o foretold a “dreadful, calamitous future” for Oedipus he ran away, far from his supposed parents who lived in Corinth, in an attempt to dodge the horrible fate he was to face. This was done in vain. Ironically, he was not running away from his destiny, but rather running towards his demise. His journey carried him to Thebes the city he would save from ruins, the city that would cherish him, and the people he would live to protect. But on this journey or one similar to it he would begin to fulfill the oracle of Apollo, at the place where three roads met in the woods he would unknowingly murder his father, Laius, who was at the time the ruler of Thebes. The fact that Oedipus indeed took the breath of life from another man surely is an act of free will, but this is not in question. The thought that he was attempting to run from his father and in doing so came face-to-face with the very thing from which he ran is one of irony. It is obvious now that Oedipus would not be able to escape his predestination, he would not be able to avoid the oracle of Apollo. This having been illustrated, it becomes evident that Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is indeed a tragedy of fate; however, the irony, the misfortunes, nor the tragedy would stop here. As the story goes, Oedipus would solve the riddle of the Sphinx, become king of Thebes and marry the wife of the late Laius, Jocasta. He would establish a life for himself far from Polybus and Merope, the people he knew as his mother and father. Here he would gain power, respect and authority; still yet he would not escape the uncontrollable destiny he was now sure to fulfill. As the story unfolds, Oedipus’ and the people of Thebes gain knowledge of the past, through the prophet, Tiresias, who explained that Oedipus was the murderer that was causing his city grief, the king’s wife Jocasta, who gave details to Laius’ death and through a Corinthian messenger, who told Oedipus t...
