The Role Of Fate In Oedipus

The Role of Fate in Oedipus the King

What is fate? According to dictionary.com, fate is something that unavoidably befalls a person. In other words fate is uncontrollable. Oedipus the King was a very popular Greek tragedy performed around the 5th century that depicts how's ones fate is unavoidable no matter what may happen. Before his birth, Oedipus was doomed because of the prophesies of the Oracle at Delphi. Oedipus's fate was that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus eventually learned of this fate, and despite him learning this undeniable fortune, his arrogance forces him to not believe the Oracle and go on with his life.

Growing up, Oedipus did not know he was not the son of Polybus. When he heard someone say that he was not the son of Polybus that did not sit well with him so he set out to find out the truth about where he came from and who his parents were. The Oracle at Delphi tells Oedipus of his undeniable fate so he does whatever he can do to avoid this prophecy. He vows to stay away from what he thinks are his real parents until they are deceased. By doing that he actually makes it easier for the Oracle's prophecy to come true. Oedipus eventually finds out that he has wed his mother and killed his father as the Oracle predicted.

The role of fate in Oedipus the King seems to be that no matter what happens, fate cannot be controlled nor avoided. Throughout the play Oedipus believes that fate can be controlled but in the end he learns otherwise.