Symbols In Oedipus Rex

In Oedipus Rex written by Sophocles, Oedipus was only a newborn baby when he was sent by his parents off to die with his feet tied together. They thought that sending him as far as possible away and letting him to die would prevent the prophecy from coming true. They made a mistake; they never thought someone would actually pick up the baby and save him which put the prophecy back on track to happen. There are various symbols throughout Oedipus Rex to help illustrate the theme that is once one’s fate is determined by the Gods, one cannot escape it.

One major symbol in the play is that Oedipus has scars on his feet from being tied up as a baby which symbolizes he cannot run away from his fate. The reason this is a symbol is because the scars were permanent on his skin, just as his fate was permanent for him, which says he cannot change it or try to escape it. The messenger tells Oedipus, “I was the one who cut the bonds that tied his ankles together” (3. 978). Then, Oedipus tells him, “ I have had those marks for as long as he could remember, (3. 979). They keep going back and forth with one another and slowing explaining to Oedipus what exactly happen and that’s when he starts saying how much he hates the guy who saved him. Oedipus says, “Death take the man who unbound my feet on that hillside and delivered me from death to life! What life? If only I had died, the weight of monstrous doom could not have dragged me and my darlings down,” (4. 1300-1305). In the quote,