In the play of Oedipus there is a lot of example what proves: your life is driven by free will, rather then destiny. Oedipus life has been decided because of his choices. In the beginning of the play when Teiresias tells him that, he is the person who is responsible for Thebes' downfall, he decides to find out the truth. That's his choice. He could've just sent the prophet away as he asked for it, but he didn't. His desire to know everything start to unfold his tragic story. The first example in the story is when Oedipus forces Teiresias to tell the truth. Teiresias sais around line 426: "I did not want to speak, but you incited me. Oedipus wants the truth even if he has fears.
There is a lots of example as well in the lines where he tells about the story of his life to Jocasta. He grew up being loved and respected and careless. Till one day he got into a fight with someone at a dinner who claimed he wasn't his father's son. The man who said that was very drunk. He should not have listened to him and just walk away. Instead he couldn't bear the uncertainty and wanted to find out it what has been said was true. At line 942 he said: "But nonetheless, the accusation always troubled me-the story had become well known all over. And so I went in secret off to Delphi." Then when he learns what his faith supposed to be, he choose to ran away. From line 955-959: "When I heard that, I ran away from Corinth......I went to other lands, so I would never see that prophecy fulfilled, the abomination of my evil fate."
Later on, when he meats with Laius on the road, he also makes a choice. A very bad one, which makes the prophecy come true. He gets into an argument when things gets out of hand and he kills the old man, who is happened to be his own father. Again, did he have to kill him? Couldn't he just stop arguing and be the wise one. Kill a man so unreasonably? The lines for this example [820-821]: "...a curse I laid upon myself. With these hands of mine, these killer's hands,...."
Then when the messenger brings the news, Oedipus father just died in natural causes, he could've just have stop him questioning. His constant fear of the prophecy is driving him insane. Now he wants to know about how his mother comes to the picture. He's keep going after every details. At line 1169-1172 he says: "Everything you say would be commendable, if my mother were not still alive. But since she is, I must remain afraid, although what you are saying is right."
So he's keep going on, to finding his origin. He finds the old servant who was working for Laius and - even if the servant begs against it - he forces him to unfold his story even more. That show at line 1399-1400: "Servant: Alas, what I'm about to say now... it's horrible.
Oedipus: And I'm about to hear it. But nonetheless I have to know this."
When Oedipus learns what the servant knows, everything fall into its place. But - the first time since the beginning of the story - he realizes, maybe not a course or a prophecy should influence your life, but your choices, your free will. Lines 1480-1422:
"Oedipus: Ah, so it all came true. It's so clear now. O light, let me look at you one final time, a man who stands revealed as cursed by birth, cursed by my own family, and cursed by murder where I should not kill."
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