...Oedipus the King: Free Will or Fate? A common debate that still rages today is whether we as a species have free will or if some divine source, some call it fate, controls our destiny. The same debate applies to Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus. Does Oedipus control his actions, or are they predetermined by the gods? It’s that question that makes Oedipus a classic, and many different people think many different things. With all the oracles and talk of prophecies, its obvious that there is some divine intervention in Oedipus. But how strong is it, and how much control does Oedipus really have? Fate, or divine will, manifests itself in a number of ways. First, in Oedipus at Colonus, there is the oracle at Delphi that tells Oedipus’s parents and then himself that he will kill his father and marry his mother. It does end up happening, proving divine intervention occurs. Later, the prophet Tiresias tells Oedipus exactly what the oracle did, making himself another example of divine will, that is, the gods speak through him. Divine intervention is abundant in Oedipus at Colonus, too. In it, Oedipus tries to gain sympathy for himself by saying all the sins he committed in the previous play were the work of fate, thus proving the point of divine intervention in Oedipus the King. There are examples of divine intervention that are only in Oedipus at Colonus, like all the prophecies from the oracle. First, it is said that the city Oedipus is buried in will be blessed...
Words: 618 - Pages: 3
...Dylan Farrell 5/15/17 Mrs. Tapia Oedipus Essay Free will and Fate has been an argument forever now, such as the story of “Oedipus The King” written. Oedipus was expected to live a great life and thought to be worth a lot, however he had no clue about his past. When his realized what his past was, everything went haywire. However the death of the baby was untrue. Oedipus goes through a bunch of coincidences that makes it seems like his life is predetermined and almost impossible. He encounters things like unknowingly marrying his mom, killing his dad, and escaping death at a young age. Jocasta and King Laius had a baby who had a great future and they were very excited to have. This baby would have everything in the world. Money, fame, royalty, anything he wanted could be his. After is his prophecy was told, Laius told Oedipus that he must die. They forced the shepherd to pin his feet and throw him in the mountains. Oedipus ended up not being killed but given to the king and queen of Corinth. Since he was very little at the time Oedipus always thought of them as the biological parents. His whole life was a lie....
Words: 541 - Pages: 3
...Sign in Google oedipus rex thesis research paper WebImagesVideosNewsShoppingMoreSearch tools About 365,000 results (0.35 seconds) Search Results Free oedipus Essays and Papers - 123HelpMe.com www.123helpme.com/search.asp?text=oedipus Free oedipus papers, essays, and research papers. ... Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles - In “Oedipus the King,” an infant's fate is determined that he will kill his father ... Oedipus the King a Story of Fate - Research Papers ... www.termpaperwarehouse.com › English and Literature Feb 8, 2012 - Read this essay on Oedipus the King: a Story of Fate . ... Thesis: “Oedipus the King” by is generally a story about fate as it deals with its ... Oedipus Rex and Blindness Research Papers are Written ... www.papermasters.com › Research Paper Topics Oedipus Rex and Blindness research papers are custom written according to your literature or English 101 research paper requirements. Oedipus the King Research Papers on the play by Sophocles www.papermasters.com › Research Paper Topics In research papers on Oedipus the King by Sophocles, there is the example of the classic tragic hero in the character Oedipus. Often defined in research papers ... Oedipus the King Term Paper Topics - Planet Papers www.planetpapers.com/professional-essays/Oedipus-the-King.aspx Oedipus the King term papers available at Planet Papers.com, the largest free term ... 1000's of FREE Term Papers, Essays, Book Reports & Research Papers. Oedipus Rex Essay - Critical...
Words: 499 - Pages: 2
...Date: 12/10/08 Title: Oedipus the King: A Story of Fate Thesis: “Oedipus the King” by is generally a story about fate as it deals with its unalterable nature and the consequences that come with the attempt to change it. I. Fate and its Characteristics A. Characteristics of Fate 1. Fate as controlled by external force 2. Insignificance of man in relation to fate B. Fate according to Sophocles 1. Determined nature of fate 2. Freedom of man as manifested through his attitude towards destiny II. Oedipus A. His destiny as determined before his birth 1. The attempt of King Laius and Queen Jocasta to alter his fate 2. The futility of such attempt B. Oedipus’ lack of knowledge as instrumental in determining his fate C. Oedipus’ negative attitude towards his destiny D. Man’s attitude as uncontrolled by fate but possesses the power to influence 1. The role of arrogance and self-confidence in the fulfillment of the prophecy 2. Arrogance as a result of experience 3. Self-confidence as contributed by the people of Thebes 4. Arrogance and self-confidence as his response against fate III. Fate according to Epictetus A. Fate must not be feared and wanted B. Fate must be accepted with grace and dignity C. Fate must be embraced as the will of gods D. Refusal to accept fate results in tragedy Name:...
Words: 3315 - Pages: 14
...Hamartia in Oedipus the King According to the Aristotelian characteristics of good tragedy, the tragic character should not fall due to either excessive virtue or excessive wickedness, but due to what Aristotle called hamartia. Hamartia may be interpreted as either a flaw in character or an error in judgement. Oedipus, the tragic character in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, certainly makes several such mistakes; however, the pervasive pattern of his judgemental errors seems to indicate a basic character flaw that precipitates them. Oedipus’ character flaw is ego. This is made evident in the opening lines of the prologue when he states "Here I am myself--you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus." (ll. 7-9) His conceit is the root cause of a number of related problems. Among these are recklessness, disrespect, and stubbornness. Oedipus displays an attitude of recklessness and disrespect throughout the play. When he makes his proclamation and no one confesses to the murder of Laius, Oedipus loses patience immediately and rushes into his curse. Later, he displays a short temper to Tiresias: "You, you scum of the earth . . . out with it, once and for all!," (ll. 381, 383) and "Enough! Such filth from him? Insufferable--what, still alive? Get out--faster, back where you came from--vanish!" (ll. 490-492) If an unwillingness to listen may be considered stubbornness, certainly Oedipus would take advice from no one who would tell him to drop the matter of his...
Words: 4487 - Pages: 18
...idea of fate has existed alongside humans since before the creation of even the most primitive, simplistic religions. Throughout history, there has always been a clear divide between those who believe in fate and destiny, and those who believe in their own free will. The struggle to prove or disprove the existence of fate is one that has been present along with the idea of fate since its beginning. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles not only clearly shows his own opinion on the existence of fate, but also demonstrates the struggle humans encounter when trying to determine whether they have control over their destiny. Ancient societies, such as the Ancient Greeks, strongly believed in religious ideals to a greater extent than many modern societies; however, Oedipus’s story is one of few from Ancient Greece that openly questions the existence of fate, and dares to entertain the idea of free will. The time described in the play is one where the truthfulness of religion was being heavily questioned, and at its core, Oedipus the King is about the existence of fate. Throughout its pages, the play shows characters who both believe in destiny like Tiresias, and also characters like Oedipus, who transition from believing in fate to believing in free will, and back again. In Oedipus the King, the difference in opinions between Oedipus and Tiresias regarding the existence of fate, clearly show the nature of fate in the play, and Sophocles’s opinion on the existence of destiny and free will as...
Words: 2174 - Pages: 9
...life goes is according to fate or free will? Some people lives are controlled by fate, however, some are controlled simply by your own choice of free will. Free Will, is “The power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one’s own discretion” (Oxford Dictionaries). Free will allows a person to take action in any case of alternatives without a sense of obligation, but by their own chosen decisions. However, Fate is “The development of events outside a person’s control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power” (Oxford Dictionaries). Fate is the progressive unchanging flow of actions and events, predestined and guaranteed by a higher order or deity, in a person’s life that no one can change. For example, in the drama stories of Sophocles “Oedipus the King” and William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. One of the two stories will show Fate while the other demonstrates Free Will. Oedipus and Hamlet’s life may seem alike as they both wanted what was best for their people and for their loved ones. However, Oedipus’s life...
Words: 1217 - Pages: 5
...Sam Rogers Michael Brush English Composition II 24 March 2013 Oedipus’s Downfall The downfall of Oedipus is entirely the responsibility of the gods and not himself. A plague has stricken Thebes. It is said plague will end when the murderer of Laius, former king of Thebes, is caught and expelled; the murderer is within the city. Oedipus, current King of Thebes, vows to find the murderer, and put an end to the terrible plague. Oedipus is driven by the fate intended by the gods, and there is nothing he can do to prevent the horrible, shameful prophecy from coming true. The ancient Greeks believed that their gods could see the future, and that certain people could access this information. In the play, Oedipus the King, Prophets or seers, like blind Tiresias, saw visions of things to come. At the end of scene one, Teiresias exclaims, “To the children with whom he lives now he will be brother and father-the very same; to her who bore him, son and husband-the very same who came to his father’s bed, wet with his father’s blood (1077).” This is a restatement of the prophecy that told of Oedipus murdering his father, becoming king, and marrying his mother. King Laius of Thebes receives a prophecy saying that he would have a son by Queen Jocasta, and that his “doom would be death at the hands of his own son (1081).” King Laius, Jocasta, and Oedipus all work to prevent the prophecies from coming to pass, but their efforts to thwart the prophecies are what actually...
Words: 1122 - Pages: 5
...The story of Oedipus the King, is about his destiny and choices he makes along the way. Oedipus from the beginning was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. The God’s had already set this life for the king, but they never expected him to make the decisions he made to fulfill his destiny. When the play begins, the citizens of Thebes are begging their king, Oedipus, to take away the plague that threatens to destroy the city. Oedipus sent his brother-in-law, Kreon, to talk to the oracle at Delphi to learn on what to do. When he returned, Kreon announced that the oracle instructed the city to find the murderer of Laios, the king who ruled Thebes before Oedipus. As soon as they find out who murdered the late king, it would be an end to the plague. Oedipus took upon himself to find out who murdered the king. Tiresias, the blind prophet refuses to speak, but finally accuses Oedipus himself of killing Laios. Oedipus orders him to leave, but before he leaves, Tiresias hints of an incestuous marriage, future of blindness, infamy, and wandering. Oedipus then goes to Jokasta for advice. She told him to ignore prophecies because a prophet once told her that Laios, her husband, would be killed by her son. According to Jokasta, it never came true because the baby died, and Laios himself was killed by a band of robbers. Oedipus then begins to worry because just before he came to Thebes he killed a man who resembled Laios. To learn the truth, Oedipus sends for the only living witness...
Words: 655 - Pages: 3
...n Sophocles' Oedipus the King, the themes of fate and free will are very strong throughout the play. Only one, however, brought about Oedipus' downfall and death. Both points could be argued to great effect. In ancient Greece, fate was considered to be a rudimentary part of daily life. Every aspect of life depended and was based upon fate (Nagle 100). It is common belief to assume that mankind does indeed have free will and each individual can decide the outcome of his or her life. Fate and free will both decide the fate of Oedipus the King. Both sides of the argument can be greatly supported. The Greeks believed in the idea that personality of the individual greatly affected his or her life (Nagle 120). Their personality was what decides their own free will. A wise man will make good decisions in his life; an ignorant and stubborn man won't be so fortunate. The character traits of a person have a certain positive or negative affect on the choices that he or she makes. For Oedipus, one of these attributes was the desire for knowledge and truth about his own existence. 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. Throughout the entire play, Oedipus pushes Tiresias, Creon, Jocasta, the oracle, the messenger, and the shepherd for information regarding his beginnings. Each one of these characters in some way or form refused to give him a thorough answer...
Words: 1496 - Pages: 6
...William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex are two classic pieces of literature that are worth studying. This essay will discuss how free will and destiny function in the two plays. First, the plays will be introduced and analyzed separately to provide a basis for contrast and comparison. Once the foundation is established, more advanced ideas will be discussed, such as the concept of evil and literal and figurative sight. Oedipus Rex will be discussed first. The role of destiny is very obvious is this play. The plot is built around destiny; when Oedipus hears that his destiny is to murder his father and marry his mother, he sets out to confirm this prediction and then prevent it. In his attempt to avoid his fate, he unwittingly commits the very acts that were predicted. The actual logistics of the offense are quite impressive. Both Oedipus and his parents work independently of each other to avoid the outcome, and their actions tragically work together to make it possible. The reader is slapped in the face with the core of the theme, which is that the fate of man is inevitable. Since Oedipus was fated to commit these crimes, he cannot do otherwise. The role of fate and free will is much more complex in Shakespeare’s King Lear. A quick perusal of the plot gives a story of good and evil characters exercising their own free wills. King Lear foolishly divides up his kingdom to his two deceitful, older daughters and ignores Cordelia, his honest, dutiful...
Words: 1234 - Pages: 5
...William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex are two classic pieces of literature that are worth studying. This essay will discuss how free will and destiny function in the two plays. First, the plays will be introduced and analyzed separately to provide a basis for contrast and comparison. Once the foundation is established, more advanced ideas will be discussed, such as the concept of evil and literal and figurative sight. Oedipus Rex will be discussed first. The role of destiny is very obvious is this play. The plot is built around destiny; when Oedipus hears that his destiny is to murder his father and marry his mother, he sets out to confirm this prediction and then prevent it. In his attempt to avoid his fate, he unwittingly commits the very acts that were predicted. The actual logistics of the offense are quite impressive. Both Oedipus and his parents work independently of each other to avoid the outcome, and their actions tragically work together to make it possible. The reader is slapped in the face with the core of the theme, which is that the fate of man is inevitable. Since Oedipus was fated to commit these crimes, he cannot do otherwise. The role of fate and free will is much more complex in Shakespeare’s King Lear. A quick perusal of the plot gives a story of good and evil characters exercising their own free wills. King Lear foolishly divides up his kingdom to his two deceitful, older daughters and ignores Cordelia, his honest, dutiful...
Words: 1235 - Pages: 5
...In Sophocles‘ Oedipus Rex, many mishaps and mistakes troubled the character Oedipus. He was a ruler with a kingdom in distress. As a ruler he promised to his people that he would do whatever he could to help them. However, his name of Oedipus nor the decisions he made ever really helped his people. Oedipus was a man cursed with a fate and remarked that the god Apollo brought his sick fate upon him but the blinding hand was his own. Fate took over Oedipus’ life, but free will led to his destruction. Apollo’s curse and the events of Oedipus’ childhood told his fate. Oedipus’ father, Laios, made the god Apollo very angry and in his anger he placed a curse on him and his family. Oedipus’ life had a path before he was even born. He would kill his father and marry his mother, and Apollo would make sure this happened. When he was born Oedipus made no choices with his free will, but had to suffer from the choices his parents made. As Oedipus grew up and matured he made his own decisions with his own free will, whether they were good or bad. Apollo was always guiding Oedipus to his eventual fate, but Oedipus brought himself down by the choices he made. Misfortune and fate were placed on Oedipus, but his very own mistakes led him to that fate. Oedipus would always try his best to help his people. He was a good king that was always ready to lead his people but at the same time serve them and took decisive actions. The murderer of the former King Laios must be banished from...
Words: 505 - Pages: 3
...Why do most teams go for the difficult win when they could go for the easy tie? The thinking that goes on after going for the win and losing is similar to what Oedipus from Sophocles’s Oedipus the King and Othello from Shakespeare’s Othello the Moor must think after they have lost everything they once had even though they didn’t have to. Oedipus the King, born royal, runs away from his prophecy to Thebes, his new land, where he completes what the prophecy had in mind. Othello the Moor, a general, questions his wife, Desdemona, after an evil man manipulates his mind. Though both authors use irony and a tragic hero to move their audiences, Sophocles uses those elements to stress the role of fate, while Shakespeare uses them to demonstrate the importance of personal choice. Both Oedipus and Othello are tragic heroes, and the downfall of each moves the audience. Both heroes are blinded by their emotions. Oedipus was blind to his prophecy that he never realized that he actually married his mother and killed his father. He thought that he could run away from it, and got mad at anyone who suggested that he already reached the destination. For example, when Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is the cause of Thebe’s plague, Oedipus says to him, “Your infantile riddles! Your damned abracadabra!” (Sophocles 24). He is basically getting angry because he believes that Teiresias is threatening his power. Similarly, Othello is blinded by his trust in Iago that he falls for all of his tricks....
Words: 1569 - Pages: 7
...Free will in Oedipus Rex In terms of their fate, characters in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles have very little control over their lives and can do little to prevent major events in the story to influence the fulfilment of prophecies. The play itself follows the king of Thebes, Oedipus, who realizes in his quest to save the city that he has fulfilled a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, a fate he had been trying to escape his whole life. One important theme in this story is the theme of free will, or in this case the absence of it. The significance of free will in Oedipus Rex is that Oedipus does not truly have the ability to exercise free will or to change his fate, but throughout the story he still tries to escape...
Words: 993 - Pages: 4
