Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus Fate And Free Will

Over the years, most people have wondered what Free will and Fate are all about. Questions like â€Å"can people escape their fate?† will always be around as long as we think of them as important points of our life to take care of. In Oedipus Tyrannus, a play written by Sophocles, the concepts of fate and free will are highly regarded in the play’s theme. Through the play, we are shown how a series of events take a man from living a normal life to the fulfilling of a cruel prediction which started long before he was born. Back in the ancient Greece, people regarded fate as a normal part of their life. Every aspect of the daily life was thought to be ruled by fate, and people had no issue with it. However, another point with immense†¦show more content†¦On his journey, Oedipus comes across with a caravan that was pushing him out the road. Angry about this, he kills all the people in the caravan except for one man who escapes in panic. The events on the road, sho w how Oedipus ’temper is one the major driving forces and features of the main character. In the road, Oedipus shows his way of conducting free will by getting rid of what was bothering him at the moment. However, he didn’t know that one of the men he had killed back on the road was the king of the city nearby, which in time would have a great impact on his life. Eventually, he arrives at the city of Thebes. A great city indeed, however, he arrives at a moment of great danger. The Sphinx, a monster with the face of a woman and the body of a lion was tormenting the people of the city and no one was able to solve its riddles. After seeing this, Oedipus decides to act and confront the fearful abomination. Once there, the sphinx gives Oedipus a riddle and after a while, he answers correctly. This is a very significant moment in the play, due to the fact that at the instant Thebes had no king, and the feats of Oedipus were those comparable of a savior; the people of the cit y start demanding for him as their king. Once the king of Thebes, Oedipus marries Jocasta, the former queen. The time passed, and everything seemed to be in place; however, a new problem was on its way. Soon after Oedipus assumes the throne, a plague starts spreadingShow MoreRelated The Iron Hand of Dramatic Irony Essay1571 Words   |  7 PagesThe Iron Hand of Dramatic Irony Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus is considered by many scholars to be the most significant masterpiece of Greek drama. Through Oedipus Tyrannus, Sophocles is able to develop and establish dramatic irony, a theatrical device that allows the audience to understand the hidden meanings of the words and actions of the characters, though the characters themselves remain oblivious. 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