Fate and Free Will in Oedipus the King
In today's society we let our lives be led by a certain force that we believe in very strongly. Yet, a common debate that still rages today is whether we, as a species, have free will or if some divine source, some call it fate, controls our destiny. In the play, Oedipus the King, that special force is also used and is known and defined as fate. This played an important role in the lives of the characters just as it plays one in our daily lives.
Fate and Free Will in Homer's Odyssey
When we look at Greek Mythology we often run into the gods of that era. Sometimes they are merely backdrops to the human element of the story but in stories such as The Odyssey the gods play a prominent if not vital role to the central themes of the story.
Fate has a place in the Greek world but its place is not the same as it is in other scenarios or worlds. It is important to understand the word before we discuss it. Fate as far as Greek mythology goes is not just fate.
The Power of Fate in Oedipus the King
The concept of fate has existed since the time of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed very strongly in fate, which can be defined as either a power beyond human control that determines events, or the outcome or end. In "Oedipus Rex," King Oedipus lives and dies by fate. Fate influences the entire plot, thereby allowing for some interesting developments that may be unpredictable to the audience.
“Fate’s Puppetry,” is a Project by Kenneth Meyerson about The Odyssey; by Homer. This project was designed to provide a better understanding of the powerful role fate in the world and how humans seem to be subject to fate. Within the story of The Odyssey, the gods are unaffected by fate and are witnesses to it. Some gods are actively trying to aid mankind who is subject to fate; however, the god’s aid is often futile. What is fate and how does fate affect human life? Moreover, what effect do the gods have upon human fate? Fate is defined in multiple dictionaries as the force or principle believed to predetermine events, a consequence or final result of an action taken, or inevitable death. In the context of this paper, fate is the outline or plot of a person’s or character’s life. Fate is present from the beginning of time to the end of time, and “time” for a human starts with an individual’s first recollections and ends with their last breath and conscious thought or observation. Gods do not have complete control over mortals and of mortal’s fate, as gods cannot dictate the choices that mortals make. Instead, as bystanders and overseers, gods can issue warnings or emulate decisions designed to influence others, but they cannot change fate alone. The individual mortal must in the end make choices that alter his fate and the fates of others.
In Sophocles ' Oedipus the King, the themes of fate and free will are very strong throughout the play. Only one, however, brought about Oedipus ' downfall and death. Both points could be argued to great effect. In ancient Greece, fate was considered to be a rudimentary part of daily life. Every aspect of life depended and was based upon fate (Nagle 100). It is common belief to assume that mankind does indeed have free will and each individual can decide the outcome of his or her life. Fate and free will both decide the fate of Oedipus the King.
Fate is the development of events beyond a person's control, determined by a supernatural power. There is always an extensive argument on whether or not a person has a say in their destiny or if each and every event occurs as a result of fate. This is a subject that is touched upon numerous times in Sophocles’ drama. In Sophocles’ drama Oedipus the King, Oedipus tries to escape his destiny instead fate brings him closer towards it.
The term Fate has a place in the world of ancient Greece but it is very different from other parts of the world. I have learned it is important to understand the context before discussing the situation. Most people think fate happens for reasons unknown and no one has any control over what happens. However, the ancient Greeks did not believe that fate is a random occurrence. They believed that the gods created fate and would constantly intervene to force things to happen that would not have happened. Since the characters tend to not know of the gods’ interfering, occurrences seem to be fate but are really planned by the gods.
The Fate of Oedipus in Oedipus the King
In "Oedipus the King" there comes a point in the play where Oedipus
learns something that plays an important role throughout the play. He
learns from a oracle that he will eventually kill his own Father and sleep
with his own mother. As one could imagine this is a shock to Oedipus, and
he does not believe the oracle.
The Odyssey: Human Will
In “The Odyssey,” Odysseus lives in a world where there is no room for the human will.
Human choices can make a tremendous difference in his world. The god, Helios, was one who made it difficult for Odysseus to get home with his crew. Another included the witch-goddess, Circe, who delays Odysseus and his men from their homecoming.
Fate is the development of events beyond a person’s control. Essentially it means that there are certain events in everyone’s life that are predetermined and completely unavoidable. In The Iliad, fate is even unchangeable by the gods. The belief is that there is a fixed natural order to the universe and that