Free Will And Fate In King Oedipus The King

As the new leader of Thebes Oedipus is overly confident in himself and believes that he knows all he needs to about himself along with the land he rules over. So when plague strikes the peaceful city the, priest goes to Oedipus asking for the king to find a cure for this sickness. Oedipus states “You are all sick, I know it; and in your sickness There is not one of you so sick as I. For in your case his own particular pain Comes to each singly; but my heart at once groans for the city… By many ways through labyrinths of care; And the one remedy that I could find By careful seeking-- I supplied it” (Sophocles 3). As king Oedipus plays a role where he is supposed to know everything, along with find the answers to all of the problems that the city faces. Yet, Oedipus is far from finding the remedy since he is unknowingly the cause for the plague in Thebes. Then when Oedipus finds out that in order to put an end to the plague he must find the murderer of the last king of Thebes he states “ I shall dispel this plague-spot; for the man, Whoever it may be, who murdered him, Lightly might hanker to serve me the same. I benefit myself in aiding him”(Sophocles 6). This scene is extremely ironic, Oedipus vows to dispose of the murderer which is actually himself. Along with this Oedipus states that the man may also want to kill him as well and he would be helping himself by finding out who killed the last king. Shedding to light that Oedipus is actually the man that killed Laius is what actually led to Oedipus’s downfall. Without knowing that it was actually him who killed the king, Oedipus is shown have a strong passion for putting this man to justice, yet the closer he gets to

Oedipus’ actions are all fated together. Jokasta, Oedipus’ wife, widow of King Laios, calms Oedipus and tells him not to worry about Tireasias’ prophecy. She tells Oedipus that prophecies are not always accurate and fate does not exist. Jokasta tells him, “A long time back, an oracle reached Laios- / … / It said that Laios was destined to die / at the hand of a son born to him and me.” She continues, “Laios pinned its ankle joints together, / … / That time Apollo failed to make Laios die” (726). Laios was fated to be killed by his own son; instead, he was killed by bandits where the three roads meet. So the prophecy was false. Jokasta’s words hits Oedipus. Oedipus’ ankles were injured since birth. At a young age, an oracle tells Oedipus that he will kill his father and sleep with his mother, he ran away to Thebes, without knowing his parents are not his biological parents. The intersection of the three paths was where he killed in self defense when he ran away from home. Oedipus’ choice was to run away thinking it’ll prevent the prophecy. But because of his actions, he killed his

Furthermore, later in the play we have many things happening, with the introduction of the crossroad and the continuation of Oedipus’s arrogance. Firstly, Jocasta recounts the story of how Laius was murdered at a three-way crossroad by some thieves. What is important about the story is not just that Oedipus could be, and is, the murderer, but also that he had a choice. The definition of a crossroad is literally, the crossing of two or more paths. Fate crossed Laius and Oedipus’s paths at the crossroad, but Oedipus was given the opportunity to choose a path. He did not have to fulfill his destiny and kill Laius; he could have chosen an alternative path. Nonetheless, his superciliousness blinded him from handling the situation without violence. Therefore, once again we see how his blindness persists to be the vain of his existence.

           He becomes convinced that Tiresias and Creon are plotting to overthrow him, though he has no evidence to prove it and thus insults the seer which was a great crime at that time because he let himself be ruled by his anger. When Teiresias announces to Oedipus that

Oedipus is a man of unflagging determination and perseverance, but one who must learn through the working out of a terrible prophecy that there are forces beyond any man’s conceptualization or control. Oedipus’ actions were determined before his birth, yet Oedipus’ actions are entirely determined by the Gods who control him completely. In the beginning of this tragedy, Oedipus took many actions leading to his own downfall. He tried to escape Corinth when he learned of the prophecies that were supposed to take place in his life. Instead, he

Oedipus rises as a hero, but eventually loses his power when he faithfully commits to terrible deeds. Jocasta, the wife and mother to Oedipus, doubts that the oracle of Apollo is genuine. Since she and her previous husband, King Laius, left Oedipus to die in the mountains, they refuse to believe the oracle. She claims that “ ..It was fate that he should die a victim at the hands of his own son, a son to be born of Laius and me. But, see now, he, the king, was killed by foreign highway robbers at a place where three roads meet” (Sophocles, 493: 791-796). Despite Jocasta and Laius’s intentions to change their fate, the prophecy remains unfeigned. The fact that Oedipus is alive even after being abandoned, is evidence that their fates are

Oedipus’s tragic flaw is gained once he obtained his greatness and became king. Oedipus’s knowledge contained arrogance, and a metaphorical blindness that fosters his urge for the truth. Hence, Oedipus’s tragic flaw was his own intelligence, which later became curiosity for the all the burdens that is be fallen over his kingdom. He had a troubling obsession for learning the truth, so he could not sit aside so he went on a menacing quest for answers. Oedipus stated a message that reveled his flaw, “Then once more I must bring what is dark to light, but for my own sake to be rid of evil” ( Sophocles 134; 140). His pride and determination clouded his judgment to see the surface of the whole truth. The truth is Oedipus wanted to avoid his fate, but instead his own tragic flaw walked him into it. Even after Oedipus learned of the truth from the prophecy, his mind continued to deny what was the actual truth. The prophet spoke these words to Oedipus, “I say that you, with your eyes, are blind / you can not see the wretchedness of your life” (Sophocles 196-197). He still ventured on to find the alternative to his fate and he only became worse. Soon Oedipus’s pride corrupted his intelligence increasing his flaw. He now accused anyone who restated the prophecy and told all they were only after his crown.

In Oedipus the King, by Sophocles, the idea of fate and destiny is brought to the forefront of the play. The idea of fate is incredibly prevalent in the play and drives a significant amount of the plot. The most important example of fate in the play is the prophecy that Oedipus is doomed to follow. The prophecy that Oedipus is supposed to fall victim to is revealed to the audience by Teiresias, a paraphrasing of the prophecy is “he’ll have no joy of the discovery: blindness for sight and beggary for the riches his exchange, he shall go journeying to a foreign country tapping his way before him with a stick. He shall be proved father and brother both to his own children in his house; to her that gave him birth, a son and husband both; a fellow sower in his father’s bed with that same father that he murdered” (Sophocles, 504-513). Even though, many of the seeds of this

The events in Oedipus show that his past actions were determined by fate but what he did in Thebes, he did on his own free will. Oedipus’ actions, temper, impulsive nature and pride, as well as his erroneous judgment show free will. Personality is what decided their own free will. In Oedipus’ case, one of these was the desire for knowledge and truth about his life. This driving force in the play led to the truth of his origin. This ties in with his own aspect of free will. His free will is based on his drive for knowledge.

The affairs in Oedipus the King, authored by Sophocles, show a relentless desire to discover the truth around Laius’ murder and the question neighboring his own birth, force him to the awful realization of his dreadful deeds. Oedipus’s pride depicts the distrust in the gods and the expedition for the truth, leave the king restless. The idea of fate and free-will which the Greeks believed to guide everything in creation to a balanced direction. The choices a manmade was simply accountable for his own actions. The concept of both fate and free-will play a extensive role in Oedipus’s destruction. Even Though, Oedipus was the sufferer of his fate, his intentions were

However, his great grandfather could have avoided this altogether if he believed in fate. Ignoring the threat was the worst possible thing he could have done. At this point, Oedipus wasn’t even born yet, so free will is out of the picture. In fact, everything leading up to Oedipus’ birth contributed to his fate along with his personality. For example, when Oedipus’ parents discovered the prophecy stating that he will kill his father, they pierced and bound his feet and sent him away to an abandoned mountainside. Maybe if his parents weren’t pessimists about the whole situation, and they loved their son dearly in the first place, the gods couldn’t have created his destiny to be banished in the mountains. One event leads to another, but if he would have stayed with his parents, he would have never killed his father or married his mother. Obviously Oedipus had no say in this because he was three days old when his parents got rid of him and once again he became caught in the vortex of fate. Ultimately, fate is not only decided by the victim’s thoughts and actions, but the people around him as

In “Oedipus,” Sophocles writes about a man who is hunted down by his cruel fate, and whose life is ruined in attempt to run away from it. The ancient Greek perspective reflects on the matter of the story and how the god’s highly influence the lives of humans. This viewpoint basically shows the unbounded power the Greek gods have; by being the gods of destiny, and leaving man at a helpless position. Fate plays a massive role in the lives of humans and as was believed by the ancient Greeks, their lives were simply directed by a decision of gods and goddesses. Oedipus knew his fate set by a curse cast on him; however, even when being aware it is impossible to escape fate, he still attempted to run away from it. As the play progresses Oedipus begins to understand the unbearable truth as he states “I’ve called down a dreadful curse upon myself,” followed by a response “I simply didn’t know!” (1103). It is the will of the man to realize what is inevitable and what choice is. In the Ancient Greece, Gods were praised and worshiped and any command stated by them is the undecided future. Oedipus acting as a blinded man who did not know of such fact led him to his fate and ironically is what later led him to blind himself (Gould). When Oedipus stabs his eyes out with the

Although Oedipus is very confident in himself, the people around him do not do much to stop him from thinking such things. The priest says

Laius and Jocasta hear the fate that their son would kill Laius and marry Jocasta. In their free will, they decide to get him killed, and send a shepherd to send the baby on top of the mountain to have him killed. Although, fate overpowered and the baby survived, and the prophecy later became true. () Another part is when Oedipus leaves Corinth, a free will action in order to fall away from the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother. Although, what he did not know was that Merope and Polybus were not his blood parents, and he eventually does kill his blood father and marry his blood mother. This is showing how free will is limited, as characters did have the free will to do certain actions, but it is fate that truly conducts the play. “A son was born To us, but lived no more than three days. Yes, Laius pinned his ankles together and sent him Away to die on a distant, lonely mountain. Once he was there, no power could make him a murderer, Nor make Laius die at the hands of his son.” (95) Through free will, Jocasta thought that if her and Laius were to send Oedipus to the mountains through a servant to die, then the fate would be gone. Even though she could have killed Oedipus herself, she could not bare killing her own son. This ultimately lead to a change, and her free will action lead to fate, as Oedipus went on to survive and kill Laius and marry herself. This shows that even though Jocasta had the choice to kill Oedipus, fate in the end had the control of the action and free will was limited by

The first quality of Oedipus that justifies him as a tragic hero is in his lack of self-knowledge. Oedipus can be seen has someone who is not genuinely satisfied until he or she solves all of his life’s puzzles and the last riddle of his life. Oedipus physical strength gave him a great opportunity to be the king. This physical strength which he possesses and misuses also marked the beginning of his downfall. In the beginning of the play Oedipus has perfect vision; however, he is blind and ignorant of the truth about himself and his past. As a result; he gains too much pride and confidence and starts to believe he is impalpable. He desperately wants to know, to see, but he can’t. His actions must somehow overcome his blindness. Ironically, into the play a prophet was introduced, a seer, Teresias, who is physically blind, but who is clairvoyant. Teresias says to Oedipus, I tell you, no man that walks upon the earth/ shall be rooted out more horribly than you (S1. .1117). This describes Oedipus as a man ignorant to the true appearance of things, this blind man could see the truth about Oedipus, yet Oedipus in all of his physical strength cannot.