Role Of Fate In Oedipus Rex

The Fate of Free Will and the Freewill of Fate

Fate and freewill are two sides of the same coin. The differences are that fate is the uncontrollable force that shapes one’s destiny, while freewill is the power one has to mold his own future. The confounding mystery is, which of the two governs life? The famous tragedian, Sophocles, in his play, Oedipus the King, illustrates the perplexity of the question. Oedipus’s life is one of great tragedy and he experiences many things throughout his life, but the essence of the play is comprised up of the battle of fate versus freewill.

In a battle, the stronger and more powerful is the one that comes out on top. The power of fate is divine and godly. “Destiny guide me always Destiny find me filled with

reverence pure in word and deed. Great laws tower above us, reared on high born for the brilliant vault of heaven-,” (Sophocles 954-958 pg. 1446). Being told a prophecy by Apollo, Oedipus did everything in his power to prevent the oracles from coming true. No matter what he did, it all came to pass. “I heard all that and ran. I abandoned Corinth, from that day on I gauged its landfall only by the stars, running, always running toward some place where I would never see the shame of all those oracles come true.” (Sophocles 876-880 pg. 1444). In the end the prophecy came to pass just as fate foretold.
There is no way freewill is going down without a fight.

All of Oedipus’s woes could be traced to his own actions and choices. “Pride breeds the tyrant violent pride, gorging, crammed to bursting with all that is overripe and rich with ruin- clawing up to the heights, headlong pride crashes down the abyss- sheer down.” (Sophocles 963-967 pg. 1446). Oedipus’s tragic flaw was pride. He heeded not the words of the blind prophet and did not see the darkness in himself. “So, you mock my blindness? Let me tell you this. You with your precious eyes, you’re blind to the corruption of your life,” (Sophocles 468-471 pg 1434). This is evidence of Oedipus’s fall being caused by his own freewill and where fate had no

part.
A part where both fate and freewill collide is with Oedipus at the three roads.

There is a little bit of fate and a little bit of freewill. Oedipus kills the men who crossed his path at the three roads. He chose of his own freewill to do so. “I killed them all- every mother’s son!” (Sophocles 898 pg. 1444). That one of the men happened to be his own father, was where fate took the stage. Oedipus had no control over who crossed his paths at the three roads. “O god- all come true, all burst to light! O light- now let me look my last on you! I stand revealed at last- cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cused in the lives I cut down with these hands!” (Sophocles 1307-1311 pg. 1455). It is events like this, where both freewill and fate exist, that arouse the conundrum of which is responsible. Who really was the at the helm guiding destiny?

Destiny is what one is to do and who he is to become. The story of Oedipus displays the circumstance where fate and freewill compete for the pen to create the future. Both freewill and fate are powerful influences on one’s destiny, but only one can lead. The puzzle of which one comes down to personal opinion. There, no answer can be right and no answer can be

wrong.