The Odyssey

Oracles in Oedipus Rex

At the beginning of the play, the king of Thebes, Oedipus asks a priest why his followers and he are praying. The priest informs Oedipus about the presence of a plague that has come upon Thebes because of which all the women have become infertile and the crops were destroyed. When asked for help, the king Oedipus informs the priest that his brother-in-law, Creon has been sent to the Pythian oracle of Apollo for help. Oracles would tell the unseen and make prophecies. Sometimes they would come true while at other times they would not come true. In this case the Pythian oracles tell Creon that the plague is there because of the murder of Laius and only when the murderer will be punished will this plague be lifted from Thebes. Hence the tale starts about finding the killer of Laius. The oracles were consulted when any problem came upon the people. How much the oracles are trusted is seen where Oedipus accuses Creon of treason, and Creon ask Oedipus to confirm any such thing with the Pythian oracle. He further shows his trust in the oracles to such an extent that he says that if the Pythian oracle charges him with the same accusation then Oedipus can sentence him to death. In the same scene where we see Creon lay down his trust in the oracle's knowledge, Jocasta, relates a tale where it was seen that the prophecy made by the oracle never came to pass. This prophecy was related to Laius where the oracle informed him about his murder by the hands of his son. Laius left his son on the hillside with a pin in his ankles and the prophecy, according to Jocasta did not come to pass as Laius was murdered by robbers and not his son.

The oracles have played a very important part in this play. Their prophecies completely shape the life of Oedipus. It was the oracle who informed Oedipus that he will kill his father and marry his mother. This prophecy led him to abandon Corinth for fear of killing his father and marrying his mother. When he left Corinth he came across a man who he did not know was Laius and killed him. He married his wife Jocasta and towards the end of the play finds out that the prophecy of the oracle did come true. Laius and Jocasta were his biological parents. Laius was killed by his son, Oedipus and according to the prophecy of the oracle; Oedipus marries his mother, Jocasta. Regardless of whatever actions either of the parties took, fate could not be escaped. The oracles warned them about the future and they took steps then led them to the fulfillment of the prophecy. Both Oedipus and Jocasta were expressing their happiness that the prophecies did not come to pass and now to their shocked state of mind they came to realize that the prophecies did after all come to be true.