In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, the author utilizes the correlation of one’s prophecy to his or her own fate in order to convey the irreversible, concrete nature of a prophesized future. The reactions of Oedipus’ real parents lead to the fulfillment of the prophecies, as the actions that have happened prior to Oedipus’ abandonment to die early in life contribute to the prophesized truth of Oedipus’ birth. Each character is seen to interpret prophecies based on his or her own thoughts and actions, which Sophocles makes clearly evident throughout the progression of the tragedy. The audience sees Oedipus’ downfall come not from his misdeeds, but from his persistence to learn the truth, by which he reveals the true essence of his horrid actions. So, Sophocles sought to show that while it is unfeasible to not encounter one’s fate, the response to that fate is subject to an individual’s free will. Regarding the liability of Oedipus, much emphasis has been connected to his inescapable ignorance. The audience can see the situation with the most significant effect on Oedipus’ destiny to not simply be his ignorance of the facts, but really his outspoken, all-knowing personality. When Oedipus steers clear of Corinth, this is logical assuming his real parents are Polybus and Merope. The fact that he does not know and completely fails to realize this, the so called wisdom he prides himself on having becomes his collapse. The murder of his real parents occurs not due to his ignorance of where he stands, but because he chooses to act as if he knows what he does not. Considering the Tiresias scene, where Oedipus challenges the insight of the divine seer, he is reluctant to believe his foretold future only to be proven wrong later on. In stressing the conflict between logic and discernment, Sophocles reveals the basis of Oedipus’ hamartia, that being his lack of hesitation to trust in far-fetched knowledge. Once Oedipus poses his question to the prophet, Tiresias refuses to speak, but Oedipus cannot perceive the fact that explains this refusal. Because of this, Oedipus concludes the silence of Tiresias to be a means of protecting himself (494 lines 363-382). Any interpretations Oedipus may draw from the situation, whether they’re logical or not, can only steer him away from the truth. A repetition in the process is seen after Tiresias identifies Oedipus as the murderer. Tiresias, putting social status to the side, levels with Oedipus and states, “You may be king, but my right to answer makes me your equal. In this respect, I am as much my own master as you are Go on, throw muck at Kreon, and at the warning spoken through my mouth. No man will ever be ground into wretchedness as you will be (497 lines 490-522).” This is where Tiresias prophesizes Oedipus’ tragic fate, as he completely crushes Oedipus’ sense of hubris. This excer