Epictetus In Shakespeare's As You Like It, Act II Scene VII

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts…
William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Act II Scene VII

While many students might treat this epigraph the same way we treat Shakespeare – dismissively- it’s safe to assume Epictetus would agree with it wholeheartedly. Perhaps, if he was a minister, he might go so far as to consider it his ‘mission statement’. It is obvious the philosopher believes we have no control over our destiny. In his collected writings, known as The Handbook, he tells us we are merely ‘actors in a play [we] did not write.’ (788) He believes we must accept our parts and fulfill them to the best of our abilities, whether our lives be long or short, happy or filled with misery.
One thing he acknowledges multiple times is that our entire destiny is assigned by an ‘author’ of life. (788)To Epictetus, we are all part of a vast system that includes both the almighty God and ourselves- mere mortals. We are foremost citizens of our respective countries, but also a resident of Heaven, and by accepting our fates we act as people worthy of such honors.

A and Mrs. B in C.S. Lewis’ We Have No ‘Right to Happiness’ that they have made their beds, and now they must lie in them- literally and figuratively! By choosing to marry their original spouse and taking a vow, they have fulfilled their destiny and ought not to seek another partner. In the essay, Clare, Lewis’ female friend, alleges that men and women should have the right to leave their spouses if they are not feeling content with their sexual fulfillment. Epictetus would answer that they are not playing their part! A good actor does not abandon their role. Even if they did not receive the role they wanted, they perform to the best of their