Oedipus Rex

In the Theban plays, Oedipus’s fate and free will was destined at the beginning

by the oracle’s tale. Throughout the plays, Oedipus finally realizes that free will would

not stop fate from happening. As the plays unfold, no matter what’s done or said to

change the events, fate is always predestined.

Fate in the Webster’s Dictionary states that fate is “the principle or determining

cause or will by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events

to happen as they do.” Oedipus’s parents thought they were doing the right thing, by

sending him with the shepherd to die. At the time they did not realize that they could

not change fate by their own free will. Oedipus realizes this at Colonus when he said his

parents did this to me so now I have to suffer because I was destined for doom.

Furthermore, Oedipus’s on display is typical of human nature, even though

the particular situations they...