Fate in Oedipus Rex Essay Example

According to Aristotle, the Greek word Harmatia denotes a tragic flaw that leads to a person's demise. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy written by Sophocles about a king who was born with the gods' prophecy that he would marry his mother and murder his father. Sophocles' drama is centered around the theme of free will or fate and as the tragedy progresses, his hasty judgments lead him closer to his deterioration. Although Oedipus' fate is depicted as predetermined, the morale that he could outwit the gods, and his hubris combined with fury prevented him from acknowledging the prophecy and culminated in his impulsive decisions. 

Oedipus, similar to his parents, believed he could alter his fate, but the result was a lifetime of suffering. When Oedipus’ was given a glimpse of his future he says, “I heard all that and ran. I abandoned Corinth, from that day on I gauged its landfall only by the stars, running, always running towards someplace where I would never see the shame of all those oracles come true” (875-880). Oedipus does not comprehend that he cannot escape his fate or outwit the gods and unknowingly fulfills one of the prophecies when he runs away and kills his father. He even tries to equal himself with the gods and declares to the people of Thebes, “You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers” (245). Oedipus questions the gods' value and claims he can grant their prayers because he is the one who brought Thebes to its knees. He assumes he 

can locate and punish the murderer without any assistance and begins to point fingers at Tiresias and Creon without any evidence.

The ancient Greeks thought that any sort of arrogance or hubris would result in vengeance from the gods. After solving the Sphinx's riddle and attaining the throne, Oedipus believed he was the greatest of all time. He exclaims, “No, but I came by, Oedipus the ignorant, I stopped the Sphinx! With no help from the birds, my own intelligence's flight hit the mark" (451-454). He solved the Sphinx riddle, but he couldn't fathom the prophet's riddle. He was blind to the truth that was right in front of him which could’ve prevented his downfall. He tells Jocasta, “Short work, by God with one blow of the staff in his right hand I knock him out of his high seat, roll him out of the wagon, sprawling headlong I killed them all- every mother’s son” (895-898). Oedipus was given a choice of either letting them go or killing them. Though his destiny noted that he would kill his father, his future would be distinct if he had not chosen anger over judgment. Oedipus ultimately made the decision to murder the men and his father.

Oedipus' refusal to accept the truth and belief that he was superior to the gods causes him to make impulsive actions, which ultimately lead to his downfall. His prophecy had room for free will, implying that his fate was not solely determined by the gods. Oedipus' hamartia was his hubris, which led to his blindness and exile from Thebes. He was provided options throughout the tragedy, but let his pride obtain the best of him, and wound up living a life packed with agony and misery.