Final answer:
Oedipus refers to Laius's descendants as 'ill-fated' to emphasize their cursed destiny and attributes his own ascent to the throne to 'chance', illustrating his belief in autonomy and denial of predetermined destiny. His perspective is a reflection of his hamartia, which is characterized by his arrogance and belief in defying fate, ultimately leading to his tragic downfall.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus the King, Oedipus refers to Laius's descendants as "ill-fated" to emphasize the cursed nature of their lineage, which is believed to be influenced by the gods or by a malignant destiny.
Conversely, he attributes his own good fortune in obtaining Laius's throne to "chance," a less deterministic and more random factor that does not carry the same weight of doom.
This distinction illustrates Oedipus's perspective; by considering his own ascent to the throne as a product of chance, he detaches himself from the cursed fate of Laius's descendants, reinforcing his belief in his autonomy and denying any predetermined destiny.
However, as the plot unfolds, Oedipus's understanding of fate and chance is dramatically challenged, leading to his tragic downfall. His initial belief in his ability to defy fate through intelligence and good nature—a characteristic of his hamartia, or tragic flaw—is what ultimately leads him to fulfill the very fate he tries to avoid.