Rolls of Predestination in Literature and in Society
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- Date Submitted: 05/12/2010 06:56 AM
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Rolls of Predestination in Literature and in Society
Predestination seems to play an important roll in many influential works from past famous playwrights. Two prime examples of this are found in the form of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. There are three things that are important to understanding the rolls predestination has in these works and why they have fascinated people over the years. The first is understanding the basic plot of the play. The second is analyzing the endings of the works, and what they imply about the author’s view of predestination. The final one is asking one’s self what about predestination makes it interesting to people? Why would someone find any good in the idea that they are not in any way in control of their own fate?
The plots are as simple or complex as the reader wants them to be. It is impossible to know exactly what the playwrights meant by what they wrote, but the beauty of literature is that it is open to interpretation by anyone. In Oedipus the King the theme of predestination is very easily seen. The play opens with the birth of a son (Oedipus) to the king and queen of Thebes. Shortly after the birth a prophet of Zeus informs them that their son will someday kill his father and marry his mother. To prevent this, the
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queen decides to leave her child in the wilderness to die, as was the common practice for unwanted children at the time. This is where the question of fate is first introduced. A prophecy has been made, and a human has attempted to thwart it.
The idea of fate is continued throughout the play as Oedipus is told of the prophecy about him. When he hears it he leaves his home thinking he cannot kill his father or marry his mother if he is not even near them. Again here a human is attempting to thwart fate. Because of this on his journey away from his home in Corinth he unintentionally kills his father, whom he...
Predestination seems to play an important roll in many influential works from past famous playwrights. Two prime examples of this are found in the form of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. There are three things that are important to understanding the rolls predestination has in these works and why they have fascinated people over the years. The first is understanding the basic plot of the play. The second is analyzing the endings of the works, and what they imply about the author’s view of predestination. The final one is asking one’s self what about predestination makes it interesting to people? Why would someone find any good in the idea that they are not in any way in control of their own fate?
The plots are as simple or complex as the reader wants them to be. It is impossible to know exactly what the playwrights meant by what they wrote, but the beauty of literature is that it is open to interpretation by anyone. In Oedipus the King the theme of predestination is very easily seen. The play opens with the birth of a son (Oedipus) to the king and queen of Thebes. Shortly after the birth a prophet of Zeus informs them that their son will someday kill his father and marry his mother. To prevent this, the
Parish 2
queen decides to leave her child in the wilderness to die, as was the common practice for unwanted children at the time. This is where the question of fate is first introduced. A prophecy has been made, and a human has attempted to thwart it.
The idea of fate is continued throughout the play as Oedipus is told of the prophecy about him. When he hears it he leaves his home thinking he cannot kill his father or marry his mother if he is not even near them. Again here a human is attempting to thwart fate. Because of this on his journey away from his home in Corinth he unintentionally kills his father, whom he...