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Comparing Fate And Free Will In Sophocles Oedipus Rex

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In ancient Greece, the people praised the Greek gods like the all powerful Zeus, Hera, and Apollo. There are many stories that focus on Greek gods, some people believe them to be true and some see them as stories. The Greek god Apollo focused on fate, plagues, and healing. He was considered the most Greek god of all gods. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses the Greek god Apollo to show his influences on human life in how he controls fate, how plagues can change people actions, and healing in their lives all in a mythological view.

Sophocles uses Oedipus as an example for being born into tragedy was his fate. Before Oedipus was born he was prophesied to kill his father and to marry his mother. Fate is an unpredictable circumstance as Jocasta says, “Why should anyone in this …show more content…
The plague in Thebes was for how the king was not truthful and honest to his people. The second plague came when Apollo wanted the people to figure out who murdered ex-King Laius. In the play the plague is described, "The plague burns on, it is pitiless,/ Though pallid children laden with death/ Lie unwept in the stony ways," (Sophocles, 2006, Anti.2.180-182. The plague will continue until the gods are satisfied with how the people have changed. Main reasons for plagues were for the dissatisfaction of the people towards certain situations. In The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, they talk about the reasoning for plagues and its background knowledge for it. They include, “We decided to adopt a critical perspective by analyzing the literary description of the plague, unraveling its clinical features, defining the underlying cause” (p. 153). Apollo would not curse a place with a plague for no reason, each plague would punish the people of their horrid actions. The people were the ones who caused plagues and while they suffer they come to realization that it is their fault for the deaths and suffering of

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