Emotions and Free Will in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King
Emotions and Free Will in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King
Sophocles’ play brings up the complex issues about the relationship between human’s free will and fate predestined by the Gods. It examines the nature of human confidence to defy fate as well as human’s limited ability against the unknown force that they do not completely understand (p. 609). Several remarks were made in the play to question the authority of the divine powers. If the prophecies are wrong, however, how could the play ends with the realization of the prophecies? It is because of fate serves as the framework for Oedipus’ frailties in the play. Oedipus was originally bound by his fate. However, his downfall was brought upon more by the irrational decisions he made willingly than fate. These decisions were guided by his emotions toward the city of Thebes and within himself. Fate does exist but we also have the free will to shape our future. Free will works best when people are doing rational decision, but when emotions affect your decision making process the potential to worsen one’s fate exists. Oedipus the King is a story of individuals who try to escape fate but fail. In the play, the prophecy is revealed first to King Laius and later to Oedipus. Oedipus is destined to murder his father and marry his mother. King Laius and Oedipus did everything in their power to avoid the tragedy. However, their actions actually lead them closer to the realization of the prophecy. The characters have their own free will because of the choices they made in the story. Ironically, the choices created a chain of events that ultimately lead to the tragedy that had been predestined by the Gods. Furthermore, knowing a future that will negatively affect our live actually will cause us to try to defy our fate and blind ourselves from the circumstances that are happening. The relationship between free will and fate was discussed through three remarks made in the play. They illustrate the
Sophocles’ play brings up the complex issues about the relationship between human’s free will and fate predestined by the Gods. It examines the nature of human confidence to defy fate as well as human’s limited ability against the unknown force that they do not completely understand (p. 609). Several remarks were made in the play to question the authority of the divine powers. If the prophecies are wrong, however, how could the play ends with the realization of the prophecies? It is because of fate serves as the framework for Oedipus’ frailties in the play. Oedipus was originally bound by his fate. However, his downfall was brought upon more by the irrational decisions he made willingly than fate. These decisions were guided by his emotions toward the city of Thebes and within himself. Fate does exist but we also have the free will to shape our future. Free will works best when people are doing rational decision, but when emotions affect your decision making process the potential to worsen one’s fate exists. Oedipus the King is a story of individuals who try to escape fate but fail. In the play, the prophecy is revealed first to King Laius and later to Oedipus. Oedipus is destined to murder his father and marry his mother. King Laius and Oedipus did everything in their power to avoid the tragedy. However, their actions actually lead them closer to the realization of the prophecy. The characters have their own free will because of the choices they made in the story. Ironically, the choices created a chain of events that ultimately lead to the tragedy that had been predestined by the Gods. Furthermore, knowing a future that will negatively affect our live actually will cause us to try to defy our fate and blind ourselves from the circumstances that are happening. The relationship between free will and fate was discussed through three remarks made in the play. They illustrate the