BAGUI, Ciela Mae D.

HUM 1 Section Y
2 Semester A. Y. 2015-2016
nd

The Tragic Will of the Gods

Thesis Statement:

I.

II.

Oedipus is morally blameless of holding any culpable actions for his fate
was already predetermined since then that made him deprived from his
own will and he also lacks the knowledge of his true identity.

The word free will often denotes to ones own freedom but the idea of free will that
is present in the drama Oedipus Rex cannot be really considered as a complete
freedom as Oedipus had been from his own will.
A. In ancient Greek context, man may possess free will but it is also believed that
the predestined fate made by gods are bound to happen.
1. Teiresias said, What does it matter! Whether I speak it or not, it is
bound to come (552) wherein he was pertaining it about the
prophecy.
2. Even Oedipus said, Ah God! It was true! All the prophecies! (569)
B. Despite the fact that man has certainly free will, he still cannot fully achieved
an absolute freedom because gods will are still more powerful than his free
will thus fate overcome any free will a man think he has.
1. With Oedipus scenario, the oracle is straightforwardly unconditional
as Teirisias stated that he will be brother and father the very
same; to her who bore him, son and husband the very same who
came to his fathers bed, wet with his fathers blood (555).
2. Evidently, Oedipus has no choice but to fulfill unknowingly what was
said on the oracle.
3. Also, Iocaste said, Since fate rules us and nothing can be foreseen
(564).
C. Oedipus has at least free will but it may be just illusory for his fate was
already determined even before he was born.
1. There has been prophecies that King Laios would be killed by his son
thus he and his wife Iocaste tried to get rid of the child which
happened to be Oedipus.
2. As Teiresias said, I tell you, no man that walks upon the earth shall be
rooted out more horribly than you (554)
D. Oedipus expressed his free will by trying to evade his terrible doom as he
decided to left Corinth after he found out thru the oracle that he was fated to
kill his own father and to marry his mother which he believed are Polybos and
Merope respectively.
Oedipus lacks the knowledge of his real identity and lineage which makes him
innocent of the wrongdoings he committed.
A. Oedipus may have the choice to question his Corinthian parents regarding his
identity or childhood life like for instance the mark on his ankle (on how did
he get) it but then he seemed to be gratified and did not ask his parents for
such thing.

III.

IV.

V.

B. At a feast, a drunken man maundering in his cups cries out that I am not my
fathers son (561), as Oedipus was called a bastard he was given a chance to
ask his parents but the latter just denied it which made Oedipus relieved for a
short time.
C. Oedipus is aware that he just know a little about his identity.
1. Oedipus, himself, stated that he is just a simple man who knows
nothing (553).
2. My parents again! Wait: who were my parents? (554).
3. I think that I myself may be accurst by my own ignorant edict (560).
D. Oedipus personality flaw namely pride and arrogance made him blind of
knowing his true identity.
1. He became too full of himself as he believed that he knows everything
since he was able to solve the riddle of the Sphinx that made him the
savior of the Thebans but ironically, he was not able to solve his own
riddle.
2. Teirisias said, You mock my blindness, do you? But I say that you,
with both your eyes, are blind (554).
3. Moreover, he also said You cannot see the wretchedness of your life,
nor in whose house you live, no nor with whom You do not even
know the blind wrongs that you have done them (554).
4. He even accused Creon of secretly wanting to replace him of the
throne.
Truly, Oedipus is innocent of the crimes he committed because fate is actually in
motion wherein even Oedipus already created a way to escape from his destined fate
he still did the exact thing gods destined him to do.
A. Immediately after knowing what was said by the oracle, he deserted Corinth
to go in a far place but during his travel along the three crossroads, he met
King Laios which is eventually his real father and the tragic encounter
happened as he killed Laios.
B. Oedipus innocence is evident to the idea that whatever happens, fate dealt
him to the tough situation of meeting his true parents.
Going back to free will, Oedipus has no absolute freedom but it is not necessary that
all his actions are according to the gods foreknowledge like for instance he is the one
responsible for the miseries that happened to him.
A. In the said drama, the only free will left for Oedipus is to know or not to know
the truth of who is behind the killing of Laios but with his great attempt to
know the truth, he ended up ruining his life.
B. As the King of Thebes, he may not punish himself because of the crimes he
did but then he chose to blind his self and be exiled.
It can be concluded that Oedipus is really innocent of the crimes he committed. Aside
from the fact that he lacks the knowledge of his true identity, he also really tried his
best to escape the tragic doom to him but then it was already the fate or destiny that
made a way to be involved with his true parents again and eventually made him fulfill
the predestined fate created by gods for him.

Bibliography
Sophocles. (1949). Oedipus Rex. (D. Fitts & R. Fitzgerald, Trans.). New York: Harcourt, Brace.

Bloom. (2007). Blooms Modern Critical Interpretations: Oedipus Rex, Updated Edition. United States: Chelsea
House.