Fate : Fate And Free Will In Oedipus Rex

If predictions were to be real, one could really believe that is what is going to happen in the future. In “Oedipus the King” this is actually true, Oedipus calls for his fate unwillingly and definitely inevitably. Fate is described as something that unavoidably befalls a person. The author of “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles, writes a tragic fate that Oedipus was born to live. I will begin by giving a brief analysis of the story to give a better understanding, and explain point by point why fate was just inevitable in this story.

From birth, Oedipus, the Tragic Hero of Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex has been destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Although by the opening act of the play, Oedipus has already earned the throne of Thebes for solving the riddle of the sphinx, the greek hero is unaware that he has already fulfilled the prophy. Meanwhile, the people of Thebes are dying of a plague that will only end when the murderer of Laius, the previous Theban King, is punished. Through retrospection, Oedipus believes that he might be responsible for Laius death and is told that the King and Queen of Corinth who raised him were not his biological parents. In this passage, Jocasta, having already discovered the truth that she is both Oedipus’ mother and wife, warns Oedipus to go no further in his path for self knowledge. But Oedipus ignores her warning and calls for the Shepherd, to learn more about his mysterious lineage. This passage suggests that Oedipus’ downfall is not the product of fate but of his own free will. Sophocles employs characterization, word choice, and irony to reveal how free will has led to tragedy.

“You were born for a reason and you will relive until that task is completed,” a motivator one said. One incarnates to learn something he or she hadn’t learned in the previous life. Questions about this may still remain like the following: does it include personality traits? Is one predestined to his or her fate? What determines what our next life will be like? Sophocles once said, “Fate has terrible power. You cannot escape it by wealth or war. No fort will keep it out, no ships outrun it,” but is one’s fate planned out before birth? Some may say that people are predestined to their fate, while others believe people have the ability to change it if they want. However, it may be more appropriate to say that even though one tries to change his

In our world today, fate and free will remains the biggest mystery of all; is everything we do controlled or do we have the freedom of choice? In the story "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, the author uses the idea of fate and free will to explain the struggle of Oedipus's life. Fate and free will is explained as; fate is controlled by an outside supernatural force, and there is no way of controlling it. Free will is when each of us is responsible and controls all aspects of our own life. The author of "Oedipus the King" uses ironic devices to convey a tragic attitude toward the struggle of fate and free will.

Oedipus the King, was written by Sophocles between C.A.496-406B.C. In this play, Oedipus is a great example of Sophocles’ belief that fate will control a man’s life no matter how much free will exists.

Large-scale questions of such ideas are raised in Sophocles’ play, “Oedipus the King”—a story that deals with the tragic hero, Oedipus, and his demise. Oedipus progresses through the play struggling against his own wicked destiny: the prophecy that declares that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Ultimately, Oedipus fulfills this prophecy; in fact, he had completed his fate without his own knowing and before the play even begins. Despite his belief that he was fighting against his prophesized destiny, Oedipus was ironically fulfilling it, and he slowly brings about his own downfall. He becomes a victim of his own fate. In this regard, “Oedipus the King” explores a terrifying concept: Oedipus never had free will—a puppet in every sense to the higher beings that decided his ending for him.

Sophocles is the author of the famous play, “Oedipus the King”. In case you did not know, Sophocles is from Greece. In Greek mythology there are three goddesses who preside over the birth and life of humans. Each person 's destiny was thought of as a thread spun, measured, and cut by the three Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. In the story “Oedipus the King” fate and destiny was the main theme. On Google the definition of destiny is the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future. Fate is defined as, the development of events beyond a person 's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. In this paper I will be analyzing the story to help you understand the significance of destiny and fate to the story.

Out of this place! Out of my sight!”   Even after the prophet tells him that the murderer of Laios will be “brother and father” to his children and “son and husband” to his wife, Oedipus remains ignorant to the reality of Teiresias’s  prophecy.

Before Oedipus was even born his parents were fated to have their blood line end, therefore, Oedipus’ parents should not have had kids. Lauis and Jocasta ignored this and had children anyways. Once Oedipus was born, Oedipus was given his fate, which was that Oedipus was going to kill his father and marry his mother. Jocasta and Lauis decided to act upon this fate, and get rid of Oedipus. Jocasta and Lauis give Oedipus to a shepherd to get rid of him. They had thought that Oedipus had been killed along with his fate. However, Oedipus was given to the king and queen of Corinth where he grew up, eventually meeting his fate. One night at a party in Corinth Oedipus has a conversation with a man who reveals his fate to him. Oedipus learns of is fate and decides to run away from home in an attempt to protect his mother and father. It was fate that Oedipus’ fate was revealed to him, but Oedipus made a decision of free will when he choose to run away from his adopted parents. Oedipus’s fate in this situation controlled his free will decision making fate the stronger of the two. Fate continues to demonstrate strength as Oedipus meets King Lauis at a crossroad, Oedipus and Lauis get into a quarrel and Oedipus decides to end Lauis’ life. Oedipus knew that he had made the decision, however he did not realize that Lauis was his father. It was free will that drove Oedipus to kill his Lauis, but it was fate that determined that

Our life is full of questions that do not have a concrete answer. For us, knowledge is power and we want to find an explanation for everything; however, sometimes it is out of our hands. Fate cannot be controlled by anyone or that is what some people think. Years ago, in Ancient Greece, fate was said to be created and controlled by the gods. Fate could be either magical or tragic. Some people were born to be great while others to have a tragic end. Sophocles, one of the most influential writers of Ancient Greece used fate in most of his plays example of this is Oedipus Rex. Oedipus Rex tells the story of Oedipus, a young boy, that runs away from his home in order to avoid a prophecy that he ultimately later on fulfills. In the play Oedipus Rex, Sophocles insinuates that fate cannot be avoided and humans are not always to blame for their actions.

However despite Oedipus’ best efforts and reassurances, he was unable to avoid the prophecy that he was destined from birth to fulfil. Oedipus eagerly attempts to discover the truth, acting determinedly and scrupulously exposing himself to the reality. When Sophocles states “Laius was murdered, but not by his own son” it shows an example of dramatic irony. What the characters easily accept is that the Gods have already decreed their fate even before they were born, and that the possibilities to overcome their destiny are inexistent. For example, Oedipus was condemned such a miserable destiny because his father, King Lauis, went against the God’s will, by having a male child. This concept was readily accepted in an ancient Greek society where it was believed that gods constantly interfered in the lives of humans, making them do whatever they thought was right. This shows their powerless and vulnerable position compare to the mighty Gods. “Thou hast no power // o’er me or any man who sees the sun” is said by Oedipus to show that no human being can have control over him, but only the God’s.

I have chosen to answer number one on this week's discussion board assignment. Throughout the play, the characters are torn between a prophecy that will cause a family downfall by their hands of the son. While debating Oedipus's problem, Jocasta speaks of the prophecy that was given to Laius stating, "that he slay his father nor that Laius suffer the terrible thing he feared from his child."(750) From birth, Oedipus is tainted by this prediction and will be cast away from his parents in fear of the prophecy.The battle between destiny and choice in Sophocles's play comes fairly close while trying to chose which one dominates the other. I say this because even though the parents were told their future would the same outcome happen if they did

  The ancient Greeks firmly believed that the universe was guided strictly by order and fate. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles has examined the relationship between free will and fate, suggesting that free will paradoxically exists inside the boundaries of fate. It may be concluded, however, that man has free will and is ultimately held responsible for his own actions.

Far too often, people find that despite their best efforts, life counteracts their intentions. It seems as though every person has had their moments of true powerlessness and helplessness, as their fate appeared to be in the hands of someone else. Thousands of years ago, in Ancient Greece, a potent belief in fate existed, and is even depicted in one of history’s most infamous plays, Oedipus Rex. In this play, Sophocles depicts the cruelty and strength of destiny through the terrible tale that is Oedipus’ life. Oedipus deems himself a “child of fortune” after the most grueling truths of his fate are revealed, as Oedipus realizes he truly had no command over his destiny. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles poses an eternal question about destiny: What

Fate; something that unavoidably befalls upon a person, fate is influenced by one’s own actions, but is ultimately dictated by events beyond human control. In this play Sophocles demonstrates the power of fate through certain situations that occur throughout the play which are uncontrollable. The gods preordained Oedipus’ future, with all its intricacies and landmarks which lead Oedipus on his quest to find his identity and the truth. However, the path Oedipus “chooses” is simply a reaction to the predetermination of his life. Ultimately fate, through Oedipus’ own “choices” is his opponent throughout the play.