Final answer:
Oedipus takes full responsibility for his actions, even though they fulfill a horrific prophecy, choosing to blind himself rather than blame others or the gods for his tragedies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oedipus, the protagonist of Sophocles' tragedy, unlike Odysseus, does not blame the gods or fate for his misfortunes; rather, he takes personal responsibility for his actions. While Odysseus, in Homer's epic, may attribute some of the failings and challenges he and his men faced to the gods or external forces, Oedipus's situation is self-inflicted, unveiling the theme of self-responsibility in Greek tragedies. When Oedipus realizes that he has fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother, he inflicts punishment upon himself, blinding his own eyes. Moreover, despite evidence pointing towards fate playing a role, Oedipus chooses not to offload the blame onto others or the divine but acknowledges the horrific nature of his deeds by taking drastic actions to atone.