The Spinx and Fate

The Sphinx and Fate Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is a tragic Greek play in which Oedipus Rex, the King of Thebes unknowingly follows his fate by killing his father and having children by his mother. Oedipus is self-confident, intelligent, and strong-willed. Ironically these are the very traits which bring out his tragic discovery. Oedipus gained the rule of Thebes by answering the riddle of the Sphinx. Sophocles used the riddle of the Sphinx as a metaphor …

…came upon his tragic discovery not because of and evil act or evil trait, but because of the person that he was born to be. The Sphinx’s riddle was used by Sophocles to characterize Oedipus as a tragic man and also as a comparison to his life. The riddle describes the three stages Oedipus went through in his life. Also by answering the riddle Oedipus brought upon himself his own horrible fate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**