Oedipus the King

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the basic question with regard to determinism and free will that concerns whether or not the individual could have acted other than they did. The writer discusses how Oedipus's destiny moves the reader, only because it might have been the reader's destiny - because the oracle laid the same curse upon us before our birth as upon him. The writer maintains that it appears that Oedipus's role was to be subservient to the gods, but his character provided the formidable obstacle both to the gods' designs and to his peace of mind.

From the Paper:

"What does the play King Oedipus teach about the relationship between gods and mortals? Sophocles' play is not concerned with Oedipus' violation of two very serious taboos, but rather with his discovery of the violation. On the one hand, there is predestination by the gods while, on the other is Oedipus' determination to know the truth, which results in his destruction. The polarity is typical of the supreme divine will versus the impotent attempts by human beings to avoid the inevitable. "The play has been almost universally regarded as the classic example of the `tragedy of fate'"."

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