Philosophers and scientist have been having the Fate vs. Freewill controversy for centuries. Fate vs free will is a predominate theme in these two classical tragedies Sophocles’, hamlet and William Shakespeare’s, Oedipus.
Ask yourself,” Is our life predetermined by a preeminent power or is our life a result from the decisions we make for ourselves?” Fate is the advancement of events in a person’s life that happen beyond a person’s control, as predetermined by a supernatural power. Free will is the power to act at one’s own judgment. Everyone wants to be free; or at least have some choice in life. Both Hamlet and Oedipus strive to be in control of their lives, which ultimately seem to drive them to their fate.
In William Shakespeare Hamlet, a prince is depressed after his father dies and his mother remarries shortly after his death. The death of his father is caused by the freewill of Claudius. You could say Claudius causes
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Oedipus worked hard to avoid his fate, the more he tried to intervene with fate the further he drove him and many others to their death. Oedipus spun through his fate like a whirlwind. This play’s setting was during the time of ancient Greek. The ancient Greeks believed their gods could see the future, and prophets or seers could foresee the things to come. Prophets and seers played a huge role in the fate of Oedipus. They left their prophesy vague and to the point, so Oedipus would assume then run into his fate. The tragedy starts with the first king, Laius. Laius learns of his fate and attempts to change it, a prophet foreseen the kings future, the prophecy was that the king’s son with Jocasta would grow up then Laius would meet his death by his own son. Oedipus dad, Laius bound Oedipus legs together and left him in a field to die. There Oedipus was found and adopted by a loving family. A shepherd took pity on the infant, who was adopted by King Polybus of Corinth and his wife and was brought up as their