Oedipus Rex: Claim by Omri Shafir

Claim: Throughout the play, Sophocles uses the characters to question the notion of immeasurable, incomprehensible powers such as destiny and the gods. He also presents certain characters that try to fight against these immeasurable powers. Through the events that follow by the end of the play, Sophocles shows that the gods and one’s destiny are indeed valid and those who question it are doomed regardless of their meddlesome curiosity.

        I plan to support this claim by showing moments within the play where different characters question the gods and destinies. One can say that this meddling in affairs they could not possibly understand instead of just accepting it leads to their fates at the conclusion of the play. One example is Jocasta, who is often shown questioning destiny (“And so I would not look to prophecies, not here or anywhere else.” [Sophocles 881-882] and also “It’s best to live at random, however one can.” [Sophocles 1001-1002]) and hangs herself by the end of the play.

        I also plan to look at Creon’s character who seems to be the most grounded of the characters and who seems to understand that there are incomprehensible powers governing the world he finds himself in and its best to accept that instead of trying to fight it (He would rather not be king, for example)