Michelle Wolken
Survey of Dramatic Literature
Natalie Turner-Jones
September 10, 2014

Oedipus Rex

In 420 B.C., Sophocles wrote his rendition of Oedipus Rex. Oedipus Rex is the story of the son of the King and Queen of Thebes. The theme of fate plays a monstrous role in this entire play. Throughout time, the idea of fate and how it affects people’s decisions. While the Greeks wholeheartedly believed in the idea of fate, nowadays fate is an after-thought. By taking a look at the circumstances, one might be able to get a better understanding of the Greek idea of fate and how Oedipus might have been able to change his fate. In the story of Oedipus Rex, a prophecy is given to King Laius that his son will kill him and in turn marry the King’s wife Jocasta. In order to save himself from being killed at the hand of his own son, Laius has his wife send Oedipus away and promptly ignores the prophecy. This is the first moment where the idea of Oedipus’ fate could have been changed. If only the King and Queen decided, “You know what, instead of deciding to believe in this prophecy, we are going to raise our son in an honorable way and ensure that this will never happen.” Instead, they get rid of the child and ignore the situation. This is the first time that Oedipus could have avoided his fate. Then, fast-forward several years; Oedipus has been adopted by the King and Queen of Corinth. At a party, a drunken guy makes a crack saying that Oedipus was adopted. This bothers Oedipus immensely. But instead of letting it go or asking his adopted parents about what the drunken man had said, he seeks out the Oracle to find out his fate. The Oracle tells Oedipus of the prophecy that was given to Laius. Oedipus decides that instead of facing the prophecy and returning to Corinth, he is going to run away and not give the prophecy the final say. Here is the second chance that Oedipus had in changing his fate. During his attempt to run away from the prophecy and his fate, Oedipus runs into his biological father and some of his friends on the road to Thebes. He ends us killing his biological father and all of his friends except one. This is the third chance Oedipus had to change his fate. He knew that the prophecy said he would kill his father. Oedipus could not have killed anyone for the rest of his life and