king to his own country... As time passed by and Oedipus grew up he was mocked by others accusing him of false parents. When he confronted his parents they simply said that those who speak are fools and should not be taken seriously.
In search for the truth he went to the gods himself. I went to the shrine at Delphi the God dismissed my question... that I should lie with my own mother, breed children from whom all men would turn their eyes; and that I should be my father s murderer 2 On the way to another country Oedipus stop by a three way intersection on the highway where he was encountered by a chariot. A herald belonging to the chariot forced him off the road where when Oedipus saw the passenger as he tower over him. As the passenger did this Oedipus took a swing at him and made him reach his death.
This is the death of the King of Thebes, Laios, Oedipus true birth father. 3 The fate of King Laios death was not known to the murderer at the time of the death nor did the king expect to die on his trip out of Thebes. Both the king and Oedipus try to avoid confronting each other trying to not make the prophecy come true. Laios first attempt was by sending Oedipus away at birth which is not successful for Oedipus leaves upon hearing the oracle in Corinth and tries to make it his matter not kill his parents. for all these years I kept cleared of Corinth, and no harm has come-though it would have been sweet to see my parents again 4 This has been the goal of Oedipus upon hearing the oracle. The second part of the oracle stated that Oedipus would marry his own flesh and blood, his mother. As Oedipus reaches Thebes, the country is face with a severe problem.
Oedipus is able to save Thebes from the Sphinx which caused a drought in nature and in the children that death took before it breathed the fresh air of the earth. For this great accomplishment Oedipus is named King of Thebes and is given the queen s hand, Iocaste, in marriage. The hand of his wife is the hand of his birth mother which Apollo has stated in the oracle. Without knowing that he is married to his mother Oedipus and Iocaste ruled Thebes and expanded their family with sons and daughters. your father... sowed the womb of her who bore him. 5 The prophecy was confirmed when Oedipus went to further question his parent s background.
What has brought one prophecy to light is brought about by another prophecy being told and researched that could not be easily fulfilled. Before Oedipus discovered the truth about his past he is confronted with another prophecy sent by Creon from Apollo. Apollo wants that an end to a fugitive that has not paid for his crime. If he int found then the whole city of Thebes must suffer. The God commands us to expel from the land of Thebes an old defilement we are sheltering... it was murder that brought the plague-wind to the city. 6 With this oracle stated Oedipus took it within his power to catch the murdered of King Laios before it could happen to him.
He promised to have the murderer be put into exile from Thebes. Oedipus proclaims that the murderer, whether it is someone who is a stranger that does not have a motive for his actions or he himself, the punishment is still in effect. It is not his wish to be a victim to his own punishment but as it turns out Oedipus is the killer of his father Laios. To prevent himself to see what others thought of him after his crime Oedipus destroyed his own sense of sight and asked Creon to send him into exile. He has taken his own consequences to the highest extreme voluntarily.
As said by the God Apollo commands us now to take revenge upon whoever killed him. 7 The actual punishment is not state clearly in words from Apollo but Creon saw that Oedipus self destruction is suitable. The Gods speak of what shall happen to the people of any land regardless of who it affects. Indirectly there is a reason behind every action that the Gods produce which is not known at the time but is revealed in due time. Putting aside the actual murderer Oedipus automatically side with the God s against the person who committed the crime. the Delphic Voice of Zeus has pronounced this revelation. Thus I associate myself with the oracle and take the side of the murdered king. 8 The coincidence of Oedipus being the murdered is not so according to the Gods as it might seem for the people of Thebes.
After several attempts to prevent what the oracle had predicted it still resulted the same. The life of Oedipus is set out before his birth. Actions he has taken during his lifetime was not unexpected and the crime he committed was planned for him. If I was created so, born to this fate, who could deny the savagery of God? 9 Oedipus self proclaimed this. Proclaimed that if the God s wanted his life to result this way then it is meant to happen. It does not matter how hard one tries to postpone or completely detour the prophecy it shall fulfill it contents as given by the Gods.
As for Iocaste who encouraged Oedipus to not seek the truth about the oracle proving that he did marry his mother, she does not want to deal with knowing the crime that she had committed within her marriage. The prophecies are taken in by different levels of seriousness. Oedipus was taken by surprise to hear all the details that proved that his prophecy came true. 'Ah God! It was true! All the prophecies-Now O light, may I look on you for the last time! 10 There are many a times where the God s prophecies are question.
The events that correspond to what was said to happen. If fate, destiny, or t he Gods determines everything a person will do before they are born, as is suggested by the play, then what crime is Oedipus guilty of? The homicide which he is accused of is not really a crime if it was meant to be or is it? Oedipus lived his life as normally as he can for himself not to prevent the oracle but because one should live for the day. Fate rules us and nothing can be foreseen? A man should live only for the present day. 11 This statement is told by Iocaste to Oedipus when both thought that the prophecy was meant for his parents in Corinth.
It is true how Iocaste views this because no matter how one s life is it will always be vulnerable to the Gods and at there mercy without it being acknowledged. Therefore what is foreseen must follow through the entire road until it is completed. 31 e
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