fate vs. free will in Oedipus Rex

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In Oedipus Rex, the main argument is whether Oedipus was in charge of his own life. This argument could go either way. Fate exists, but ultimately man makes his own decisions. That is, Oedipus’ final destination was set for him, but he mapped the way out himself.


Oedipus was cursed at birth. King Laius and Queen Iokaste received a prophecy that their son would kill the King. In knowing this, they gave orders to a shepherd to leave the baby in a field to die. The shepherd though took pity on the baby and gave him to another thinking that the baby would be raised and live a happy life far from the city of Thebes. The King and Queen of Corinth ended up adopting the child and named him Oedipus. This is a perfect example of fate and free will. It was the shepherd’s own free will to give the baby to smother shepherd instead of leaving him for dead. However, leaving him alive was only playing into the role of the prophecy or Oedipus’ true fate.


Oedipus received news that he was not the son of Polybus and Merope. Hearing this, he went to the Delphic oracle to find any truth to these rumors and received the same prophecy that his parents had received at his birth. However, he never received the answer about his parents. So still believing that Polybus and Merope were his parents, Oedipus vouched never to return to Corinth. This is a very good example of both notions. His own free will took him to see the oracle. It was also his own free will that brought him to the decision never to return to Corinth, the place where he would be the safest of the prophecy. However, all of these events are in turn leading to the fate that we know is in store for Oedipus. The only reason fate is a factor in this example is because we already know the outcome of the story and because all of the prophecies end up becoming truthful. So free will really only exists within fate.


Later in the story, Oedipus comes to three crossroads where he runs into King Laius, his true father. Although not knowing whom the man really was, Oedipus kills him and four of his attendants. Here is an example of how his own free will determined his fate. It was his own free will to kill his father even though he did not know who the man was. It was his own decision that proved his fate truthful.


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Then Oedipus encounters the Sphinx. The Sphinx was a monster that killed everyone in her path that failed to correctly answer her riddle. “What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?” Oedipus was the fist and only to answer the riddle correctly. He answered man and the Sphinx killed herself. Oedipus was then named King of Thebes, where he took his father’s throne as well as his mother’s hand in marriage. This is another example of how free will played into determining his fate. Oedipus answered the riddle under his own free will, but in doing so, he granted truth to the prophecy which ended up being his fate.


In conclusion, free will and fate both play equal roles. This meaning that all of the events throughout Oedipus’ life came from his own decisions. However, where he ended up or his fate was predetermined. Therefore, free will exists only through fate. The ending is already determined, but free will decides how one gets there. That is, fate exists, but ultimately man makes his own decisions.








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