FREE ESSAY ON "FATE" THROUGHOUT SOPHOCLES'S THREE THEBAN PLAYS: ANTIGONE, OEDIPUS REX, OEDIPUS AT COLONUS

"FATE" THROUGHOUT SOPHOCLES'S THREE THEBAN PLAYS: ANTIGONE, OEDIPUS REX, OEDIPUS AT COLONUS

"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 at Thebes there was a widespread plague in the city. In order to free the city of
this plague one had to solve the riddle that came with it, the riddle of the Sphinx.
Oedipus was clever enough to solve the riddle, which in turn cured the city of the
plague. After answering the Sphinx's riddle and ridding Thebes of the monster, Oedipus
was considered a hero. When the people learned of Laius' death, believed to be the fault
of bandits, they made Oedipus their new king. In the imperial palace there was Jocasta, a
recent widow of the missing King Laius. As it was accustomed, Oedipus married the widow
Jocasta. The city was happy with their king for the next years, Jocasta and Oedipus
eventually had four children: Eteocles, Polynices, Ismene, and Antigone. This fulfilled
the other half of his horrible fate. 
Then, another dark cloud came over Thebes. There was another plague infecting the city.
An Oracle was contacted and the way to solve this riddle was to banish the killer of the
former king Laius from the city. Oedipus in the process of solving the riddle found out
that Jocasta was in fact is real mother But she, perhaps ... I have her for mother...
(l. 1383, 236).
Eventually Oedipus learned of what he had done was consumed by despair. After finding
Jocasta hanging from the ceiling, Oedipus shouted that he could no longer bear to see his
shame and gouged out his eyes with the brooches on Jocasta's dress. Oedipus was
eventually banished from the city of Thebes, and wandered around Greece, unaccepted
because of the curse that was thought to be on him. 
In time Oedipus made his way to Colonus. He requested to see the king, Theseus. It is
revealed to Oedipus by Ismene that a new prophecy has been told. The city that possesses
the grave of Oedipus will receive continued good fortunes. She then warns that Creon
knows of the prophecy and will try to force Oedipus back to Thebes. Theseus then enters
and treats Oedipus respectfully. He agrees to protect Oedipus from Creon and allow him to
live in Colonus until his death. Oedipus promises that Athens will be rewarded. Fate
again interrupted Oedipus's life at this juncture. After living a life full of suffering
he decided to rest in a grove of trees. It just so happened that the grove was a sacred
place for the city of Colonus. Oedipus then met with Theseus and was allowed to stay in
Colonus in peace. He was not there long but at least he died with a small degree of
honor. Unfortunately, fate was not so kind to the rest of Oedipus's descendants. Before
he died Oedipus prophesized that his two sons, who abandoned him for a chance at the
throne of Thebes, would kill each other in battle. They were made co-rulers of Thebes,
but each wanted complete rule. Eteocles won over the people and was able to exile
Polynices. Polynices then went to Argos and raised an army to invade Thebes. As predicted
by Oedipus, Eteocles and Polynices met on the battlefield and killed each other. Creon
was once again made king of Thebes. His first act as king was to give Eteocles a state
funeral. He condemned Polynices as a traitor and would not allow his body to be buried.
Antigone would not allow this to happen and defied Creon by burying her brother. Creon
was astonished by Antigone's defiance and ordered her to die. With Antigone's death the
legacy of Oedipus was complete. Not only was one life full of suffering, but those of his
children were also.
If not for fate, much of the despair in the lives of Oedipus and his children could have
been averted. Oedipus and Laius were both far too stubborn for their own well being, that
much is true, but it was fate that brought that bundle of pride together in the first
place. Fate is also responsible for Oedipus's glory in death. It just so happens that he
stopped to rest in the grove at Colonus. The Athenians and King Theseus ruled Colonus.
The compassion of Theseus towards Oedipus allowed him to die with a bit of dignity. Fate
can also be held responsible for the meeting of Eteocles and Polynices on the
battlefield. The odds of both of them surviving to combat each other in a huge battle
could not have been to good. If fate had not played it's hand, one of them probably would
have died somewhere else on the battlefield. Antigone and Ismene seemed to be innocent
victims of the fates of their father and brothers. Neither of them did anything wrong,
yet neither of them had any happiness in their lives. When they were small children,
their mother hung herself and Oedipus poked his eyes out. Antigone wasted her life
leading her blind father around, sharing in his misery. Ismene had to live with the fact
that she was inbred and the gods cursed her family. Eventually Antigone's life ended in
despair to. She was separated from her fiance and died as a traitor to the state.
Unfortunately, "Oedipus was undone by external things and was in no way responsible for
his misery" (Gloud 57). Oedipus and his lineage were ill fated from the start and never
really had much of a chance. 
Oedipus was a victim of fate, his future was foretold by an Oracle, he had no way of
knowing his wife was his mother nor that the stranger he killed was his father. Oedipus
could not prevent his own downfall. Oedipus was the king of Thebes, he became king when
he cured the city of a deadly plague. He cured the plague by solving the riddle of the
mythical creature, the Sphinx. Now the city is suffering from another plague and as king
Oedipus must solve the riddle of this one.
When Oedipus was born he was taken to an Oracle; this was custom for the rich. The Oracle
was to tell his fate. The Oracle said that when Oedipus grows up he will marry his mother
and he would also kill his father, ... 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...(p36 ln1-6). When his parents herd this they gave Oedipus to a man and he
was to get rid of the baby by leaving it in the forest, but an servant of Polybus, the
king of Corinth, finds the baby and brings him to the king. The king falls in love with
the baby and takes him in as one of his own.
Oedipus left Corinth to avoid his foretold fate, he went to Thebes. On his journey he ran
into a caravan at the crossroads before entering Thebes. This caravan was of the present
King of Thebes, Laius, but Oedipus did not know that. The people on the caravan started
insulting Oedipus. 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 would 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 say 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...(pg29 ln13-27). As it turns out the man he killed was his real father.
There was no way that Oedipus could of known that this stranger was his father, he had
never met or seen him ever before that one time.
After Oedipus finished killing his father, he continued on his journey to the city of
Thebes. When he arrived at Thebes there was a widespread plague in the city. In order to
free the city of this plague one had to solve the riddle that came with it, the riddle of
the Sphinx. Oedipus was clever enough to solve the riddle, which in turn cured the city
of the plague. The city, which was recently missing a king, made Oedipus the king since
he saved them. In the imperial palace there was Jocasta, a recent widow of the missing
and presumed dead King Laius. As it was accustomed, Oedipus married the widow Jocasta.
The city was happy with their king for the next years; Jocasta and Oedipus had two
daughters. Then another dark cloud came over Thebes, there was another plague infecting
the city. An Oracle was contacted and the way to solve this riddle was to banish the
killer of the former king Laius from the city. Oedipus in the process of solving the
riddle Oedipus found out that Jocasta was in-fact is real mother But she, perhaps ... I
have her for mother...(pg39 ln1-5). When Jocasta finds this out he then kills her self,
The illustrious Jocasta is no more...(pg44 ln18).