Oedipus

3 Pages 766 Words

In the play Oedipus written by Sophocles, fate and the Gods are often to blame for

Oedipus’ terrible tragedy. If examined closer, however, it seems that with careful, logical

thinking Oedipus could have saved himself a significant amount of trouble. Throughout

the play there are choices places before the characters. Choices that ultimately will make

or break the future of Oedipus. It was not fate that caused the downfall of Oedipus. It

was the decisions that were made out of haste or pride.



In Oedipus’ past we see that even he is aware that he has choice and free will; upon

learning from an oracle that he will be the murderer of his father and sleep with his

mother, he flees. He had the choice to talk to his family about the prophecy, but he chose

to take matters into his own hands and ran. Oedipus’ step-father could have told him the

truth in the beginning, but he chose to keep the fact that Oedipus was adopted to himself.

This is just the beginning of a whirlwind of bad choices made in the light of haste and

pride.



“I must bring what is dark to light,” (line 134) Oedipus boasts loudly after learning the

cause of the city’s plague. This illustrates the pride, and arrogance that Oedipus portrays.

This pride blinded him from making a sound decision. When approached by Creon, the

holder of the news from the oracle, Oedipus has the choice to speak with him in private.

Instead Oedipus says proudly, “Let them all hear it.” “It is for them I suffer more than for

myself.” (line 97). In his rush to impress his crowd, Oedipus has Creon spill the news

over the entire crowd.



We see that unfortunately, Oedipus is not the only one affected by these bad choices.

Along Oedipus’ path of flight from Corinth, he stumbles on to King Laios and his men.

The argument over who must cross first heats into a violent battle leavi...