Now that we have finished reading the first drama, discuss Sophocles’ potential motivation for this play. Do you believe Sophocles sought to re-strengthen man’s belief in the existence of an all-knowing, all-powerful character of the gods? Or, do you believe Sophocles was attempting to cause audience members to question their understanding of the gods?
In other words, according to the play, was it man’s unquestioning belief in the gods that caused the characters’ tragedy? Or, was it man’s attempt to prevent the god’s will that caused their tragedy?
Live Portal will begin 7:00 p.m. Tonight (Tues., Mar. 30th)
Deadline for response is 9:00 p.m. Wed., March 31st
Same writing criteria as previously. This post is worth 20pts
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I think that Sophocles wrote Oedipus the King because he had a theory and a story hat he wanted to portray. The story its self was an ancient version on a murder mystery, that led to even more twists and confusion. Oedipus finds out that after denying all the accusations against him and after all his disbelief in the gods, that he is the true murderer of his father. This was a shock and a twist because Oedipus had no recollection of his true parents, and he truly believed early on that he had not really murdered his father. The other reason Sophocles wrote this play was to portray his theory of how every boy secretly loves his mother and hates his father for being competition. He showed this in the story by having Oedipus unaware of his true mother and father go out and kill his true father through rage, and ultimately marrying his true mother, without even knowing of this situation prior to these events. This shows how Sophocles thought every boys secretly loved his mother. Due to Oedipus unawaringly killing his father and marrying his mother without knowing.
In Sophocles’ book Oedipus the King he deals a lot with human interactions with the gods.I believe that Sophocles wasn’t trying to get people to doubt the gods, but he wasn’t reinforcing peoples belief either. I think the message that he was sending was to be wary prophecy. The morale of the story is that fighting against a prophecy never works out, and that hubris is a dangerous flaw. In the story, Oedipus fights against a prophecy by leaving Thebes. When he returned and found that the king had been killed, he was so caught up in himself that he pronounced a horrible fate on the killer. If he wasn’t so arrogant he would have thought about the man he killed where 3 roads met.
I believe that Sophocles was trying to get people to question the gods, and there ability to predict the future by writing this play. Sophocles questioned a lot of things, and i believe that he was trying to get his readers to question the supposed gods power. Sophocles showed what happened when someone tried to defy a gods prediction, but i believe that part of why what happened ended up happening was that the king really didn’t want it to happen. In the end the gods prediction did ended up happening, but i don’t think that doesn’t have any effect on the message that he was trying to get across. Oedipus ends up believing in the gods but initially he didn’t. The mother of oedipus told his father not to kill him and think this is because he wanted to show that people were starting to questing the gods even back then.
I believe Sophocles was trying to say that it was man’s attempt to prevent the gods’ prophecies from coming true that eventually brought them to ruin. He was trying to show people that the gods couldn’t be outsmarted. By showing that despite the people’s tries the prophecy still came true, he showed them that the gods were planning on being resisted all along; therefore, they planned for the future. In my opinion, through his writing, Sophocles showed the gods everlasting power, and he tried to strengthen other’s belief in them.
I honestly think that it was man’s attempt to prevent the god’s will that caused their tragedy. As Casey said before, Sophocles is trying to show the readers that no matter what any man attempts to do, no one can over-power the gods. Nothing can or will change their minds. Sophocles often wrote about the many interactions both the gods and man had with each other as well. I’m sure in a way, this would be how the book- Oedipus the King – is how he wanted readers to see his point of view on things.
I think Sophocles is trying to show that the gods are all-powerful. The story is demonstrating that the gods always get their way, and that mankind’s attempt to defy them is futile. I think Sophocles is trying to re-strengthen man’s belief in all-knowing gods by showing that they could not be defied. Oedipus thought he was outsmarting the gods by leaving Corinth. This caused the prophecy to come true. Sophocles could have been trying to make people question the gods because he writes about how they make it so the prophecy about Oedipus comes true. Either way, Sophocles is trying to show that you cannot outsmart something that is all-knowing. His writing shows that the gods cannot be defied!
I agree with Graham; Sophocles was trying to get the Greeks to question the gods. The prophecy of the Oracle at Delphi only ended up being true because people were trying to prevent the prophecy from happening, so they ended up making it true anyways. If Laius and Iocasta hadn’t tried to kill Oedipus as a baby, the prophecy wouldn’t have come true. Oedipus would have known his parents were if they hadn’t thrown him off a cliff before he was old enough to find out, so he wouldn’t have killed his dad and married his mother. People and their fear of the future, not the gods, carried out the whole prophecy. This is almost exactly what FDR talked about in the quote, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” The reason why all these terrible things happened is because of people’s fear. I think that Sophocles was trying to tell people that people must be the ones who do the right thing and that they shouldn’t rely on the gods instead.
Oedipus would have known his parents were if they hadn’t thrown him off a cliff before he was old enough to find out, so he wouldn’t have killed his dad and married his mother. Sorry, I had an error. The word “were” in that sentence shouldn’t be there.
I agree with Aaron saying that Oedipus thought he was outsmarting the gods by leaving Corinth. In a way he was trying to do what was best for his family, but judging by his character at that time, the egotistical man he was, it seemed like he could have been trying to say, “Look at me, I will not fall for your trick. I am too good to fall prey to your prophecy. Now I am going to outsmart you.
Matt, I like how you brought up the quote by FDR. It really supports your argument. I also strongly agree with the fact that, if Iocasta and Laius would have just let Oedipus grow up as a normal child, he would know who his parents were, and he would know how to better avoid the prophecy. They simply made it worse by trying to kill him. Plus, it probably wasn’t a happy family moment when Oedipus looked over at his mother after he found out she had tried to “dispose” of him.
Casey, I agree with what you and Matt are saying. I also think the gods intentionally made Iocasta and Laius try to kill Oedipus. I also think that they had everything planned involving the person who found Laius.
I think Sophocles was trying to prove their must be gods. I think he tried to show this by showing to accept the gods fate for you. He showed this by making the parents go to extreme lengths to make sure the prophecy did not come true. Even with the measures taken the prophecy was still fulfilled. In this he might be showing that it is impossible to outsmart the gods because the gods tell you what will happen even with anything humans would do. Assuming this is true it might not have ended like this, if they had raised Oedipus it seems unlikely he would have been on the path to killing his father and marrying his mother.
I agree with you Damon. I think that Laius and Iocasta should have not tried to defy the gods by attemting to kill Oedipus. Instead they should have rased them, and told him of the prophecy, so he wouldn’t do what he ended up doing because of his and his parents’ defiance of the gods as you said.
Ian, that is an interesting thought. I think you may have something going there.
I am sorry Aaron, but I disagree with your statement. I do not think that the gods had made Iocasta and Laius kill Oedipus. They are human beings, and they can think for themselves. Think about it this way: is there some kind of deity that is controlling you and making your decisions for you? I doubt it. The gods might have had a hand in creating the nature and general personalities of people, but I do not think that they could control them directly. The King and Queen attempted to kill Oedipus with their own free will.
I agree with Alexa.I believe its was man’s attempt to prevent the god’s will that caused their tragedy. After Oedipus had his ankles bound he was banished. When Oedipus grew up away from his birth place and not knowing of the prophecy he killed his own father and his guards, but im sure he would not have killed his father if he would have known about the prophecy.
I think that Sophocles used this play like socrates asked questions. Many times he gives you a situation where you think “hmmmm, how do the gods create prophecies? Could there really be someone up there planning out every little step?” I think that he, like socrates, wanted to know, but instead asked the question through a masterpiece play, knowing that the people couldn’t arrest the play. I also believe he is trying to say that because you try to avoid the prophecy, the prophecy comes true, because of your fear of the Almighty gods.
I agree with you casey, on the fact that laius and Iocastas downfall was because they tried to run away from the truth and went completely out of their why to stop it.
Matt, that’s not what I meant in my statement. I’m tring to say that the gods often “played games” with the people. They would make prophecies into their lives. These prophecies would be interpreted by different people in different ways, but in the case of Oedipus, it was his view of the world around him that was twisted. He thought his parents were from Corinth, so when he heard the prophecy, he left for Thebes. His real parents lived in Thebes. He then killed Laius thinking that his father was the king of Corinth. Then he proceeded to marry Iocasta. This was the result that the gods wanted. It was his choices that led to the result the gods wanted.
Aaron, I do not think that the gods themselves made the prophecies. Remember that the oracle at Delphi is a person as well, and she isn’t controlled either. Yes, she might get high on the opium in her incense at times, but she still had somewhat of a mind. The gods weren’t using her mouth as a tool; she was. The people at the time might have believed that the Oracle could communicate with Apollo, but I do not, and I doubt that Sophocles did either.
Webb, I partially agree with you. I think that the gods were supposed to be all-knowing and all-powerful beings who were known for interfering with the lives of people. Interfering is very different than controlling, though. The gods anticipated that Oedipus would end up in Corinth thinking that his parents lived there. He would then hear of the prophecy, and he would leave Corinth, and go to Thebes, where his true parents were. The gods did not directly influence him, but they did anticipate this outcome.
Matt, I agree with what you are saying, but the oracle was able to convince the people that her words were the words of the gods. From the people’s point of view, the gods did make the prophecies.
Aaron, I defiantly agree that the gods would “play games” with people. They would purposely try to ruin people’s lives, just for fun.
Hi guys,
Great discussion. We have some interesting opposing views going on. Remember to refer to the text to support your ideas.
It is almost 8:30, however, so why don’t we end the discussion for this evening and continue tomorrow. I will leave the discussion open until 9:00 p.m. tomorrow and you can return to post any time before then.
Goodnight,
I think Sophocles wanted the audience to question the power of gods. When Oedipus learns about the prediction of the oracle, he panics. He exiles himself away from his adopted family, because he thinks they are his real family. If he hadn’t of listened to the oracle, he’d probably never have even met his real parents. If Oedipus had been a little more careful and less trusting about “the will of the gods,” the crisis could have been avoided. The prophecy only came true because of the people made it come true. If the Oedipus hadn’t acted so quickly, just because of the prophecy, his life would have continued normally. Sophocles showed the blindly trusting something can be your downfall.
I agree with Maile in the thought that Sophocles meant the people to question the power of the Gods. I believe this because if the oracle had never told the prophecy, then none of this would have occurred. Oedipus would have known who his parents were, and therefore, he would not have killed his father and married his mother because he would have known who they were by then. However, because of the oracle, Oedipus is tricked into believing another man is his father, and ends up in misery due to the prophecy. I definitely agree with what some of you have said about how it wasn’t the Gods who killed Laius and caused all the other issues, but instead was caused by the people believing that the Gods will would in fact come true. Sophacles could be trying to convince people that the God’s will may not have to be followed, because it can cause issues of all sorts. People may be able to change their own destiny.
It is so hard to completely know what the great Sophocles was really intending for us to know. He may believe in many different things, for his play could shine light on any possible belief. So which is it? Was Sophocles trying to get the point across to not mess with the gods and their will? (Unquestionably believe in the gods.) Or did he want us to not rely on the gods so much and be more independent? We cannot know for sure. However, we all have our own opinions that can help us find a reasonable conclusion. I believe that in Sophocles’ play, Oedipus Rex, he was trying to get the point across that nobody should try to stop the will of the gods from coming true. I think that this is what he was trying to do because he came up with an utterly gruesome story. His play Oedipus Rex leaves an echo bouncing off the walls in your head, especially those who needed to be taught right! Sophocles’ play has so many branches that lead off in different directions. Some lead to a chill that trickles down your back, and other branches lead off into a completely ghastly result of death and horror. The way that Sophocles slowly, but with extreme results wrote, was thrilling. He made all the events gradual and subtle, but they all combined together to make a great play of tragedy. In the play, Oedipus seeks the wisdom of the oracle, but he is not pleased with his answer. So he tries to escape the gods’ will by running away from what the oracle told him. Sophocles made Oedipus hubris and did not give him the best name. What I believe, is that Sophocles thinks that Oedipus would not be a very good person. Oedipus then lives a life not worth living for, and running from the gods made it no better. Sophocles then shines a bad light on Oedipus. This indicates to me that Oedipus was not in Sophocles’ favor and believed that running from the gods and their will was not a good choice at all. Sophocles thought that people should be completely dependent and without questions when with the gods.
I think that this play was written to weaken people’s support of the gods. As shown in the play, the warning the Oracle gave to Lauis and Iocasta was the cause of their downfall. No matter what Lauis and Iocasta could do, their demise was set in stone and it was caused by the gods, no matter how the prophecy happened. This showed that the gods weren’t good, and caused two people to die and one to blind himself.
Hunter, do you think he was trying to support or question the gods? I disagree with Sophocles creating the theory. I think that was just made up by some perv who took the story way too seriously.
I think that Sophocles was trying to show that the gods have power over everything and everyone. He does this by, in a way, by having the characters determine what is going to happen in their lives as well as other people’s lives. He also shows this in how he makes the characters think one thing and the gods think something different, he makes the gods always prove to be right. I think this was done on purpose. I think the main thing Sophocles is trying to do is strengthen the belief of gods amongst society.
I think Sophocles wanted people to question the Gods. He never went out and told people they don’t exist. He just wants us to think about the gods. Are they real, or are they what we believe them to be. The Gods never seem to be all that helpful.
Matt, I totally agree. The FDR quote is perfect to explain the situation. Without that fear, the Oedipus would have been fine.
Casey, I diagree with you, but you brought up good points. I can definitely see the other side of the argument.
I think Sophocles wanted people to question the gods. I think that he believed that people trusted the gods to much and let the gods dictate there lives. He also portrayed oedipus as very emotionally drained from all the roller-coaster like events in his recent life and it showed that listening to the gods does not have a good final conclusion.
I agree with you Grahamethy. He never said don’t believe in the gods, he just wanted them to question their power.
I think that Sophocles was trying to strengthen belief in the gods. He used the Oracle of Delphi correctly predicting Oedipus’s fortune as a way to show that the gods could send messages to humans. When Oedipus left Corinth, truly believing that his mom and dad were the king and queen of Corinth, Sophocles most likely had the gods lead him to Thebes. Laius at the place where three roads met at the exact same time when Oedipus arrived could not have been a coincidence. Oedipus did not come across particularly ruthlessly in the book yet he struck down three men by himself. Generally, one man cannot kill a king and guards by himself. He would need the help of the gods on his side. Overall, he could not possibly have done all that without some divine influence.
I agree with Jess, He wants us to question the gods. He wants us to think about it. He wants them to wonder if the gods are what people think they are.
Drew,
Nice thought. He might have been doing that instead of saying it out front where he would have been killed.
Damon,
I totally agree. That couldn’t all have been coincidence
Drew,
Nice thought. He might have been doing that instead of saying it out front where he would have been killed.
Damon,
I totally agree. That couldn’t all have been coincidence.
I agree with you Maile, Sophocles was a skeptic he did not believe in the oracles or the gods and he does a good job letting the reader make there own opinion but at the same time letting his opinion known among the reader. I think he makes Oedipus a sad character not by ascendent but totally on purpose.
I believe that Sophocles is trying to show that basically the Gods rule. This book shows that people try to please the Gods and how the people make sure that their ideas are okay with the Gods. This showed that people did not care as much about what the specific person thought but they cared about what the Gods would think. Also the Gods predicted future for others, for example they predicted that Oedipus would grow up to kill his father and have kids with his mom. When the father had Oedipus he put a bar through his legs so that the baby couldn’t walk, and they put him on a cliff. They did this in the fear of the Gods because they were worried that this would come true. Sophocles shows how crazy of things people do when they are scared.
I also think we look to much into the symbolism and the philosophy involved in the story. We take away a lot from the story when we dissect every line of the text.
I thing that it was man’s attempt to avoid the Gods that caused the tragedy. I think so because Oedipus, by trying to avoid the horrid prophecy that he would kill his dad and marry his mom, moved to Thebes. Before, however, his parents tried to kill him to avoid the very same prophecy that their son would kill the King and marry its mother. Oedipus and both his surrogate family and his real family’s attempts to avoid the prophecy only made it easier to come true. They tried to avoid the god’s prophecies and their will, which only brought Oedipus back to his hometown, Thebes. Oedipus also showed his weakness, pride, by yelling at all of the men who have tried to tell him the truth. Basically, I think that Sophocles wrote the play to rise fear in people and make them believe the gods and not question their prophecies. The play is telling people that there is no use even trying to escape the gods.
I believe that Sophocles is trying to tell the people that the Gods have a big part of how things happen. The book shows this in a few ways. It takes a lot of coincidences to have a person meet his father on a trip away from town and kill him. The people would have believed that the gods have to have something with to do this. He also slept with his mother and thought that they were not related. This is a huge thing that would have made the people believe the gods exist. He never went around town preaching to people, but he did have a good influence.
Greta I agree with you he was not a believer in the gods he believed in making your own fate.
i agree with casey in that Oedipus tried to prove wrong the gods, when they were right. However, the gods didn’t just pull this strange accusation out of their heads, but had sources.
I think that Sophocles Wanted people to have second opinions on all of the gods. His play portrayed a man who was foretold that he would kill his father and marry his mother. This shocked them, and they gave him away to be raised somewhere else. They tried to go against the gods’ will. These precautions however, is what ultimately led to the prophecy being true. His parents were trying to prevent a prophecy.But because of the actions they took, the prophecy came true. This shows that they thought the gods wanted them to do it. But maybe the gods don’t care about what happens to the mortal, or they might not even exist.
I think that Sophocles was simply throwing the idea out there. Meaning he was introducing the idea of what has been established in the play. I think its him saying well believe whatever you want to believe but in this play the people have conflicting ideas.
I belive that Sophocles was showing that Oedipus was trying to change what god has intended for him. I thing is that if Oedipus would have stayed where he was with his “fake” mother and father then he would of had a different fait. Thats the reality of it. Trying to change the future can just end up in punishment. Oedipuses punishment was that he married his mother and kills his father. Doing something on inpulse can offen end in tragity.
I believe that Sophocles was trying to explain us that people should get responsibility for his fault. And, do not use his own power for disapprove for it. In that case, first, Oedipus didn’t accept his fault that he killed his dad, Laius. And, I think Sophocle believed that God existed. However, I don’t think that he emphasis or give us lesson about gods. I think he just gave us ‘except oracle, there was responsibility for people and that was more importnat than belief of Gods. And, Oedipus didn’t find responsibility by himself and make it to another people. I think that made Oedipus more unhappy. Conclusively, I believe that Sophocles wanted to tell us if something happens and somebody told us about it before, there is fault with troublemaker, and he should get responsibility for it.
Maddy, I agree with you and I like your reply. However, I think that oracle was correctly right and if he didn’t think about it and acted, that will happen, too.
Julia, I agree with you. I thought that he really doesn’t care about belief of gods too.
I think Sophocles didn’t have one simple intention. I feel he wasn’t trying to show anything to specific. Instead, maybe he was just trying to trigger thinking like his own, seeking truth. One broad side of this was the deal with the gods. Regardless of his personal beliefs, maybe he wanted people not to live false lives, or do just what they learn in their upbringing or are taught. Perhaps, he was just trying to spark a sense of reality and understanding within the people, and hopefully remove a little hubris while he was at it.
Chris, in response to your last comment. I do not believe that Sophocles was trying to encourage people not to have an secret life. However i do do believe that Sophocles was trying to tell his readers that the truth is not always what it seems. Instead he stressed that we should understand peoples reasoning behind their actions.
I would have to say that Sophocles was trying to show the reader the power of the Gods, and even though you try to derail from what the Gods have planned for you the Gods still have control over you and will have you do what they wish of you. Throughout the book Sophocles kept bringing Oracles into the story which was another sign that he thought that the Gods were very important and controlled lives. Because all of the predictions the Oracles had came true, it shows no matter what the Gods have so much control over you that you shouldn’t question them.
I believe it was mans unquestioning belief in the gods that caused the characters tragedy. Oedipus believed in the gods with so much power that when he heard the prophecy from the Oracle at Delphi that he needed to get rid of the traitor to stop the plague that was sweeping the land. He did not know that his loyalty to the gods would end in his own ruin and banishment. Oedipus believed that the gods were all seeing all knowing people and he respected that. When he learned that he was the one that killed Laius he did not try to stop his banishment he went with what he had said to his people earlier and took it. Though when he learned that Iocasta was his mother and she had hanged herself he did not take this news lightly. His strong belief in the gods brought his ruin and shame.
Sophocles thought that the belief in the gods was fake and that the gods really did not exist. He thought that he could show us how people believe so much on the gods that they lead them selves into disaster. He showed how Oedipus tried to leave his home so he wouldn’t kill his supposed parents but accidentally lead him self to disaster. He ended up killing his father and he try so hard not to make prophecy happen it happpened.He ended up killing his father and geting with his mom witch was the profecy. I think Sophocles wants to show that when you are so devoted to your god you can make mistakes and end up doing the one thing you did not want to do. I believe that Sophocles did what I say and not the other way to show how you need to support the gods because he kind of started the era of people who questioned the existence of god. No one ended up happy in the end of this story so obviously he must have shown that when you believe in the gods bad things happen.
I disagree with Casey because I think they really did have an undying belief of the gods. Although I do agree when you said that the gods liked to toy with peoples life’s and bring them to ruin.
I agree with Gavin because Sophocles is trying to show that the gods rule everything and they can play the humans as their pawns and get them to do what they want them to. This book was verymuch about trying to please the gods and not anger them.
Brandy that was a very good response because you were correct about how he constantly brings up the Oracles. You had some very good points and even thogh I dissagree with what you said you have some fvery convincing points and I injoyed reading it.
Alex you had a very good and long detailed paragraph. Alex I realy injoyed reading your paragraph and I like how you started out with a cople opening sentences. Because you wrote so much, you were able to get your point across and deliver a good argument. I thought your paragraph was great and you must have put alot of time into it. good job Alex.
First of all, Blake you spelled Brandi’s name wrong. But that’s ok! Second- I agree with Abi and Gavin because their both in a way explaining how much more power the gods had then humans. No matter what, the average man can’t “over-rule” or “over-power” any god and that is what this book is trying to tell readers.
I have a question for Blake (try to follow me on this one). You claimed “Sophocles thought that the belief in the gods was fake and that the gods really did not exist. He thought that he could show us how people believe so much on the gods that they lead themselves into disaster.” Do you mean the god’s lead them to disaster or humans lead themselves to disaster?
Blake, I disagree with your statement because if Sophocles thought that the gods were fake, why whould he prove their power and wisdom in the story?
Beth, I agree with your paragraph and I think it was well writtin. I also think that Sophocles was trying to say that you can’t escape the gods. Good job!
Graham i agree with you on Sophocles trying to question the gods. It really is important the make people really think and get into the thought of the meaning of these plays back then.
I think that Sophocles was trying to prove that the gods were trying to toy with people. He may have been trying to get people to question the gods by believing them. He did this by showing that the gods could not be outsmarted. He also tried to show that the even if people tried to outsmart the gods, the outcome that the gods desired would occur.
I disagree with you Alexa, I think that the gods had nothing to do with what Oedipus said or did. What Oedipus said and did occurred of his own accord. The gods in no way warped the past into their own will because Oedipus defied them.
Hunter, I think that the gods had anticipated what Oedipus was going to do, so they had already set a plan into motion to make sure the prophecy came true.
Gramethy i think you may be onto something by saying that Oedipus is trying to get people to question the gods.However, I think that his story doesn’t really back-up your point because the gods turn out to be right, and Oedipus realizes that he was wrong and the gods were right all along.
Will, I agree with you. Good job proving your point.
I believe its man’s attempt to prevent the god’s will that caused their tragedy. If the true parents of Oedipus raised him and did not fear the prophets wisdom maybe he would have grew up to love his parents. Just like he did with the people that raised him moving away so the prophecy would not come true. Yet it did because his true parents were different people than he thought.If his family had not taken the precautions they did many things could have possibility turned out differently than they did.
I agree with what Maile stated, she said it very well, and they did question the power of the gods.
I believe that Sophocles was trying to question the gods. Why do I say this. After Sophocles was questioning about the Gods,thinking that they were fake. He was punished for being a questioner of the gods. When he states in Oedipus story, Oedipus has a crisis. He found out that he was married to his mother, his legs were injured, and he poked his eyes out. This explains that in Sophocles theory there was no Greek god. Why do I say this, it’s because Oedipus at first was a normal person before being king and kind of did some good things. When he found out the answers leading to the crisis he was shocked and no person ever deserved this. No Greek god would be this cruel to do such a thing. So Sophocles states that in general it man that made these mistakes, not god.
I think Sophocles was trying to show the Gods power. in the novel the gods always get their way. when the oracle says that Oedipus will marry his mother and kill his father it comes true. even though he leaves his home town to try to avoid this proficy it still comes true. therefore i think Sophocles is showing the all knowing power of the Gods. he is also saying that if you disobay the gods you will be punished.
Casey,
I completely agree with you. Sophocles was blatantly showing (in an intense way) that the gods and their wills were not to be halted at anything. Sophocles told us through his play that running from something that is impossible to run from ends very badly. Oedipus did in fact run from the prophesy, so his life was not a good life.
Maile,
You make an excellent point! It is very logical and has a great amount of thought. However, I don’t agree with you. What I wrote was just about opposite of what you wrote. I said that Sophocles believed that it was bad to run from the will of the gods. I think this because what Oedipus did do was run away from the gods. He did not like what the oracle said, so he ran away. In the end, his life was miserable and not worth living for. Had he not run away and try to escape the will of the gods, he would have not been in all that trouble. Sophocles blatantly points this out in the play. Yes, if he didn’t even go to oracle, there would be no problem, but that, I believe, is not the point that Sophocles was trying to get across. However you made a great point using logic. Well done!