The ancient greeks say that our lives are predestined by a superior force maybe gods or fate. If our lives are predestined by the fates or gods or a creator, we cannot be responsible for our actions. This is due to the fact that a “predestined’ fate is one where every word, thought, action, belief, and ideals you have is actually the whim of something else. One example of this is Oedipus, whose life was a predestined tragedy.
First of all, people are told their fate through prophecies. In Oedipus this is through the oracle at delphi. The first victim of fate is non other that Laius the king of Thebes and Oedipus biological father. The prophecy given by the oracle at delphi states that Laius will be killed by his son. But as we know by reading the play regardless of what Laius tries to do to avoid that fate he ends up, you guessed it, dead by his son’s hand. Oedipus is also given a similar prophecy at delphi where he was told he will kill his father and have children/marry his own mom. Now Oedipus also tries to avoid this fate he has been told but like Laius whatever he tires is pointless. Both oedipu’s situation and Laius’s death prove that if there is no chance at avoiding fate, then you cannot be responsible for the actions you take which are dictated by fate.
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In the famous quote given by the blind seer he says to Oedipus “ I may be blind to the world but you are blind to the truth.” This quote shows how Oedipus actually know nothing of what he think he is. He doesn't know that he is actually the son of the king of thebes, he doesn't know he killed his dad (until near the end) or married and had kids with his mom. He didn't know that he was adopted and he didn't know that as a child he had spikes driven through his own feet. All of this blindness shows that Oedipus is unknown of the truth and therefore not responsible for his