...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...
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...The Merriam Webster dictionary defines fate as an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end. This therefore goes against the definition of free will, the ability to make choices that are not controlled by fate or God.This is a constant theme in Oedipus the King where we question if his path was pre-determined or chosen willingly. “Listen to me and learn some peace of mind:no skill in the world,nothing human can penetrate the future.”(780-782; Fagles). This is a quote derived from Jocasta who is Oedipus’ wife and mother, and she supports the idea where our paths and destiny were already chosen. Throughout this play we learn which one truly prevails. “Fate was the will of the gods, a reality that could not be opposed, ritually...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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: Marc Krishke ...
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...Oedipus Rex. The play is very ironical in that it entwines the themes of free will as well as predestination. Even though we are sickened by the tragic life of Oedipus and the other characters, we are still able to appreciate the ironic characteristics of the play itself. Indeed, we eventually come to realize that man is free and yet he is also fated. Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex The primary characteristic of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex is that it is an ironic play. The play’s irony grasps the audience in a profound way because of the awareness that occurs regarding everything that is going on. Even though we, as observers, are sickened at the tragic life of Oedipus and the other characters, we are still able to appreciate the ironical characteristics of the play itself. The irony primarily exists in the context of man being free, but at the same time, fated. Without doubt, this play very much reflects the Greek vision which emphasizes the immediacy of experience and the nature of man. We see that man is free and that he has free will. At the same time, man also must reconcile himself to a certain fate. Irony is inherent in this very concept. Indeed, as demonstrated in Oedipus Rex, while there is free will in the human condition, there is also predestination to one’s life. In this play, we see how the main character Oedipus is free to run, but ultimately he cannot run away from himself. Oedipus was once a man of power and wealth who suddenly falls destitute. He goes from having...
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...What Controls the Outcome? The outcome of the war: Is it controlled by the actions of mere mortals? Do the gods determine the successes and failures? Is the outcome solely a matter of fate? Some may believe that mortals have free will, but after a quick skim of the Iliad, this belief is clearly shown to be false. Humans are not given control over their destinies; however, if this is true, then what are these destinies controlled by? Fate seems to be the only answer, yet, can fate alone stop a god from changing outcomes for their personal gain? In the Iliad, gods and humans are shown to have a varying degree of control on the outcome of human life and death. The true controller of the outcome of success vs. failure, and life vs. death, will be analyzed with...
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...Merriam Webster defines free will as “the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.” Fate is a development of events beyonds a person’s control. These ideas are exactly what Sophocles is challenging is his play Oedipus Rex. In Oedipus Rex the protagonist Oedipus is trying to figure who killed the former king Laius, not realizing he was the killer himself. Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Throughout the play, Oedipus is torn between accepting the prophecy or choosing his own destiny. Despite his best effort, the prophecy laid out for him came true. Oedipus Rex uses symbolism to illustrate the theme that one can never escape fate. One symbol used in Oedipus Rex is the scars on his feet. It represent the suffering he has endured and will keep on enduring. In the play Oedipus finds out from a messenger that his adopted father Polybus is dead. The messenger explains how long ago he found a baby on Mount Cithaeron with its...
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...completely be that thing. Macbeth follows some of the guidelines for a tragic hero but not all of them. Macbeth is a man that was making unintelligent mistakes that he thought would bring him to his foretold future. Even after he was told who the only people who could kill him, he still failed from a small misstatement. A tragic hero is someone who is doomed to fail, but it’s entirely dependent on fate and they cannot do anything otherwise. Macbeth is not a tragic hero because he had evil intentions, had free will, and he could have been destined for greatness. Macbeth was an evil man in reality. When receiving the information from the witches that he would...
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...Classic Cultures 1110 Q: Consider the role of the gods in the Iliad. Why are they given credit or blame for so much of what happens at Troy? Does Zeus have ultimate control over the fate of these mortals? To what extent do the mortal characters exercise free will in their choice of actions? Be sure to discuss at least three separate episodes from the text to support your argument. In Homer’s The Iliad, divine intervention is a recurrent theme in the epic. The epic portrays a world in which humans and Gods somewhat co-exist even though they are in very different worlds. We witness that heroes in The Iliad go through many troubles when “fate” and the Gods operate their lives. In Homer’s epic, the Gods intend to constantly change the lives of the people and manipulate events that take place on earth for their own self interest or any other reason. We see many recurrent patterns throughout the epic between the Gods, fate, and the heroes. For example, the Gods play a very important role in Troy. Certain gods are on each side of the war and they all have a reason, albeit petty, to help a side. Hera, the patron goddess of women, and Athena, goddess of war and wisdom, are opposed to the Trojans because a Trojan said that Aphrodite was more beautiful than them. Poseidon, the god of the sea, is also against the Trojans, because the king of Troy once enslaved him and made him build the city's walls and then refused to pay Poseidon. Although Apollo, god of poetry...
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...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 daughter...
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...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 daughter...
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...Topic: how fate and freewill were incorporated into the story and the roles they play Fateful Freewill Throughout the development of the world to how we see it today, the one thing that has united all societies and cultures is a belief in a higher power. Not all cultures believe in the same higher power but they all believe in something, they can all relate to believing in something bigger than themselves, not necessarily something they can see everyday and a tangible idea, but having faith in something. In the Greek culture and belief system the gods play a very important role in determining your fate. In Greek mythology, the Greek Gods are always very key, important figures throughout the story often becoming involved and interfering in the characters lives personally. The gods determine the paths of the characters—creating the characters’ fate. But the characters have to choose to embark on the journey, symbolizing their choice in free will. In the story of The Odyssey told by Homer, the gods have consistently intervened in the lives of Telemachos, Penelope, and Odysseus guiding them along their path chosen by the Gods but letting them have some choice in it. In some situations it is necessary for the Gods to intervene. In order to get the ball rolling for Telemachus, Athene had to go into disguise and persuade Telemachos to go on the journey. It was Telemachos fate to be reunited with his father, but it was his own freewill to choose how to go on a quest to find...
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...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 the kingdom. Through both fate and free will choices Oedipus found out the true identity of the murderer. Apollo laid out a fate and Oedipus made choices to follow that fate. Carrico 02 After finding out the truth about the killer actually...
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