Fate And Free-Will In Sophocles Oedipus The King

Sophocles's tragic play, Oedipus the King, incorporates a medley of perspectives on prophecies and fate. Some characters, like the leader, have a solid belief in prophecies while others, like Oedipus and Jocasta, refuse to accept the truth. The play primarily focuses on Oedipus’ hardships and fails to consider the plight of Jocasta. Both Jocasta and Oedipus try to withstand their fate by using free-will but ultimately succumb to the validity of the prophecy. Fate, like death, is inescapable. As a result of fate and exercising free-will, Jocasta sees the horror in her identity unfold just like Oedipus. Jocasta doubts fate and destiny because the prophecies she hears do not come true, but still believes in the power of the gods. When Oedipus begins to question his fate, she refutes his statement by telling him her reasoning on why fate is not always accurate. She believes prophecies may be inaccurate and people can change their fate. She tells him the prophecy says Laius will be killed by his birth

A drunk bastard tells Oedipus he will kill his father and marry his mother. He flees town after hearing this. He tells Jocasta, “I heard all that and ran. I abandoned Corinth, from that day on I gauged its landfall only by the stars, running, always running toward some place where I would never see the same of all those oracles come true” (Sophocles 876-880). He exercises free-will by trying to avoid his parents. Later on, Oedipus realizes Laius was killed at a crossroads, just as he killed someone at the crossroads. If he is the killer, then the prophecy must be true. Jocasta warns him, “Stop- in the name of god, if you love your own life, call off this search! My suffering is enough” (Sophocles 1164-1166). He realizes he is Laius’ killer after putting all the clues together and thinks he must be punished. Jocasta does not want to uncover the truth, but Oedipus desperately seeks