In the Theban play "King Oedipus", written by Sophocles there are three characters that are victims to the tragic issue. There is a question to what leads this play into what felt like an unavoidable end. This disastrous conclusion, the fall of Oedipus Laius and Jocasta, is the result of the arrogant behavior of these characters and attempting to alter their destiny.
Oedipus was scared by the content of the oracle and assumes that he can thwart this destiny and this is what leads to his downfall. Leaving Corinth is the first act that guides him to his eventual end. It was arrogant of him to assume he could out run his prophesized fate. If Oedipus had never tried to escape his fate he would never have come under the false conclusion that he had beaten the Oracle. In addition he began to assume that he always had the right way of taking care of things and would begin to make arrogant decisions. After this is when he began to run into the conflicts that led him directly to his downfall. We see this when he came to the crossroad and his engagement with Laius. It was Oedipus" ego and pride, which he was full of, that kept him from letting the situation pass by. Then it was an arrogant decision that led Oedipus to kill the men he came across until "every man of them" (L 814, pg 48) was dead. We get a sense of his high and mighty attitude towards this situation when Oedipus spoke "He paid with interest for his temerity," (L 811, pg 48). Almost saying, "He was foolish to mess with me." Unknowing that this was Laius he had slain he later declares that the killer of Laius will be brought to justice. It was then fairly presumptuous of him to think he can bring justice to a crime he is completely ignorant to. "To bring light to the killer of Laius," (L 264, pg 33), "No matter who it may be- (L 239, pg 32). It would seem that he thinks pretty highly of himself if he feels he could do so. The punishment Oedipus then handed down to himself when he discovers it was he who committed the acts was one of arrogant thought.
