Oedipus the King Essay Example

The story of Oedipus the king, who unknowingly falls into a prophesy, despite all the precautions taken to prevent it, shows how defying gods will not have a happy conclusion. The story "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, falls into a prophecy, that Oedipus will end up killing his father and marrying his biological mother. His parents,  Oedipus, being told this, drove a rivet into his own son's ankle and left to die, trying to prevent this curse. Oedipus was adopted and after being told about this curse, decides to flee his adoptive parents to try to prevent this, only leading the actual prophecy to start. Oedipus is a noble and inspiring king because he cares about his citizens, and he left his home to avoid killing his adoptive parents.  

The kingdom of Thebes was going through a plague that affected the citizens until the murderer of the previous king, Laius, was found. Oedipus wants to help the citizens start the investigation to find the murderer, turns to Teiresias to find the answer. Oedipus tells Teiresias, "You have no eyes but in your mind you know with what a plague our city is afflicted. My lord, in you alone we find a champion, in you alone on that can rescue us." (Sophocles 3). This quote shows that Oedipus puts his citizens above his dignity turning to a blind person to help him find the murderer so he can free his people of this plague. Also, Oedipus calls Teiresias a lord and a champion when he is the king. This quote also shows how Oedipus respects and trusts Teiresias even though he is blind, and how Oedipus asks for advice from Teiresias.  

Even though Oedipus is naive, because of the many signs that happen to him, that relates to the prophecy shows that he is a naive fool, but Oedipus thought that his adoptive parents were his biological parents, so he runs away to try to avoid the prophecy, but the harsh reality unfolds on him. When Oedipus starts finding out the reality, he finds out who his real parents are and curses the man that saved his life, leading him to kill his father and marry his mother. When Oedipus is talking to the men of Thebes he says, " Curse on the man who took the cruel bonds from off my legs, as I lay in the field. He stole me from death and saved me, no kindly service. Had I died then I would not be so burdensome to friends." (Sophocles 24). This quote shows that Oedipus regrets what happened and that he rather have been killed so that the prophecy does not become true so that he does not burden his adoptive parents, his real parents, and the citizens. Oedipus cares for his adoptive parents and his real parents, that he rather have been killed when he was a baby, so the prophecy does not become true.