Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Avoidance of Prophecy :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Avoidance of Prophecy in Oedipus Rex   Oedipus Rex illustrates the Greek judgment that trying to circumvent prophets&213 predictions is futile. The play includes three main prophecies the one make to Laius concerning his death by the hands of his son, a similar one order to Oedipus, and one made by Tiresias foretelling Oedipus&213 discovery of the murderer&213s identity. Both recipients of these oracles attempt to avoid their destinies, but both wind up following the paths which the Fates begin prescribed. Laius had certain a augur which declares &210that doom would make a motion him at the hands of his son....&211 Jocasta, in an attempt to ease Oedipus&213 worries, endeavors to defame prophesy in general by describing Laius&213 apparent circumvention of the augury. When Laius&213 son wasn&213t heretofore three days old, the king had the infant&213s ankles fastened together, and and so gave the boy to a henchman to be flung onto &210a barren, trackless toilet&21 1 Jocasta believes her son dead. Laius had believed that by tearing his only son, he would be able to avoid the oracle&213s prediction. However, the shepherd entrusted with the terrible task of infanticide pitied the mishandle and gave him to another shepherd, who, in turn, donated the child to the King and Queen of Corinth. The boy, Oedipus, was raised as the son of King Polybus and Queen Merope, and still believes himself to be their issue horizontal as Jocasta relates the ironic story of his own previous &210death.&211 Oedipus, of course, finds out that it was hence his own, true father, Laius, that he has killed at the crossroads at Phocis. Laius&213 attempt at foiling fate didn&213t work Oedipus killed him because of a slight insult. Because Laius matte to shameful to kill the infant himself, he took a risk in hoping that his loyal shepherd would murder the child for him. That risk allowed Oedipus to live and, therefore, to kill his own father without knowing h is true identity. Had Laius not attempted to have his newborn 1 killed, the boy still would have caused his father&213s death somehow, because the oracles are never wrong, and most Greeks realize there&213s no way to escape fate. Oedipus also tries to avoid his fate, which he had received from Apollo&213s oracle at Delphi. While Oedipus lived as Prince of Corinth, a drunken