Free Will In Sophocles Oedipus The King
Free will Even thought people seem to think that their life is determined by “fate”; everybody has free will to make choices. Sometimes people’s tragic ending is a result of their own decision and only a fool would think is “fate”. In the play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles, Sophocles makes it clear that Oedipus’ kingly status and tragic ending was no accident. Oedipus is the only one to blame for his misfortune. His lack of patience, honesty and display of anger throughout the whole play lead him to his tragic ending. Oedipus demonstrates a lack of patience throught the whole play. Teiresias is a man that’s blind but can see better than anyone around him and gets visions from the future. Oedipus angers Teiresias with his impatience and quickly accuses Teiresias of being a wicked man “what a wicked man old man you are! You’d try a stone’s patience! Out with it!” (Sophocles, scene 1, lines 118-119). Teiresias was trying to
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not torture Oedipus with the truth. He pretty much told the ending of the story and if Oedipus would have stopped and listened, he would have known what was coming his way. This is ironic because in fact the one that was really blind was Oedipus. Oedipus then quickly accuses Creon of trying to steal his kingly status, “Creon desires in secret to destroy me!” (Sophocles, scene 1, line 169). Oedipus blinds himself with Locaste pins without thinking about it, in a way this shows how impatient and impulsive he really was. Honesty is the best policy, but in the play “Oedipus the king”, it seems that Oedipus’ honesty drove him to his tragic ending. Even after he suspected that he was the murderer he still went on and tried to solve the mystery. He accuses himself “I think that I myself may be accurst by my own ignorant edict” (Sophocles, scene 2, lines 216-217) If Oedipus hid all the evidence that pointed that he was the murderer than nobody would have figured this out and there would have been no tragic ending. This is another reason why he brought his tragic ending upon himself. Oedipus also displayed anger thought out the whole play.
First of all, he kills his father thinking he was a passerby out of anger “…thought I felt anger and a sinking heart” (Sophocles, scene 2, lines 253-254) “I knocked him out of his car, and he rolled on the ground. I killed him” (Sophocles, scene 2, lines 286-288). The prophecy says that Oedipus was going to kill his father, but thinking about it, if his anger didn’t drive him to kill his father then he wouldn’t have become king or married his mom and there would be no tragic end. To certain extent Oedipus had free will, but he made poor choices. Oedipus also shows anger towards Teiresais when he wouldn’t tell him what he knew. He showed respect for Teiresais when he first came to the palace “to purify yourself, and Thebes, and me from this contagion. We are in your hands. There is no fairer duty” (Sophocles, scene 1, lines 97-99) but became furious when Teiresais refused to tell him what he knew “Damnation take you! Out of this palace! Out of sight!” (Sophocles, scene 1,
215-216).
There is no doubt that Oedipus deserved his tragic ending. His “fate” determines his life but he had free will. His poor decision making was what drove him to his tragic ending. Oedipus is the only one to blame for his misfortune, his lack of patience, honesty and displayed of anger throughout the whole play lead him to his tragic ending.
not torture Oedipus with the truth. He pretty much told the ending of the story and if Oedipus would have stopped and listened, he would have known what was coming his way. This is ironic because in fact the one that was really blind was Oedipus. Oedipus then quickly accuses Creon of trying to steal his kingly status, “Creon desires in secret to destroy me!” (Sophocles, scene 1, line 169). Oedipus blinds himself with Locaste pins without thinking about it, in a way this shows how impatient and impulsive he really was. Honesty is the best policy, but in the play “Oedipus the king”, it seems that Oedipus’ honesty drove him to his tragic ending. Even after he suspected that he was the murderer he still went on and tried to solve the mystery. He accuses himself “I think that I myself may be accurst by my own ignorant edict” (Sophocles, scene 2, lines 216-217) If Oedipus hid all the evidence that pointed that he was the murderer than nobody would have figured this out and there would have been no tragic ending. This is another reason why he brought his tragic ending upon himself. Oedipus also displayed anger thought out the whole play.
First of all, he kills his father thinking he was a passerby out of anger “…thought I felt anger and a sinking heart” (Sophocles, scene 2, lines 253-254) “I knocked him out of his car, and he rolled on the ground. I killed him” (Sophocles, scene 2, lines 286-288). The prophecy says that Oedipus was going to kill his father, but thinking about it, if his anger didn’t drive him to kill his father then he wouldn’t have become king or married his mom and there would be no tragic end. To certain extent Oedipus had free will, but he made poor choices. Oedipus also shows anger towards Teiresais when he wouldn’t tell him what he knew. He showed respect for Teiresais when he first came to the palace “to purify yourself, and Thebes, and me from this contagion. We are in your hands. There is no fairer duty” (Sophocles, scene 1, lines 97-99) but became furious when Teiresais refused to tell him what he knew “Damnation take you! Out of this palace! Out of sight!” (Sophocles, scene 1,
215-216).
There is no doubt that Oedipus deserved his tragic ending. His “fate” determines his life but he had free will. His poor decision making was what drove him to his tragic ending. Oedipus is the only one to blame for his misfortune, his lack of patience, honesty and displayed of anger throughout the whole play lead him to his tragic ending.