(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Doea Oedipus have Free Will?

            In the play "Oedipus the King" the main character Oedipus suffers a very dramatic and unfortunate life. He did everything he could to try to escape his fate, but there was nothing he could do to avoid the life that he faced. Although Oedipus believed in fate he did not want to accept the life that was made for him. I believe that Oedipus did have free will in this play. Oedipus made choices that he felt would prevent the prophecy from coming true. The debate over fate vs. free choice has been an issue for a long time. Some People believe that fate dominates a person's entire life. Others feel that we are free to make choices in life and that fate has absolutely no role in our lives. Oedipus had a very difficult time accepting what his future had in store for him. Tyresias was the prophet that told him that in his future he will marry his mother and kill his father. In reality what he did to avoid the prophecy ironically made it come true. .
             .
             One example of how Oedipus has free will is when he decided to search for the killer of the king. Being king of Thebes Oedipus felt that it was his job to discover who the murderer of the king was. He made the choice to go ahead and to discover the truth about the death of the king. Although the prophet warned him not to go forward with his decision, he took it upon himself to find the killer of the king. Bernard Knox believed that Oedipus had one free will. His example was also Oedipus's decision to discover the truth. .
             Oedipus also used his free will when he decided to run away from his parents to avoid his fate. He thought that if he stayed with his parents, what the prophet told him about his future would come true. So he decided to make his own decisions and leave his parents. If free will did not exist for Oedipus his resolution to runaway to would not have worked out and he would have remained home with his parents. Unfortunately in the end things didn"t work out the way he wanted them to.


Essays Related to Doea Oedipus have Free Will?

1. Oedipus Rex and Free Will

Throughout the play "Oedipus Rex," the playwright Sophocles, show's an underlying relationship between fate and free will. ... Oedipus's fate became a reality as he consciously decided to ignore warnings and indications that would have altered the outcome of the play. ... It is important to note that Oedipus exercised his final act of free will in Thebes to show the influence free will has in shaping ones fate. "Oedipus Rex" demonstrates how man's fate and free will are intertwined. However, man has an active role in determining the extent to which he will exercise his free wi...

  • Word Count: 670
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Fate vs Free Will- Oedipus

Both the concept of fate and free will played an equal part in Oedipus' destruction. ... This prophecy, as warned by the oracle of Apollo was going to come true (as written in his fate), no matter what he may have done to avoid it. ... And what he did at Thebes was his own free will. ... When Oedipus was told that he was the murderer by Teiresias, he called the old man a liar; he could have at least thought of what he was doing before cursing the man. ... Have I not suffered enough?" ...

  • Word Count: 445
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Oedipus

In this play, the crossroads symbolize fate and the awesome power of prophecy rather than free will. ... The concepts of fate and free will played an integral part in Oedipus' destruction. Ignorance of a protagonist can lead to a fall due to a mistake done by his own free will. ... Therefore, free will has no say in one's life, because people live for the future. ... Therefore the last act of destruction was caused by Oedipus' free will, but his tragic fate came about because of the role of the gods in human affairs. ...

  • Word Count: 1264
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Oedipus

From this vantage point it should only be reasonable that Oedipus's downfall could be that of his own free will. ... Enraged Oedipus promises, " you have spat out infamy. ... Therefore Oedipus" actions can be said to be of human nature and of free will not willed from a divine source. ... Of his own free will Oedipus admits to these similarities and possibilities. ... This could have only been of his own free will because what god of any worth would make him do such things....

  • Word Count: 910
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Oedipus

From this vantage point it should only be reasonable that Oedipus's downfall could be that of his own free will. ... Enraged Oedipus promises, " you have spat out infamy. ... Therefore Oedipus" actions can be said to be of human nature and of free will not willed from a divine source. ... Of his own free will Oedipus admits to these similarities and possibilities. ... This could have only been of his own free will because what god of any worth would make him do such things....

  • Word Count: 910
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Oedipus

Oedipus is an odd character in that he believes that he does not need the gods and that he can live on free will alone; he is sadly mistaken. ... He uses his own free will and discovers his tragic ending the hard way. ... The oracle says that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his mother, therefore his parents attempt to abandon him. ... If Oedipus had not been confident of escaping the oracle's revealed destiny, he would not have left Corinth. ... One of the most ironic instances is the fact that Oedipus believes that he can actually have the prophecy not come true. ...

  • Word Count: 564
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Oedipus and Tragedy

In The Oedipus Cycle the theme of free will vs. fate is thoroughly examined through the tragedies of Oedipus, Jocasta, and several other characters. ... It could be argued however, that Oedipus used free-will because his actions provoked the wrath of the Gods. ... Oedipus exhibits his free will at other points in the story, and similarly, these actions don't deter fate. ... - --Oedipus Rex, Line 606 This is a prime example of how Oedipus' use of free will only continues to fulfill the prophecy. ... Oedipus, and everyone else in the legend is doomed by fate, no matter how much ...

  • Word Count: 934
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Oedipus Rex

Oedipus's parents, with their free will chose to send their baby away in exile. ... Despite these choices made with free will, fate prevailed. ... Oedipus Rex vividly illustrates how the Greeks struggled between Fate and free will. These examples show how, with free will, Oedipus and his parents made choices to elude fate, but also, how fate triumphed in the end. ... One particular theme was one of triumph of Fate over free will. ...

  • Word Count: 846
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Oedipus

The Choices of Freewill The events in Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, show the overwhelming relationship of man's free will existing within the limits of fate. Man is free to chose and is ultimately responsible for his actions. ... This prophecy, as warned by the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, was unconditional and inevitably would come to pass, no matter what Oedipus could have done to avoid these circumstances. ... Like his father, Oedipus also sought ways to escape the horrible destiny told by Apollo, since he ran away from his home in Corinth, in hopes of escaping the gods d...

  • Word Count: 852
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question