In the classic tale of Oedipus the King, the author uses Oedipus as a symbolic symbol of betrayal, naivety and desperation. The tale itself is a classic tragedy; depicts characters in which it is an act of betrayal, but also of truth. Aristotle and Freud both have their own interpretation of the classic story of Oedipus. Aristotle idolizes tragedy significantly as opposed to Freud who emphasizes the true fate and destiny of Oedipus himself. Somehow, they are all juxtaposed into one complete symbolic meaning. Through the definition of tragedy, the destiny and fate of Oedipus the King, and the symbolisms used throughout the classical story, it is clear to say that Oedipus' role is a tragedy in itself and the act of blinding himself is a symbolic meaning of despair. In Oedipus the King, the main character, Oedipus, discovers that his own eyes have always betrayed him. In the classical tragedy of Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the new king of Thebes who learns that the old king, Laius, has been murdered. Soon it will be his destiny to discover the truth about Laius. Hoping to discover the truth to free the people of Thebes from destruction, he soon discovers that the truth affects him more than his people. As the story begins, the inhabitants of Thebes turn to him in hopes of finding safety. “Therefore, O mighty King, we turn to you; find us our security, find us a remedy, both through the counsel of gods and men (page 950, lines 43-45).” It was his duty as the new king to be the hero of the people's land and solve the crime of Laius' murder. He wanted to be praised for his works and also gain more fame, wealth and respect from all the inhabitants of Thebes and Kadmos. In the story of Oedipus, there are several ... middle of paper ... ...my son blinded himself in order to escape future betrayals. In today's world, there are many who have committed suicide and self-mutilation due to some kind of tragic event that they could not face alone. We all have a destiny; the oracle is the God above. This is what Freud says; Before we are even given the chance to take our first breath on this earth, we are given a destiny. However, it is our decisions that allow us to achieve this successfully or not. Works Cited Kennedy, XJ and Dana Gioia. Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. Boston, MA: Pearson, 2012. 949-88. Print.Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King: summary and analysis." Study guide to Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King: summary and analysis of the first Stasimon, the second episode, the second Stasimon and the third episode (462-1086). Np , nd Web. 17 January. 2014