A paradox: Oedipus' free will in the play Oedipus RexWilliam Shakespeare once wrote: "Who can control his destiny?" (Othello, Act V, Sc.2). A hero and a leader must recognize above all their honor and pride in their image. In ancient Greek beliefs, a hero was a man who was taller than others; he was able to improve any conflict. He did it not for himself or for some symbolic prize that might be awarded to him, but for the safety of his fellow men. Physical strength and superior ingenuity are the two main characteristics of a hero. These features can be intended; but their use to help his fellow men is will. Sophocles' short play Oedipus Rex is the story of a hero's rise to kingship and tragic fall. The young prince Oedipus leaves his home in Corinth and arrives in Thebes, only to find that the city is cursed by the Sphinx. After solving the riddle posed by the Sphinx, the plague is removed and the city declares Oedipus as its new leader and king. After a long period of reign, Oedipus' reign comes to a heartbreaking fall. Through his journey, we as readers are able to see the dangers and obstacles the hero faces. Yet we are never sure whether the journey was predetermined by the gods or whether Oedipus alone is responsible for his actions? Greek beliefs show that Oedipus realizes the truth and the horrible blinding can be thought of as a direct consequence of his actions taken from free will. Oedipus is a hero. Oedipus makes the spontaneous choice to follow his destiny (a destiny he has imagined for himself) to become a man who is not afraid and will pursue justice at any cost. The choices made by Oedipus make him a touching character and not simply a puppet of the gods. This can be seen most clearly in Oedi's quote... in the center of the paper... although he pays no attention and stubbornly continues his investigation. My good breaks my patience, then; I don't want any of that. (55)From the quotes and the text above it can be predicted that Oedipus was indeed a man with free will. In conclusion, Oedipus' life and journey can be considered as his own. His intentions and thoughts throughout the entire work were nothing but pure. My old lacrosse coach, a man who has experienced what seems like the worst of life, once said, “10% of life is given to us and 90% is what we do with it.” Oedipus was a hero and had the ability to blaze his own trail, although his hero personality made it easy for him to fall into many of the traps he fell into. In any case, treating Oedipus' life as a predetermined story demoralizes the moral and heart of this play. The greatest pains are those we cause ourselves (Oedipus Rex Pg. 65)