Role of Fate in The Odyssey | Essay

This paper will try to see the role of fate in the play. The play is focused on Oedipus, the son of the king and queen of Thebes. Oedipus is doomed to the fate that was prophesied by the Oracle in Delphi just before his birth. After the birth of their son, Laios, the king and the queen, Jocasta, went to the Oracle who foretold the fate of their son, Oedipus, and the two of them. When Oedipus realizes his fate he tries to prevent it which as seen in the play was never to fruition, as did his mother and father (Wales, 1992).

The steps the three decided to take actually went ahead to fulfill the prophecy the Oracle told them. The Oracle tells Laios and Jocasta that their son will kill his father and go ahead to marry his mother. The parents decide to leave their baby on a mountainside with his legs, tied so that he would die out there. The parents believe that their son will die. This move, however, increases the probability of the prophecy being fulfilled since they can no longer keep an eye on their son. The problem with their plan is that the shepherd that was supposed to leave him actually carried him back to his hometown to be raised by King Polybos and Queen Merope (Wales, 1992).

Oedipus grew up thinking he was the son of Polybos. He heard someone saying that was not Polybos son which troubled him. He decided to travel to Delphi to find out the truth about his origin. He was told what his fate was but not the truth about his true parents. Oedipus tried to avoid his fate, but instead, he makes it more possible for the prophecy to be fulfilled, by searching for his parents (Wales, 1992).

Fate is also revealed next when Creon sends for Teiresias, the blind prophet of Apollo. Teiresias reveals to Oedipus his fate against his will. Oedipus is so anxious to find Laius murderer and that he will not rest until the murderer is found (Wales, 1992).

Teiresias tries to warn Oedipus of everything he thinks he has, yet they are not quite his. People will soon come to turn against him.
Teiresias was given the gift of prophecy but Oedipus did not want to listen to her. Does not this is blasphemy since Teiresias is the medium between gods and humans, and when he is called a liar by Oedipus he is denying the words of the gods (Wales, 1992).

We hear lies from Odysseus when he arrives at Alcinous court when Alcinous wife asks him about where he is from and who he is. Odysseus does not disclose where he is from and lies about how he got up to the palace, this he does to protect Alcinous daughter Nausicaa, who treated him well.
He reveals himself later to his host and ends up receiving lots of presents. He also likes the Cyclops about his name and his businesses (Wales, 1992).

References
Wales, P. (1992). odyssey and other plays. London: Oxford Press.