Blog 6: Free will or Destiny?
Many times throughout the story of “Oedipus the King”, we
are convinced that Oedipus’ destiny is what controls the outcome of his life
but in fact his choices are what decided his fate and not what was said in the
prophecy. In ancient Greece
the people were polytheistic, which means that they believed in many gods. If they
wished to ask or speak to the gods they would go to the oracle, who would
reveal the answer to their questions. Many people acted on the prophecy they
were given and caused that prophecy to come true. In Oedipus’ case, his father
and he tried to keep away from the prophecy that was given to him when he was
born and instead of escaping it, they made it reality. Their free will is what determined
their destiny not the prediction they were given.
When Oedipus was born, King Laius went to the oracle to ask
about what his sons’ future would be like. The answer that he received was that
his son would kill him and marry his mother. This was not at all what he wanted
so he decided to kill his son. By making this decision he became a step closer
to his death because the servant he sent to do the job did not fulfill his duty
and gave the child away. Years later Oedipus also went to the oracle and tried
to avoid his destiny and by doing so he killed his father and ended up marrying
his mother.
Oedipus knew that he would kill his father and still killed
the man blocking his way to Thebes
instead of avoiding killing anyone. In line 1470 a messenger says, “… brought
on by choice and not by accident. What we do to ourselves brings us most pain.”
This is proven to be true when Oedipus decides to take his eyes out. In the
beginning of the play, the prophet, Teiresias, says in line 550 that the man responsible
for King Laius’ death “will be blind, although he now can see.” Even after
hearing the truth about his past and hearing this prophecy, Oedipus still took
his eyesight. This proves that he had control of his future and his choices are
what affected his destiny. Oedipus’ free will is what leads him to carelessly make
the prophecy true not his destiny.
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