Everyone want to have the chance to be free or just to make choices for themselves. However, sometimes fate gets in the way. Fate can be defined as something that happens to a person that is predetermined, it is going to happen and it cannot be changed. Free will on the other hand is the idea that noting in a person future is concrete and a person can choose how they want to live. In the end, fate most of the time can determine how the person dies. Many characters get tested with these two themes like: Beowulf from the epic poem, Beowulf; Victor and the creature from the novel, Frankenstein; the Halshims kids in the novel, Never let me go; the character Caliban in, The Tempest; and Adam and Eve from Paradise Lost. All five of these literary works show the theme of fate and free will in many different ways but still portray the true meaning.
In the novel, Never let me go, the kids that grew up at Halshim had their fate planed before they were even cloned. As the kids develop there they find out that Hailsham is a sheltered place that helps them except their unfortunate fate. Their futures have been planned out to where they become carers, then donors, then they die an unfulfilled life. These children are not given the ability to truly explore the world and purse dreams and some children do not question why this is their fate. There are a few kids who do wonder and dream about getting a real job or moving to America but they get shot down by their guardians as they tell
Fate and free will are two topics that are often questionable because they go hand in hand. Fate is a belief that a certain event is said to happen, then that person's choice and free will lead them to what has been predicted as inevitable. Knowing whether something is fate’s fault or the fault of the person who’s going to enact the said action, is one question that has never been fully answered. In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare's Macbeth, fate is determined by their own choices and free will, the character Macbeth knows of what lies ahead of him, making him alter the present to create his idealistic future, however instead he lives a life of ruins. As for Oedipus his entire actions are based on one prophecy he desperately
The theme of Fate vs. Free Will arises in many literary texts. Within J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, the main character Frodo has the titular ring thrusted upon him, setting him on a dangerous journey against his will. A similar occurrence happens within the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Translated by the same J.R.R. Tolkien), where Gawain takes on the task of chopping off the Green Knight’s head because no one else offers themself up to take King Arthur’s place, which leads him to go on a journey 365 days later in order to retain his reputation. Both of these characters set off on life-staking journeys only because another person gives them the task against their will. Also because of their male gender, another thing that was beyond their free will, these two characters are easily allowed to go on their adventures in the first place. Even though both Gawain and Frodo are fated to go on their journeys, they do not follow the expectation that a hero must be masculine in order to be successful, and wind up fulfilling their quests by the end of their tales.
The three works, Beowulf, Grendel, and Macbeth have differing views on how fate is predetermined. Fate, in Beowulf, is not totally determined ahead of time:
This quarter I am continuing my observations with Heather Cyrus from Barbour Dual-Language Immersion Academy. She is a unique second grade teacher for Spanish and English speaking students. In my prior fieldwork assignments, I have not met another teacher who has been so ahead of her peers in evolving the classroom for successful, 21st century education.
A Twist of Fate for the Great Hero Beowulf Fate seems to be an ongoing theme in the works of Boethius and Beowulf. Whether it is a belief of Christian providence or pagan fatalism, the writers of these works are strongly moved by the concept of fate and how it affects the twists and turns of a person’s life. Fate is most often seen as the course of events in a person’s life that leads them to inevitable death at some time or another.
In the gothic novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley weaves an intricate web of allusions through her characters’ expedient desires for knowledge. Both the actions of Frankenstein, as well as his monster allude to John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Book eight of Milton’s story relates the tale of Satan’s temptation and Eve’s fateful hunger for knowledge. The infamous Fall of Adam and Eve introduced the knowledge of good and evil into a previously pristine world.
Decisions and choices- an act of or need for making up one's mind, and the right, power, or opportunity to choose. Fate- a four letter word, a noun defined as the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as being determined by a supernatural power. These are what many can believe as the most powerful forces that shape our future. The playwright, William Shakespeare, wrote a tragedy of two youngsters in love. This tale was filled with drama, mixed-emotions, laughs, heartbreaks, and affection. Written as a tragedy, the play had ended like other Shakespearean tragedies had ended; in death. The death was inevitable because of decisions and choices made fates were shaped and had played a part in the events that blossomed the love of two star-crossed lovers. As an illustration, picture two families at war with each other, a feud that everyone gets caught in the crossfire. For instance, when innocent citizens are tired of watching their supposed ‘peaceful’ streets get disturbed by the feud, and as the prologue states, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.” (Prologue.6) The feud was poison for the city of Verona and its citizens. Besides crummy choices were made, therefore a cursed destiny was created for two naive lovers.
Many people believe that fate has planned out their lives and despite efforts on their part what was meant to happen, will eventually happen. This belief has been handed down over the centuries from some of the first civilizations, such as the Greeks. However, not all Greek citizens wanted destiny to take control of their lives. Some decided to choose freewill over the will of the gods. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles writes a cautionary tale meant to warn the doubters in Greek society that regardless of their beliefs in gods and prophecies, it is necessary to heed their warnings. Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laius are Sophocles’ characters that prove that escaping one’s fate is not possible, as each of their predicted fates is realized despite extensive efforts to thwart them.
Fate is a hidden, but unavoidable force that leads to certain consequences in people’s lives. The theme of fate plays a crucial role in the main characters of the play, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet share a destiny that dooms them to tragic deaths immediately after the exchange of their zealous love. Despite their resolute attempts to challenge their destiny, the lovers still succumb to the inexorable powers of fate. In the Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet, the principle of fate propels the lovers together with infatuation, tears them apart through a bitter demise, yet, ensures peace in Verona for many future generations.
Fate is often a topic of interest in many literary works, as it provides an insight to readers as to how a person’s success or demise can be credited to their own doing or to the world’s chaotic web of tragedy that afflicts those at random. In Beowulf, pagan belief describes fate as an affliction through unmerciful forces of death and destruction that befall people at random. Actions and events that occur around us are mainly out of our control, though we can influence them at times, yet, we are susceptible to the world’s destruction, death, and failure. For these reasons, I believe: nature is hostile and uncontrollable at times, and that Beowulf can be described as a failure due to his inability to prevent conflict that befalls his country after his death.
Fate is defined as the development of events beyond a person’s control. In “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles, tells us about a tragic hero (Oedipus) in which his life is predetermined by fate, because he is deprived of free will. The first act of fate on Oedipus was him being saved by a shepherd when his parents (Queen Jocasta and King Laius) left him in the mountains to die, he then met and killed his father without knowing who he was, and last, he married Queen Jocasta, later realizing that she was his mother. Every action that Oedipus took to prevent his fate, would soon be the ultimate downfall, not only for himself, but for his family and the people of Thebes.
Not everyone believes in fate in the modern world, but back in Beowulf's time fate was a very common belief. The anglo saxon belief was that fate controlled every aspect of people's lives and no one could escape it. They believed fate to be the reason for everything. The hero of the Geats was a firm believer in fate hence why fate is the most prevalent theme in Beowulf. Fate helps Beowulf many times and the story shows fate to be a force for good.
Between the two novels, Paradise Lost and Frankenstein, there are many striking similarities. What makes these two books so wonderful to read is the author 's ability to write about the ultimate struggle; the struggle between God and Satan, or Good and Evil. The characters in Paradise Lost and in Frankenstein seem to be very similar to one another. God and Victor Frankenstein have many similarities. One of their similarities is that they are both creators of new life. The monster, Victor 's creation, also shows remarkable similarities, but not with God. The monster shows similarities with Satan and Adam. At first these characters seem very plain and tasteless, but as the stories go on and the characters become deeper beings, the interest
One of Shakespeare's most notable works, Romeo and Juliet has heavy themes of destiny tied throughout the play. Greek mythology also had intense themes of destiny, but under another name, fate. Destiny has been called many things throughout the ages, fate, prophecy, moirai, but the concept is the same, a character was born to do something. Many characters challenge fate, few succeed. Harry is a rare character who succeeds against fate, the boy destined to die survives and beats Voldemort against all
Fate. Fate is commonly known all throughout many cultures; such as the Greeks or the Ancient Egyptians. These cultures believed that peoples’ lives were predestined and cannot change the way their life will play out. However, in literature, authors begin to change the idea of fate. In many famous works, such as, Hamlet, Ivan Denisovich, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, we can see how the authors try to give man the chance to change their fate that could lead them to success or failure. In Hamlet, people can witness that mans’ fate can sometimes be changed just by simple emotions or indecisiveness. Therefore, our fate is rather a fragile thing that can change based off of our morals, should be internally motivated, and that man should consider the consequences.