After hearing the prophecy of their offspring, Laius and Locaste enter a secret chamber in their castle.  Inside the chamber is
four large bookshelves, a bar, two chairs, and one table fit for two.  Laius sits down on one of the chairs and Locaste grabs
Laius’ hand.

Locaste: What are we going to do about the prophecy of our child.
We can not allow the oracle to become true.

Lauis: My dear Locaste, I understand what the prophecy has told us.
I simply can not bear the thought of taking the life of our child.

Locaste: Neither can I, but keeping his life is a risk we can not take.
(Locaste sheds a tear)  My dear Laius please help me I do not know what to do
(she drops down to her knees and lays her head on the knees of Lauis)

Lauis: My dear, I have an idea.
(Laius stands up and gently raises Locaste off of his body.  He walks to a bookshelf and reaches high and pulls out one of the
books.  Meanwhile, Locaste pours Laius some ale)  My dear Locaste.  Inside this book may be the answer to all of our
problems.  The prophecy may be changed and we may live as we wish to.
(Laius opens the book and feels mystery and magic surrounding him)Ah, here it is. (He Looks closer, He reads: To break a
prophecy in relativity to bloodlines, the life of the destructor must be taken before the first light of day)

Locaste: (She slowly sheds tears with more and more to follow)
I understand that this is the only way.  Laius, leave me to my misery.
(Laius grabs her hand and grips it tightly)

Laius:  I can not bear to see you cry.  You must understand what the book had told us.  I am destined to be the ruler of Thebes
till my dying day.  We must stop the oracle.  (Locaste cries more and more)  My dear Locaste I can not bear to see you cry.
Maybe.......If we give away our bloodchild so that he will not know his identity that may change the oracle.

Locaste: Laius that is a brilliant idea.  That is what we must do.

(Laius and Locaste leave the chamber with two different feelings in their heart.  Locaste: forever thankful that the life of their
offspring will be saved.  Laius: fearing that the oracle may still be true and hoping that this will change the future)
 

Part III
F. Using the last four lines of the play, discuss fate vs. free will in "Oedipus Rex"

 In the play Oedipus Rex, it was fate that controlled the lives of the characters.  Throughout the play the characters believed
that they had free will.  The fatal mistakes of Laius and Locaste was that their plan was not accomplished and that oracle
became reality.  Laius and Locaste believed that they had the free will to destroy the oracle but in the end, fate took its toll and
the events that occurred was like a page in a book as revealed by the oracle.
 When the oracle was first heard of, it was revealed that the offspring of the King would some day be his murderer and marry
his wife Locaste.  This birth of Oedipus was a time of pain for Laius and Locaste because their plan was to chain their child.
The plan was to give away their child, and shackle him in spikes so that he may not walk.  At birth, Oedipus was given away to
a shepard so that he would die.  Instead, the shepherd saved the life of Oedipus and the oracle would go as planned.  King
Laius believed that he had the free will to do this but he will soon learn that fate can not be changed.  King Laius and Locaste
thought that they had reversed the oracle but they didn't.  Oedipus had grown into a man and completed the oracle as it was
told to King Laius and Locaste.
 Oedipus thought that he also broke the oracle because he thought that his real father was Polybos.  He heard of the oracle
when he was with Polybos.  Oedipus thought that he had the free will to run away from the oracle.  He ran away from Polybos
because he heard that the oracle said that he would kill his father and marry his mother then breed with her.  He also wanted to
reverse the oracle but because of this he actually kill his real father King Laius when he ran away from his Polybos and married
his mother Locaste then have offspring.  It was his free will to choose how to reverse the oracle but it was fate that keep the
oracle unchanged.
 A person can believe that they have the free will to change anything in their lives.  It is fate that controls the destinies of every
person.  A person can not change what they are destined to do as in the case of Oedipus.  The only thing that can be changed
is how a person lives their life in the way that they are destined to.  A person must set their goals high and achieve what they
can in order to create a better life with their ordained destiny.