Fate vs. Freewill; A Classic Conundrum
The concept of Fate and Freewill has for centuries boggled the minds of men. Fate vs. Freewill is a classic narrative paradigm that appears prolifically throughout mythology, as well as ancient civilization. This essay will focus on analyzing myths containing this archetype as well as the effect that the situational archetype has on a story and how it relates to ancient culture.
The most notable occurrence of Fate vs. Freewill from this semester is from the reading of "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles. In this reading, Oedipus the king of Thebes is begged by his people to lift a plague that has stricken them. In order to learn how to lift the plague, Oedipus sends Creon to the oracle to receive directions
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on what to do. Upon Creon's return, Oedipus learns that in order to save his people from the plague he must find and punish the murderer of the previous king, Laius. Oedipus begins searching for the murderer and seeks wisdom from a blind prophet named Tiresias. Tiresias is very hesitant in giving Oedipus his prophecy at first but, at last he accuses Oedipus of being the murderer. Of course, being that Oedipus is the king he is outraged and in denial by this and demands Tiresias leaves. So, Oedipus like any distressed king turns to his queen Jocasta for some comforting words. Jocasta advises Oedipus to ignore the prophecies because she herself had experienced a faulty prophecy that predicted her husband Laius would be killed by the hands of their own son, and that this is impossible because the baby was abandoned and assumed to be dead, as well as that Laius was killed by robbers at the crossroads. Jocasta's words of comfort do the exact opposite of their intended purpose because just before Oedipus' arrival in Thebes, he killed a man resembling Laius at the crossroads. Suddenly, Oedipus remembers another prophecy he was given when he was a child that predicted he would kill his father and marry his mother, this prophecy ultimately drove him from his home in Corinth to Thebes. To put his mind at rest Oedipus sends for the only living witness of the murder at the crossroads a shepherd, even against Jocasta's expressed disapproval. When the shepherd arrives he refuses to speak, that is until Oedipus threatens the shepherd with death. The shepherd reveals to Oedipus that he is in fact the son of Jocasta and Laius and that he was only fostered in Corinth, as well as that he is the murderer of Laius. Every attempt Oedipus made to avoid his fate, in fact drew him closer. In utter distress after learning he killed his biological father, as well as married his mother and had children with her, he rushes back to his palace only to find the Queen, his mother and wife dead from suicide. As is apparent in the unfortunate story of Oedipus, Fate and Freewill are often intertwined in mythology.
While Oedipus may have tried everything he thought he could do to avoid his fate, it seems like the more he fought against his fate the faster these prophecies were revealed as true. It makes the reader wonder, had the character not known his/her fate ahead of time would it still have occurred? Fate vs. Freewill can be used to develop an engaging and interactive plot that allows the reader to develop their own interpretations. This archetype is used in a wide variety of stories and was deeply embedded in ancient culture. Many believed that upon birth your destiny was decided by the fates. After the day your fate is written you can get no more or no less out of life than is fated to you. The effect this had on civilization was massive as many believed freewill ultimately did not matter because you were fated to make those choices and live through those given …show more content…
experiences. Another example of Fate vs.
Freewill in mythology is the birth and life of Achilles. Upon Achille's birth, his mother, Thetis, received a prophecy that it was her sons fate to either live a very short but glorious life, or a long life in obscurity. In an attempt to circumvent her sons early demise, Thetis takes her son Achilles to the River of Styx and holding Achilles by his heel dips him in making all parts that touch the river immortal, except for where she was holding. While dipping her son in the river was an action of her own freewill, it is ultimately what led to Achilles greatness as a warrior. Very similarly to the story of Oedipus, the actions Thetis takes to avoid fate are actually what ensure that the prophecies do come true. The use of this situational archetype intertwines many different aspects of the story giving it a very complex and interesting
plot. Overall, the narrative paradigm of Fate vs. Freewill has effectively developed complex and deeply riveting plots in ancient mythology, as well as embedded itself into ancient cultures. Whether it is by engaging readers in deep thought about the difference between Fate and Freewill in mythology, or by teaching those to live life without fear and hesitation, this narrative paradigm is prevalent in many aspects of Mythology.
Another good example of the lack of free will would be when Billy is about to die. Normally, someone would care about their death, but Billy does not. He locks up a tape in a safe-deposit box, saying "I, Billy Pilgrim, will die, have died, and always will die on February thirteenth" (180). Before he dies, he is giving a speech, and he knows that he will be assassinated.
King Oedipus was born and then abandoned by his biological parents, he was raised by foster parents, who treated him as their own son. His extreme obsession about wanting to know about himself is what brought his downfall because as he tried to escape his fate about the prophecy, the more the prophecy was fulfilled and things got worse for him. The story of Oedipus shows us clearly that we cannot run away from destiny since if the gods know about our future, there is absolutely nothing that can be done to reverse what the gods have foretold for us.
In Sophocles ' Oedipus the King, the themes of fate and free will are very strong throughout the play. Only one, however, brought about Oedipus ' downfall and death. Both points could be argued to great effect. In ancient Greece, fate was considered to be a rudimentary part of daily life. Every aspect of life depended and was based upon fate (Nagle 100). It is common belief to assume that mankind does indeed have free will and each individual can decide the outcome of his or her life. Fate and free will both decide the fate of Oedipus the King.
Another thought that exemplifies the significance that free will holds, is seen in elements of Sophocles' classic, which revealed that Oedipus had more knowledge over the details of his dilemma than he let himself become conscious of. The last idea will reveal how the onset of fear will push people down a treacherous path of risk and pain, which is also seen in the play through multiple characters. Free will is an attribute that all people possess. It could work as a tool to get individuals through the scary twists their lives may entail. It could also work against them in many ways, which depends on the level of human weakness and ignorance. But, the most important assertion that can be made after considering the argument of, "fate vs. free will," is that...
Even though "fate" seems to determine Oedipus' life, he does, in fact, have a free will.
Fate is an old debated concept. Do one's actions truly play a role in determining one's life? Is fate freedom to some or is it binding to others, in that no individual can make completely individual decisions, and therefore, no one is truly free. Nowadays, fate is a subject often rejected in society, as it is seen as too big, too idealistic, and too hard to wrap a persons head around. However, at the time of Antigone, the concept was a terrifying reality for most people. Fate is the will of the gods, and as is apparent in Antigone, the gods' will is not to be questioned. Much of Sophocles' work focuses on the struggle between human law and what is believed to be the god’s law. Fate was an unstoppable force and it was assumed that any efforts to change one's future were unrealistic. In Sophocles' Antigone, fate plays a crucial role the choices that the characters make.
The world may never know if we have power to control our ultimate destinies or not. However, it is clear in Oedipus the King and The Epic of Gilgamesh that free will does not exist. Oedipus and Gilgamesh are puppets being controlled by the gods above, helpless to exercise free will. No matter what course they take, Oedipus cannot escape from killing his father and marry his mother and Gilgamesh cannot escape death. Nevertheless, their fears cause them to try to manipulate their actions and stop their fates from occurring. It is only a matter of time before these two characters fail in their attempts and realize that trying to control destiny is futile.
The ancient Greeks were fond believers of Fate. Fate, defined according to Webster’s, is “the principle or determining cause or will by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as the do.” The Greeks take on Fate was slightly modified. They believed that the gods determined Fate: “…fate, to which in a mysterious way the gods themselves were subject, was an impersonal force decreeing ultimate things only, and unconcerned with day by day affairs.” It was thought that these gods worked in subtle ways; this accounts for character flaws (called harmatia in Greek). Ancient Greeks thought the gods would alter a person’s character, in order for that person to suffer (or gain from) the appropriate outcome. Such was the case in Oedipus’s story.
The idea of fate has existed for a long time and exists even today. Fate revolves around the idea that people's lives are predetermined and that no matter what is done it cannot be changed. With the gods it was used to explain events that seemed strange. Sophocles expands on this idea by introducing Oedipus' fate. The thought of fate is strong considering no matter how hard he struggles he still receives what was predetermined. As a baby he survived the elements on Mount Cithaeron. As Oedipus was destined to live, it shows the dominance of fate. Having fate play such a large part of the play is certainly an insight into the Greek's idea that fate controls us no matter how hard we struggle against it.
In Greek mythology as a whole, fate does have a sizeable role in most tales. However, the definition of fate for the ancient Greeks extends from the common definition. The definition of fate that is familiar to us is anything that happens for an unknown reason and is out of our control. But in Greek mythology fate also involves divine intervention from the gods of Olympus. They are able to change outcomes and alter situations to the point where what occurs might not have happened without them. In The Odyssey, gods have a very prominent role. But you cannot just discuss fate by itself. Free will is also a factor. Free will is mankind’s ability to make decisions control the aspects of one’s life. In The Odyssey life is the individual’s responsibility.
In English literature and Greek mythologies fate and free will played colossal responsibilities in creating the characters in the legendary stories and plays. The Greek gods believed in fate and interventions, predictions of a life of an individual before and after birth which the individual has no control over their own destiny. Free will and fate comingle together, this is where a person can choose his own fate, choose his own destiny by the choices the individual will make in their lifetime. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of free will is the “freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior cause of divine intervention”. Fate and the gods who chose their destinies directed Gilgamesh, Oedipus and Achilles.
Oedipus was not composed by his fate; he was responsible for his own conduct. From his very birth Oedipus was predetermined to marry his mother and murder his father. His situation was inevitable. Although Apollo exhorted the prophecy in Delphi, this event only drove Oedipus to fulfill his destiny.
In Herodotus’ story, the bones of tragic hero Orestes served as protection for the Tegeans. Fagle’s allusion is crucial to Sophocles’ depiction of redemption as a result tragedy, in Oedipus at Colonus. In Oedipus at Colonus, we finally witness the triumph of free will over fate. Due to free will, Oedipus is doomed to suffer, and because of his damnation, he learns to accept they ways of the gods and is thus blessed in death (Lines 424-433). We can therefore conclude that Oedipus’ desired free will to escape his fate, led him to redemption. Despite his redemption, fate continues to influence the lives of his children: Antigone and Ismene doomed to carry their father’s shame, and Polynices and Etiocles, doomed to kill each other. Overall, we notice that in Greek Culture, fate holds more power over free will, but it is only through free will that the Greeks through learning by suffering, and are thus blessed by their gods. In conclusion it is safe to say that though fate holds more influence over free will, both fate and free will are of equal value to the Ancient
The ancient Greeks were mainly concerned with the relationship between fate and free will. This concern weaves in and out of the culture's most highly regarded literary works, including one of the earliest and most well-known texts ever written - the Odyssey. Homer's thrilling tale of King Odysseus' trials and tribulations on his homeward voyage from Ilium is littered...
In Oedipus Rex, fate is something that unavoidably befalls two characters. The gods decide Oedipus and Jocasta’s fate, even before they know it. Trying to avoid destiny is pointless because no matter what, it will catch up to you wherever you are. It is often thought that you can change your destiny, but in reality our fate was put into action the day we were born. Throughout the play, Oedipus tries to change his fate.