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Oedipus Rex: A tragic figure

The events in Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, show a relationship of man's free will existing within the fate, which the Greeks believed, guided the universe. Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. Both the concepts of fate and free will played a major part in Oedipus' destruction. Although he was a victim of fate, he was not controlled by it. Oedipus was destined from birth to someday marry his mother and to murder his father. This prophecy as warned by the oracle was unconditional and would likely come to pass, no matter what he may have done to avoid it.
From the beginning of this tragedy, Oedipus took many actions leading to his own downfall. Oedipus could have waited for the plague to end, but out of compassion for his suffering people, he had Creon go to Delphi. When he learned of Apollo's word, he could have calmly investigated the murder of the former King Laius, but due to his impatience, he......

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Approximate Word Count: 961
Approximate Pages: 4 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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