Free Will Vs. Fate In Oedipus Rex
Free Will VS. Fate: Oedipus Rex
Oedipus’ ignorance, disrespect, and unending search for the truth ultimately contribute to his free willing destruction of
life and the completion of prophecy.
Fate is the theory that our lives are “predetermined” for us, and the concept that states that humans have the choice to
choose what decisions they make in life is know as free will. Society tends to generally feel that free will is the presiding
element in their lives. It is important to distinguish reality from figment ideas like the belief that your life is “controlled by
fate”; we live in a world where fantasies do not exist and truth surrounds us everyday. Ignoring this makes you ignorant to
the truth; blind to …show more content…
I paid him back in full, with interest: in no time at all he was hit by the stick I held in my hand and rolled backwards from
the center of the wagon. I killed the lot of them" (Sophocles, Lines 810-820) In the prophecy he was “fated” to kill his father,
but clearly it is Oedipus’ decision to defend himself against the man who attacked him; it’s either life or death and death is
not an option for him. The next is the marriage to his mother; marriage is the reward for solving the Sphinx's riddle. Again,
Oedipus could have rejected this prize from the town of Thebes but he voluntarily accepts to marry Jocasta. In the story
Oedipus comes across a drunken man who accuses him of not having real parents; Oedipus chooses to listen to this man,
which supposedly is “fate”. A drunken man does not always have the credibility of truthfulness so Oedipus did not have to
listen to him, but he freely chose to take note of the things he said to him.
In the end it was Oedipus’ ignorance, disrespect, and unending search for the truth that ultimately contributes to his free
willing destruction and fulfillment of prophecy. He has plenty of opportunities to make better choices but he is “blind”
Oedipus’ ignorance, disrespect, and unending search for the truth ultimately contribute to his free willing destruction of
life and the completion of prophecy.
Fate is the theory that our lives are “predetermined” for us, and the concept that states that humans have the choice to
choose what decisions they make in life is know as free will. Society tends to generally feel that free will is the presiding
element in their lives. It is important to distinguish reality from figment ideas like the belief that your life is “controlled by
fate”; we live in a world where fantasies do not exist and truth surrounds us everyday. Ignoring this makes you ignorant to
the truth; blind to …show more content…
I paid him back in full, with interest: in no time at all he was hit by the stick I held in my hand and rolled backwards from
the center of the wagon. I killed the lot of them" (Sophocles, Lines 810-820) In the prophecy he was “fated” to kill his father,
but clearly it is Oedipus’ decision to defend himself against the man who attacked him; it’s either life or death and death is
not an option for him. The next is the marriage to his mother; marriage is the reward for solving the Sphinx's riddle. Again,
Oedipus could have rejected this prize from the town of Thebes but he voluntarily accepts to marry Jocasta. In the story
Oedipus comes across a drunken man who accuses him of not having real parents; Oedipus chooses to listen to this man,
which supposedly is “fate”. A drunken man does not always have the credibility of truthfulness so Oedipus did not have to
listen to him, but he freely chose to take note of the things he said to him.
In the end it was Oedipus’ ignorance, disrespect, and unending search for the truth that ultimately contributes to his free
willing destruction and fulfillment of prophecy. He has plenty of opportunities to make better choices but he is “blind”