Odipeus vs Appointment in Samarra
Uploaded by tminnock on Mar 03, 2005
Fate
Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles and the servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” by W. Somerset Maugham learn ironically that they cannot run away from their individual fate. The destiny of Oedipus and the servant is foreseen. Oedipus and the servant attempt to run away from their destiny. The servant and Oedipus learn that they cannot escape their fate by running away.
The servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” and Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” have their individual destiny foreshadowed. Upon returning from an errand for a merchant, the servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” tells him: “When I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me” (page 4, lines 3 & 4). Oedipus is told of his fate. Oedipus says Apollo told him: “I must make love with my own mother, shed my father’s blood with my own hands” (page 1408, lines 1091 & 1092).
Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” and the servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” play into fate’s hand by running away from their own homes. Oedipus gives the city of Corinth, the city in which he grew up, “a wide berth” (page 1408, line 1093) in order to avoid letting the prophecy come true. Oedipus then becomes king of Thebes by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. After being jostled by Death in the marketplace, the servant requests a horse from his boss in order to leave for the city of Samarra.
The servant in “The Appointment in Samarra” and Oedipus in “Oedipus the King” fulfill their destiny by living their lives just as fate has determined. The merchant in “The Appointment in Samarra” speaks with Death to find out why she jostled his servant earlier that day in the market. Death explains: “I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra” (page 4, lines 12 & 13).
Oedipus plays into fate’s hand by moving to the city of Thebes in order to avoid Corinth. He also learns through a couple of twists of fate that he fulfills his prophecy....