. Job states “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.”(50). He resigns himself, because he trusts in the ultimate justice of God. He knows that there is a good purpose for everything God has fated for him, no matter how disastrous the outlook. He has a positive, hopeful resignation. Oedipus, however, has a hopeless, tortured resignation. The gods have been merciless to him for no particular reason, but there is no desire to seek justice or complain. On the contrary, Oedipus desires to be an instrument in the process as he orders, “Quickly, for the love of god, hide me somewhere, kill me, hurl me into the sea where you can never look on me again.”(354). This is vastly different from the attitude Job expresses by saying, “I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.”(47), and finally acknowledging that all God’s plans were just and good, and his duty is to live righteously. Because of choosing righteous behavior and resignation to God’s plans, Job was justified and “…the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning…”(58). Again, the reader sees similar goals in finding resignation, but vastly different paths and attitudes in that resigned state. The personal choice of a righteous life is taught by Job, while a fated beginning and a fated ending, regardless of human choice, is the sad lot of Oedipus. These two men were given separate fates by separate gods and were forced to live with the outcome. From the beginning Job is given the opportunity to survive. Even in the midst of all his pain and suffering there does exist the opportunity for success. Oedipus on the other hand is fated from the beginning, from birth. The gods decide his fate and there is no escape from the gods. ...
