Oedipus: In Control of His Own Destiny?

            Do you feel that you are in control of your own destiny? Oedipus was told that the outcome of his life was predetermined and there was nothing he could do about it. He was told by the oracle of Apollo that his fate was to kill his father and marry his mother. The truth is that Oedipus's and others" actions are what caused Oedipus's "fate" to come true, not "fate" itself. If he and others had acted differently, Apollo's words would not have come to pass. Oedipus's parents are the first to blame for preventing the escape from his destiny. After Oedipus killed his father, his overly hasty actions led inexorably to fulfillment of the rest of his foretold fate. Also, he himself had too much pride and overconfidence for his own good.
             In the beginning, Laius and Jocasta, Oedipus's parents, had a chance to prevent the realization of their son's "destiny", but their actions did otherwise. Once the oracle had told the two of what was to come of their family's lives, they decided to get rid of Oedipus. They gave him to a mountain shepherd with instructions to leave him to die of exposure. Instead, the shepherd gave Oedipus to another shepherd, who in turn gave him to a foreign King and Queen. Thus, Oedipus was not killed and was able lived a life in which he could (unintentionally) carry out the actions that were foretold by the oracle. What Laius and Jocasta could have done to wipe out any chance of him killing Laius and marrying Jocasta was to kill Oedipus themselves. This proves that the King and Queen of Thebes had the control to put an end to the events of the future before they began, but chose not to. Also, the deliberate actions of the first shepherd allowed Oedipus to live. These people chose to do what they wanted; "fate" was uninvolved.
             Secondly, Oedipus acted too carelessly while on his way to Thebes in hopes of escaping the people in Corinth who he believed were his parents.