Fate And Free Will In Hamlet By William Shakespeare

We always have a choice. Neither fate nor destiny truly exists; rather, they are just ideas conceptualized to make it seem as if there’s a set path in life, but there isn’t. The thing that affirms free will is fate’s inability to come true. The theory of destiny is flawed, for if it truly existed, you couldn’t blame anyone for anything, and our entire model of moral ethics would be destroyed. The anecdote that bests explains this is the story of Plato’s servant. Plato was a philosopher who gave lectures at his home, and he had a servant that was clever, and listened in on his lectures about destiny. One day, the servant tripped and spilled tea all over Plato, and Plato hit him. The servant exclaimed, “Why did you hit me?! According to your

Only then, forced at six months to confront his destiny, does he begin to cry.” (2.71). It’s important to note that Gogol’s crying exemplifies the theme of rejecting destiny, and humans are capable of this even at only six months. Ironically, fate does exist in some way; when we conform to what’s set upon us, we choose our own destiny (choosing your destiny is somewhat of an oxymoron). This becomes evident in the relationship between Ashoke and Ashima. It’s stated that, “In some senses Ashoke and Ashima live the lives of the extremely aged, those for whom everyone they once knew and loved is lost, those who survive and are consoled by memory alone. Even those family members who continue to live seem dead somehow, always invisible, impossible to touch.” (3.58). The argument for fate weakens when presented this way, as most would agree no one is “destined” to get old and boring. People like to believe in destiny, because it leaves a story; whether someone is destined for glory or tragedy, their name is still remembered. When that epic destiny is lost, so is the story, and that’s frightening to some. It certainly frightens Gogol in the realization that, “… the house will be occupied by strangers, and there will be no trace that they were ever there, no house to enter, no name in the telephone

Destiny, flawed as it may be, is comforting to some; it gives the message that everyone has a purpose in this world. While the message is true, fate and destiny are not. Everyone does have a purpose in life; we just don’t know what it is yet. Whether the purpose in life is to serve God, or it’s simply to just to find happiness somehow, there is purpose. Purpose doesn’t exist on its own, it’s what you make of it. Gogol struggles with his destiny throughout the entirety of the novel, seemingly, all because of his name. Eventually, he comes to accept his name, but not his fate. It’s not his destiny that he reveres so much; it’s the meaning and thought that comes with it. But that’s one of the most simple choices we ultimately get in life, isn’t it? That in the end, our last thought, is a nice