Sophocles Plays.

"Oedipus the King"

In ancient Greek society it was believed that ones life is predestined and that ones fate is sealed. What is meant to occur will happen no matter what that person does, "if a man's contemptuous, and goes along with acts and speaks without respect for what is right and doesn't revere statues of gods, then let a sorry fate destroy him - for this perverse pride - since he unjustly reaps rewards, does not respect what's godly." In 'Oedipus the King' Oedipus' fate is doomed from his birth because of the actions of his ancestors "My own flesh and blood--dear sister, dear Ismene, how many grief's our father Oedipus handed down"! Unlike Oedipus most people today do not believe in predestined fate. Individuals can choose their own destiny, within reason, regardless of their background or the circumstances of their lives. However some people do not realize that they are in charge of their own live and can make conscience decisions to change the course of their lives.

Oedipus and the Sphinx of Thebes, Red Figure Kylix...

Oedipus slaying the sphinx. Attic red-figured leky...

Destiny!

One of Oedipus' ancestors committed a terrible act of rape some time ago. This behavior obviously did not please the gods and thus they punished Oedipus' family for several generations. When Iocaste and Laios gave birth to Oedipus they were aware of the prophecy that he would one day kill his father and then marry his mother, "he'll be revealed a brother and a father to his children in his house, husband and son to her who gave him birth; wife-sharer and the killer of his father." With this in mind they tried to have Oedipus killed to avoid this horrible fate. However they couldn't kill him themselves because murder of their own son would surely make the gods angry all over again. So they tried to have someone to...