Fate and Free Will in Literature Essay - 771 Words

Oedipus Rex, Candide, Macbeth, The Cherry Orchard, and the Metamorphosis all have one obvious recurring theme; fate v.s. freewill. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus tries to beat his fate. He leaves home and travels because he is afraid of the prophecy made of him. Despite this, in the case of Oedipus, his fate was inescapable. Candide, on the other hand, defies his fate. He is fated to be separated from Cunegonde, but he keeps trying and trying to be with her. Candide goes through many obstacles, learns about life, and by the end, he learns that he must accept what life throws at him, and â€Å"cultivate his garden.† Macbeth believes that fate is on his side. When he hears about his prophecy, he immediately believes that nothing can hurt him, that he†¦show more content†¦Would it mean that I will become successful in life? Would it mean that I will fail? Or even, would it mean that I am destined to remain a perpetual student because I will never find my calling (like Trofimov from the Cherry Orchard)? I’d rather think that with hard work, I can pick my destiny. It is human nature to want to have control and with a predetermined fate, this isn’t possible. Free will can be more scary than fate in some instances. Unlike fate, free will can easily be taken away. Teenagers in particular have a strong opinion of free will. Throughout our childhood, we are told what to do and when we grow up, we are scared to be held accountable for our actions because we are used to having our parents fix everything. With free will come the thoughts â€Å"What if I have the choice to become what I want in life, but pick wrong and end up being miserable for the rest of my life?† It isn’t a thought that I like to have. It is one of the many reasons why some people prefer to believe in fate whether than free will. Free will can also lead to hard work. If things aren’t destined, then people have the motivation to work hard to get somewhere in life. When I was accepted into the White Mountain School, I thought it was all a result of my hard work, and I still believe that. In my opinion, nothing is handed out to you, and you must work for w hat you want. If I had not worked to stay in my program, NJ SEEDS, I wouldShow MoreRelatedFree Will : Ancient Literature1536 Words   |  7 PagesConcept of Free Will: Ancient Literature in the West Free will is considered to be a philosophical term for a course of action among many possible options. It is a topic that almost every philosopher has debated for over two millennia. â€Å"Free will is defined as the ability to select a course of action as a means of fulfilling some desire† (O’Connor, 2002). Many philosophers think that free will is closely associated with moral responsibility as well as freedom of action. Free will is a human necessityRead MoreThe Role of Faith and the Gods in Oedipus Rex Essays1713 Words   |  7 Pagesgives fate, which is created by the gods, a seemingly inescapable characteristic over man. The role of fate is clearly defined, through the fulfillment of divine prophecy, and Oedipus’ inability to recognize prophecy as a realistic source of knowledge, as a fate that strikes a delicate balance with the free will of man. The balance stricken between fate and free will, in Sophocles’ mind, is portrayed through Oedipus’ fatal flaw, which forces him to his fate, while also defining his free will.Read MoreDaniel Handler: Lemony Snicket1561 Words   |  6 Pagessaid Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and dont always like.† One of the best examples of fate within literature is Shakespeares play Macbeth. 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Although both of these stories consist of the two themes mentioned, they each express themRead MoreOedipus Rex And The Kite Runner1367 Words   |  6 PagesKite Runner are both profound works of literature that share two immensely universal themes, those themes being fate and freewill and divine justice. These two themes are quite prominent throughout both pieces of writing and serve to facilitate a very human connection between the audience and the story. Although both of these stories consist of the two themes mentioned, they each express them in a unique fashion. Oedipus Rex focuses more so on the concept of fate whereas The Kite Runner emphasizes theRead MoreMacbeth Fate And Free Will Analysis1198 Words   |  5 Pagesapart of everyday life, excuses have also found their way into literature. However, while procrastinating high school students have â€Å"my pet gerbil, Wallace, made a nest out of my worksheet† , authors, especially those writing tragedies, have fate. The question of whether or not each individual truly chooses what happens in their lives is one that has been addressed in various works of literature time and time again. This battle of fate vs free will is especially prominent in William Shakespeare’s MacbethRead MoreAnalysis of the Actions of Macbeth and Doctor Faustus Based on Free Will and Fate1677 Words   |  7 PagesDoctor Faustus in Shakespeare’s and Marlowe’s plays come from the characters themselves or whether they were following a predetermined fate. In the play The Tragedy of Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, each character’s destiny, or fate, seems to be predeterm ined by the supernatural and unpreventable by any actions meant to stop it from occurring. The concept of fate is a large component in many Aristotelian Tragedies, such as Macbeth. However, in the tragedy, The Tragicall History of the Life andRead MoreEssay on Macbeth vs. Satan695 Words   |  3 PagesParadise Lost, which include their strong will, pride, and insatiable greed, they have qualities that set them apart. Their differences are Macbeth’s overall righteousness, human characteristics, and being controlled by fate. Satan on the other hand, is evil, superhuman, and acts on his free will. Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Milton’s Satan share some similar qualities. These include their strength of will, overconfidence, and their ambition, although they show it in different ways. Macbeth’s determinationRead MoreHow Fate and Free Will Play a Part in the Odyssey816 Words   |  4 PagesHow Fate and Free Will Play a Part in The Odyssey Fate and free will are epic subjects in life. When we cannot control something we blame it on fate, but we try to change the way things are with our free will. Fate is something unknown that determines what will happen. It may seem like a coincidence or may feel like an omen, but it is something no person controls for oneself. Fate, to some, may be in the hands of a higher power such as gods or God. For others fate is merely something that happenedRead MoreEssay on Anti-War Sentiments in Cats Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five1173 Words   |  5 PagesOn the surface, Kurt Vonneguts Cats Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five are vastly dissimilar works of literature, each with its own creative style and plot. However, when the texts are examined with a discerning eye one can notice multiple thematic undercurrents such as war fate,time and suffering hidden in plain sight. Overwhelmingly common in Cats Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five are strong anti-war sentiments which show all the ways war is deleterious towards the human condition.(Marvin) Vonnegut