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A series of expected events that are beyond a person’s control is defined as fate. Fate can lead us to exceptional or dreadful places, but running away from the outcome is impossible. In Oedipus Rex written by Sophocles, and translated by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald, the character Oedipus is challenged with his fate. He encounters hurdles during his journey to find out the perpetrator of King Laios. Throughout the play, his fate is interpreted through different events in his life. This play is shaped out to form how unplanned events can come back and haunt you in your life and lead you to your future.
Oedipus encountered an unbelievable truth when he goes to visit a blind prophet named Teiresias. He originally plans to go there to solve who the murderer of King Laios is, but the outcome takes a turn. Teiresias is being pressured to tell the truth about the murderer of King Laios, which is related to the plague in the city of Thebes, as told by Apollo. Teiresias firstly exclaims, “Let me go home. Bear your own fate, and I’ll/Bear mine. It is better so: trust what I say” (Sophocles 17). When Teiresias says this, he is in a way foreshadowing the fact that the truth will change Oedipus’ fate and can be potentially dangerous for him in the future. However, being the person Oedipus is he forces Teiresias to say the truth and he gives in and says, “ I say that you are the murderer whom you seek” (Sophocles 20). This causes major outrage from Oedipus and it is shocking to hear that Oedipus has killed King Laios. Oedipus fails to accept the truth about him and is one step toward his fate.
Deeper into the play there is more being uncovered about the fate of Oedipus. Crossroads is a symbol and meaning that plays a huge role in Oedipus’ fate. Firstly, it marks a milestone because that is the exact place where Oedipus kills King Laios. Oedipus learns that an oracle once stated that Laios’ death would be in the hands of his own child and a mountainside (Sophocles 38). Furthermore, when Oedipus hears this he is shocked and puts together that Laios was killed at where three roads meet, which were the crossroads. Iocaste is the one that tells him this story but later finds out that a shepherd was there when all this happens and calls him quickly (Sophocles 41). Oedipus finally finds out the whole truth about how Iocaste and King Laios are his mother and father, and he was the one who killed Laios. He never expected any of this to happen and he is now facing the consequences of what is called fate. He is finally paying for what he did even though he did not deserve it.
In the end, everything added up and Oedipus was at the final stage of realizing his fate. Once realizing that Iocaste is his mother he ran into the palace to find that she had hanged herself (Sophocles 68). Fate plays a role because eventually when Oedipus found out that he was the one that killed Laios he would be punished. Therefore, his wife killing herself is a consequence that he receives. Also, he himself suffered by “Struck at his eyes--not once, but many times;/And the blood-spattered his beard” (Sophocles 69). This exhibits how fate is inevitable and how escaping from it is impossible. Oedipus eventually punishes himself for making mistakes and makes himself blind to not being able to see the truth and light anymore.
Overall, Oedipus proves through his many encounters and challenges that fate can not be overthrown or passed by easily. He suffered through his journey and paid for what he had done. His fate is not escapable and is not making him suffer for a lifetime.
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