We like to know the truth.  We believe the truth sets us free from all doubts and suspicions.  For this reason, Oedipus, in Sophocles’s “Oedipus Rex,” relentlessly pursues the truth about King Laios’ murderer and his own origin.  However, Oedipus’s effort does not bring him any reward.  His actions bring him to his demise.  The truth is that we cannot evade fate.

The Prologue shows that Oedipus’s concern is to save his subjects from the plague that besieges Thebes. He wants to restore the good life. He shows this compassion in his first address to Thebes’ citizens, “my children . . . Tell me, and never doubt that I will help you / In every way I can”. He shares his sadness and his anguish with them “my spirit / Groans for the city, for myself, for you / . . . I have been in tears for a long while”. He suffers sleeplessness and is restless to find way to solve the problems they are facing. He sends Creon to Delphi to consult Apollo’s wisdom. Then as a ruler who dedicates to the welfare and happiness of his people, Oedipus stubbornly presses for the truth and find Laios’ murderer.

However, from Scene I, one learns that uncover the truth is not worth the troubles as Teiresias exclaims, “How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be”.  During the course of the inquiry for Laios’ death, Oedipus discovers his unfortunate origin and his fate.  Oedipus learns that he killed the old king when Teiresias says, “you are the murderer whom you seek”.  Teiresias tells him that he will be blind because of his parents’ curse and Laios is his father .  Disbelieving, Oedipus presses on in hope to prove his innocence, only to find out more unpleasantness.  Teresias tells him that

           To the children with whom he lives now he will be

           Brother and father – the very same; to her

           Who bore him, son and husband – the very same

          Who came to his father’s bed, wet with his father’s blood.

Oedipus’ problem goes from, who is King Laios’ murderer? to, “Who [are] my parents?”

Furthermore, uncovering the truth will bring to one’s own destruction if that is one’s destiny. Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” is a good example of this tragic ending. In Scene II, he confides to Iocaste that he runs away from Corinth because the oracle says, “I should lie with my own mother, breed / . . . I should be my father’s murderer”. Oedipus also feels that he may be Laios’ murderer. He dreads of the truth and his fate. He questions God, “Where is a man more miserable than I? / More hated by the gods?” and “If I was created so, born to this fate / Who could deny the savagery of God?”

Scene II shows that no one can evade fate by Iocaste’s and Laios’ actions and consequences.  When they are told that Laios’ “doom would be death at the hands of his own son / . . . the King pierced the baby’s ankles / And left him to die on a lonely mountainside” when only days old.  They may escape fate if they kill him themselves.  Nevertheless, as God designs, Laios meets Oedipus and his fateful death, ironically, while Oedipus is trying to elude his own fate.

Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” shows that if Men are given the knowledge of their doom destinies, they will go to all troubles to evade them.  However, no one can avoid fate because fate is Gods’ desire.  By God’s design, Oedipus’ persistent searching for the truth eventually leads to his disgrace.  Creon tells him,” . . . think / How, when you were [in command], you served your own destruction”. This is truth because Teiresias warns him, “It was true enough / It brought about your ruin”, but he does not listen.