Resumo de Oedipus The King

Every living being has his or her destiny. People are born to live the life - worse or better - fate has prepared for them. It is said, that we should accept our destiny and live in unity with it. Sophocles though portrays us a hero, who undertakes a fight with fate. Showing ineffectivness of Oepidus' fight, the Poet also shows a greatness of a man, who all in vain tries to fight the destiny. Oedipus is the main charachter of the tragedy, titled Oedipus the King. He was born to Jocasta and Laius, the queen and King of Thebes. An awful divine curse hung over the darling boy though, due to which the royal couple thought of living him in the mountains. The boy was raised by the rulers of Corinth. Oedipus got to know of his future proceedings and the terrible prophecy from the delphic oracle. He was prophesized to become a father-killer and an incestor. Shocked with what he has found out he decided not to go back to Corinth and took a path to Thebes. He couldn't suspect it was only to speed up fulfilling of his destiny. Oedipus wanted to prevent his parents and himself from a disgrace, but he didn't know that the people who have raised him weren't his biological parents. On the way to Thebes he killed his father - Laius. Although the old king provoked him insulting him, a half of the prophecy was fulfilled. Before he got to Thebes he already became a father-killer. When he finally reached the city he rescued it from a monster - the Sphinx. Solving the Sphinx's mystery and freeing the inhabitants of the tormentor he became a new king of Thebes and married Jocasta. He then thought he has changed his life for good and has achieved cheating his destiny. On the contrary, the truth was quite different... The more he tried to save himself and others the closer he was getting to doing what he was prophesized and paradoxically he finally fulfilled it, becoming a father-killer and an incestor. The new king proved to be extremaly persistent in the aspiration for changing his fate. He kept himself away from Corinth and didn't contact his foster parents. It was the family's good name most important for him. Focusing on fight with destiny he didn't suspect he has had four children with his own mother. Without any doubts he was truly a great ruler. When horrible misfortunes started nagging at his people he tried to find the cause of these. He undertook a fight for the truth. Search of the culprit he ordered was to relieve the people's sufferings. Unfortunately, striving for knowing the truth he was getting closer to his own defeat. Even though everything seemed to point at him, he still didn't end the investigation, what really is worth praising. He consequentlly meted out himself a punishment foreseen for the criminalist, who brought the Gods' anger to Thebes. Thanks to such behavior he retained the very last bits of dignity, and also showed his fairness, nobility and honesty. Finally, he proved to be submissive to the Gods' judgements. He didn't try to escape the responsibility for the crimes committed, as the divine rights were priority to him. He jabbed his eyes out and humbly went into exile. Effectiveness of Oedipus' fight isn't important. What matters is a fact, that he tried to change his lot. His promethean attitude towards the people of Thebes, for whom he sacrifices is another thing that bewitches.

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