s to be the best does he get the worst? His fate led him there. He was doomed to follow the prophecy at his birth. How can we blame Oedipus for committing murder when his father was the one who wanted Oedipus dead? King Laius wanted his son dead because he valued his own life before the life of his child. He listened to the prophecy and tried to go against the gods, he tried to prove fate wrong. And as we can see from both King Laius’ aspect and from Oedipus’ side their fate was the reality of the story. "Who are my parents?" were Oedipus’ words to Teiresias when he mentioned them to Oedipus (11). Though Oedipus wanted to know who the murderer of Laius was, he also came to realize that Teiresias knew something else that Oedipus wanted to hear. Oedipus knew there was something that caused Teiresias to say those things. He also knew that his position as a King was desired by many. This jealousy from some also caused Oedipus to look for facts before he just listened to one person. As Sheppard mentions of Oedipus’ innocence "the hero, when he stands revealed as the murderer of his father and the husband of his mother, feels himself utterly vile, polluted, and the polluter of all who have dealings with him" (191). He knows now that the threats he had made against the murderer originally are the threats that he now sees against himself. He told his people that he "shall not rest until he dispels the defilement" (5). The murderer "will be banished from the land. This man must be denied entrance into their homes" (8). Though he makes these threats and moreover he does this to help the people have the courage to find the murderer. When Oedipus is discovered as the murderer what can he do but follow the judgement he set for the murderer. Oedipus does act harshly against himself because he did not know what he was getting involved in before he went to Thebes. He was fleeing from his fate as he thought but actually he ran ri...
