If you only take away one thing about the myth of Oedipus it should be this: the moral of the story is that you can’t shake fate. And you probably shouldn't try to marry your mom. Oedipus at Colonus really digs into that first moral about the inevitability of fate, though. There are a couple of speeches by Oedipus and Antigone that make it very clear that Oedipus’ crimes were involuntary. He didn’t mean to do anything wrong, but he was fated to.
Also, the fact that Oedipus is kind of forgiven at the end of the play, allowed to die in peace, means that maybe the actions we do control with our free will might actually have some consequences.
Questions About Fate and Free Will
- What is Oedipus’ take on his involuntary crimes and his punishment?
- Why does the Chorus want Oedipus to leave?
- How does Oedipus exercise free will in this play?
Chew on This
Oedipus at Colonus complicates the vision of fate and free will proposed by Oedipus the King.
Oedipus has the free will: he can accept his fate the hard way or the easy way.