In the two dramatic playwrights, Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the main characters face conflicting emotions when given adverse news; how each deal with such conflictions relate to the fate or free will. The process of fate is something beyond the control of humans. Fate occurs without a matter of choices that someone can pick and optionally pursue; it is a matter of coincidence rather than intentional acts. In contrast, the act of free will allows a person to choose; a person can control their future implications rather than relying on a higher force to create their destiny. In Oedipus the King, the shocking coincidence of what was foretold and how it plays out, therefore Oedipus’ experiences are a matter
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When Oedipus is told his prophecy, he flees from his supposed father, mother and homeland of Corinth and reaches Thebes – the legitimate country of his origins. As he then proceeds and produces a life in the country of Thebes, Oedipus coincidentally falls into to his fate that he wished to avoid when in Corinth. So, as Oedipus “avoids” his fate by free will, he inevitably confronts his fate. Long before reigning king of Thebes, Oedipus meets his father but the two do not recognize each other as son and father. As Oedipus recalls the event to Jocasta, he recites it as follows: “when I was near the branching of the crossroads, going on foot, I was encountered by a herald and a carriage with a man in it…He…wanted to thrust me out the road by force. I became angry and…killed them all” (Mays 1585). Coincidentally, Oedipus and his father meet at a crossroad. What brings this coincidence to be even more uncanny is Oedipus’ act of rage that kills King Laius – his father. At that instance, Oedipus fulfills his prophecy. Alongside the acknowledgement of murdering his father, Oedipus completes the prophecy as …show more content…
After conversing with his deceased father in his ghostly form, Hamlet tells Horatio of how he will purposely conduct himself in a strange, mad manner by which he only tells Horatio; Hamlet also makes Horatio swear that by knowing of Hamlet’s plot, he will not reveal it. In his second soliloquy, Hamlet concludes to “wipe away all trivial fond records” and hold only the task to avenge his father’s death (Mays 1529). “Hamlet no doubt intends to demonstrate how clever he [is]” so there is a need to distinguish his moral character and his intelligence (Foley 3). In his soliloquies, Hamlet rationalizes to and with himself which further supports his act of free will. In hopes to expose Claudius as a fraudulent king, Hamlet plans his revenge with specific implications to condemn his murderer uncle of the hellish fate. Just as Andrew Foley concludes, Hamlet “seek[s] not just blood vengeance for a murder but a wider purging of national corruption.” By thinking purposefully of how he should avenge his father, Hamlet’s intentions are within his consciousness. As Oedipus Rex and Hamlet both trust that how they conduct themselves are a matter of free will and usage of power and intelligence, Oedipus fails to use free will in his actions contrary to Hamlet. By ignorance to a prophecy that
When Oedipus is told his prophecy, he flees from his supposed father, mother and homeland of Corinth and reaches Thebes – the legitimate country of his origins. As he then proceeds and produces a life in the country of Thebes, Oedipus coincidentally falls into to his fate that he wished to avoid when in Corinth. So, as Oedipus “avoids” his fate by free will, he inevitably confronts his fate. Long before reigning king of Thebes, Oedipus meets his father but the two do not recognize each other as son and father. As Oedipus recalls the event to Jocasta, he recites it as follows: “when I was near the branching of the crossroads, going on foot, I was encountered by a herald and a carriage with a man in it…He…wanted to thrust me out the road by force. I became angry and…killed them all” (Mays 1585). Coincidentally, Oedipus and his father meet at a crossroad. What brings this coincidence to be even more uncanny is Oedipus’ act of rage that kills King Laius – his father. At that instance, Oedipus fulfills his prophecy. Alongside the acknowledgement of murdering his father, Oedipus completes the prophecy as …show more content…
After conversing with his deceased father in his ghostly form, Hamlet tells Horatio of how he will purposely conduct himself in a strange, mad manner by which he only tells Horatio; Hamlet also makes Horatio swear that by knowing of Hamlet’s plot, he will not reveal it. In his second soliloquy, Hamlet concludes to “wipe away all trivial fond records” and hold only the task to avenge his father’s death (Mays 1529). “Hamlet no doubt intends to demonstrate how clever he [is]” so there is a need to distinguish his moral character and his intelligence (Foley 3). In his soliloquies, Hamlet rationalizes to and with himself which further supports his act of free will. In hopes to expose Claudius as a fraudulent king, Hamlet plans his revenge with specific implications to condemn his murderer uncle of the hellish fate. Just as Andrew Foley concludes, Hamlet “seek[s] not just blood vengeance for a murder but a wider purging of national corruption.” By thinking purposefully of how he should avenge his father, Hamlet’s intentions are within his consciousness. As Oedipus Rex and Hamlet both trust that how they conduct themselves are a matter of free will and usage of power and intelligence, Oedipus fails to use free will in his actions contrary to Hamlet. By ignorance to a prophecy that