Oedipus the King Fate and Free Will Essay example

â€Å"‘Tragedy is an imitation, not of men, but of action and life, of happiness and misery’† (Milch 12). This statement by Aristotle reflects the ideas portrayed in the play Oedipus Rex. Written by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex is a play which combines tragedy with irony to tell a story of a noble king who falls short of his greatness. The play was written around 430 BC and originally intended for an Athenian audience. They considered Sophocles their most successful playwright and consequently, his works continued to be valued highly throughout the Greek world long after his death. A closer examination of this play is needed to see just why it has been regarded as Sophocles’ masterpiece and the greatest of all Greek tragedies (Milch 16, 36).†¦show more content†¦Oedipus is also informed that Laios and his servants were murdered by a band of highwaymen, but that there was one servant who escaped (Sophocles 426). Oedipus says, It is most fitting tha t Apollo shows, as you do, this compunction for the dead. You shall see how I stand by you, as I should, avenging this country and the god as well, and not as though it were for some distant friend, but for my own sake, to be rid of evil. Whoever killed King Laios might--who knows?--Lay violent hands even on me--and soon. I act for the murdered king in my own interest. (Prologue.135) Oedipus, motivated by a genuine desire to help the community, vows to locate the murderer and take vengeance upon him. Oedipus’ statement shows that he is concerned with his own sense of himself; his own demands for justice on his own terms. He also shows a little pride here as he seems far less concerned about his own survival in the community than he is about finding the murderer (Princeton Univ.). Following the Prologue is the Parados. It acts as a transition in time from one scene to the next (Milch 10), and is later called an Ode. In the Parados, a chorus chants cries of mercy for the gods to end the plague on Thebes. They also pray about the fright among the citizens over what will be revealed by Oedipus’s man hunt (Sophocles 428-429). As Scene 1 opens, Oedipus speaks to the citizens. He insists that theShow MoreRelatedFate And Free Will : Oedipus The King1136 Words   |  5 PagesClearly depicted, in Oedipus the King, is the Greek s popular belief that fate will control a man s life in spite of man s free will. Throughout the story, the concept of fate and free will plays an integral part in Oedipus destruction and ultimately the death of his family. Destined to marry his mother and murder his father, Oedipus was guided by fate. When Oedipus learns of his fate he immediately tries to prevent it, as did his mother and father. This prophecy, as warned by the Oracle ofRead MoreEssay on Oedipus the King: Oedipus Struggle with Fate and Free Will771 Words   |  4 PagesIn our world today, fate and free will remains the biggest mystery of all; is eve rything 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 Oedipuss 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. 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One might even say that Oedipus ran from fate. Webster defines tragedy as a medieval narrative poem or tale typically describing the downfall of a great man. Oedipus the King is certainly a tragedy, and as Dr. Lucas states in his blogRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - The Fate of Oedipus1239 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fate of Oedipus in Oedipus the King    In Oedipus the King there comes a point in the play where Oedipus learns something that plays an important role throughout the play.  Ã‚   He learns from a   oracle that he will eventually kill his own Father and sleep with his own mother.   As one could imagine this is a shock to Oedipus, and he does not believe the oracle.   However, he cannot prevent any of this from happening because it is his fate.   Oedipus is a victim of circumstancesRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Driven by Fate1105 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of Fate in Oedipus Rex Before we approach this complex question inductively, we are at first obliged to contemplate what definitions and assumptions are being made. This essay, perhaps more so than others, requires a more extensive look at this aspect of the question, because of the sheer variety of possible responses. However, I now have reduced them to three possibilities. Firstly, we could make the assumption that perhaps as destiny controls all fates, then Oedipus character wasRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King3894 Words   |  16 PagesThe Concept of Fate in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To the first-time reader of Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex, it seems that the gods are in complete domination of mankind. This essay will seek to show that this is not the case because the presence of a tragic flaw within the protagonist is shown to be the cause of his downfall.    In the opening scene of the tragedy the priest of Zeus itemizes for the king what the gods have done to the inhabitants of Thebes:    A blight isRead MoreOedipus the King: Fate Vs Free Will Essay639 Words   |  3 Pages 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. 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 determinedRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Victim of Fate3445 Words   |  14 PagesThe Victim of Fate in Oedipus Rex The question has been raised as to whether Oedipus was a victim of fate or of his own actions.   This essay will show that Oedipus was a victim of fate, but he was no puppet because he freely and actively sought his doom, although he was warned many times of the inevitable repercussions of his actions. When first considering this topic, I speculated that maybe it was the destiny of Oedipus to suffer, but a friend asked me to explain why Oedipus, in the actRead More Boundaries of Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King1282 Words   |  6 PagesBoundaries of Fate and Free Will in Oedipus the King    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.    Oedipus destruction was brought about by a combination of fate and free