Oedipus

Essay by T4WHEELCollege, UndergraduateA-, October 2014

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Victoria Wheeler

J. Child

Composition 1 1301.27

September 20, 2014

Undeniable Fate

Oedipus the King by Sophocles is the story of Oedipus, who was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. A destiny is given to each and every person and was what would ultimately happen to you. But you are free to choose your own actions and how you wanted it to be planned out. Both the concept of fate and free will plays an important part in Oedipus' destruction. Although he was a victim of fate, he was not controlled by it. Oedipus was destined from birth to someday marry his mother and to murder his father. Oedipus' life was definitely fated; however, the gods only decided where Oedipus' life would eventually lead, but they never planned the route he would take to get there. When Oedipus learned of his fate his immediate decision was to run from it, his home, and his believed parents.

Along his journey his angry nature got the better of him and he unknowingly killed his real father, King Laius, at the crossroads. Then his determination to find out the identity of Laius's real killer showed him the terrible truth of his life. All the decisions that Oedipus made were completely up to him in order to fulfill his destiny. Even though fate seems to determine Oedipus' life he does have a free will.

Oedipus is a proud man with pretty good reason to be. He saved Thebes from the Sphinx by solving the Sphinx's riddle, gaining him the throne of Thebes. Oedipus's greatest act of pride is when he tries to deny his fate by never returning to Corinth. When Oedipus heard the prophecy that he is going to kill his father and...