Oedipus Essay

             In the Sophicles's Greek epic, "Oedipus Rex" there are two major themes that stick out in my mind. Those two themes would be fate and the fact that power corrupts all. In this essay I will discuss how these themes are expressed in the work.
             As the epic begins, King Lauis and Queen Jocasta of Thebes are told that their son is fated to murder his father and marry his mum. So in hopes of avoided this fate, the King has a servant take the baby away with an iron rod in his ankles. As Oedipus grows, he runs away from Corinth where he's grown up with the king and queen there, believing that those are his real parents, in hopes of running away from this terrible fate. When in actuality he's fulfilling his fate.
             While the epic is progressing and Oedipus marries Jocasta, his real mother, and once again he's adding to the fulfillment of this fate that he has been doomed to. This shows that you can't really avoid fate, just possibly prolong it. Fate is one thing that is thought to be decided for by the gods. If you defy your fate then you"re defying the gods and shall be punished for it, as Oedipus was. He lost his mother and his wife and was exiled from his own children and kingdom because he tried to deny the fate he was born with. .
             As the other theme of the play may be corruption through power, it's shown strongly as Oedipus becomes king after marrying his mother. Oedipus at first was very humble and caring but as years pass by and the responsibility of this duty and the weight of the city has bared down on him for some time he becomes very bitter. Creon says it best when he tells Oedipus, why should I want to become king and have that responsibility when I have all the rights and luxuries of a king with out all the pressure and decisions. Why would someone want to become a bitter, corrupt individual when they can live the same life without those consequences? .
             Also in Antigone, power becomes a major theme, as Creon becomes king.