Destiny in Oedipus Rex

            The famous tragedy, "Oedipus Rex," by Sophocles, presents two morals that the reader may perceive while going through the play. There are two central themes that build tension between how a man or woman may view about the way of life: the individual's actions and fat. The first is that humans are born with a set of fates that are predetermined at birth and is unchangeable. No matter what one does to change; his or her destiny, either good or bad, will always be true. The second is that our fate is determined by our actions and is able to be changed if the correct choices are made. One has the master control to make his or her life dream become reality. In the story of Oedipus Rex, the choices he made were because of fate. .
             In this play, many situations occur where it may seem that Oedipus's life was already predetermined at birth. For example, Teiresias says, "Well, it will come what will, though I be mute." Oedipus replies, "Since come it must, thy duty is to tell me." Teiresias states, "I have no more to say; storm as thou willst, and give the rein to all thy pent up rage." (341-347) this shows that regardless of what happens it will happen because of fate. Oedipus expects Teirsias to tell him, but she doesn't want to because fate will tell him for her. When Tiresias says, "Blind who now has eyes, beggar who now is rich, he will grope his way toward a foreign soil, a stick tapping before him step by step." (517-519) This shows how Oedipus is living in fame and glory now, but soon will become all of those and fall into soil with every mistake he makes. A stick tapping before him step by step represents that his prophecy became true first when he got tapped by a stick from Laius. Tiresias mentions to Oedipus that, "No man will ever be rooted from the earth as brutally as you." (488-489) states that the gods rooted him into this earth with a horrible fate which he would not be able to escape.