fate vs. free will

Discussion

A man wakes up late for work, his phone died overnight and so his alarm didn't go off. Despite being awoken by the sun, he is still late getting up. He runs for his bus and misses it by a matter of seconds.

Fate vs. free will

The character's general attitude towards fate and free will:

- strong believe in fate

- believe in 3 goddesses controlling the destiny of mankind

- people have a free will but the events are always controlled by a higher power

- fate is present in their life -> fate is often the reason for event and legitimizes actions like the killing of Polonius

"Our wills and fates do so contrary run

That our devices still are overthrown.

Our thoughts are ours, the ends none of our own"

( Act 3, scene 3, ll. 295-297 )

What does the player king mean by reciting these lines?:

- wills are different than fate

- the minds commands are often not fulfilled - higher power controls the events taking place

- no free will even though people have free thoughts, there is something supernatural determining fate

- this underlines the Elizabethans strong beliefs in fate

function of the characters regarding fate & free will

- King Hamlets death disrupted the wheel of fortune ( Act 3, scene 3, ll. 20ff. )

- King Claudius committed a sin with killing his brother

- Hamlet represents people living in the Elizabethan era who were torn between decisions of free will and being ruled by their fate

- Hamlet is already restricted as he is prince of Denmark

- Hamlet believes that everything that happens to him is fate ( Act 1, scene 4 ll. 42ff. )

- "his will is not his own, for he himself is subject to his birth." ( Act 1, scene 3, ll.26f. )

Hamlets opinion on free will

- Hamlet decides to obey the ghost's command & take revenge ( Act 1, scene 5, ll. 125-131 )

- suicide is a choice that frees oneself from the troubles of the world ( Act 3, scene 1, ll.89-122 )

- manipulation influences free will ( regarding Hamlets revenge ) ( Act 1, scene 5, ll. 23-110 )

- choice: acting mad to fool the people around him

- there are special expectations for Hamlet that reduce his freedom & free will and limit his choices

Hamlet expressing his attitude towards fate

- Hamlet feels like fate commands him to talk to his father's ghost ( Act 1, scene 4, ll. 119-125 )

- war is a result of fate when there is too much peace for a long period of time ( Act 4, scene 4, ll. 42-90 )

- fate is determined by gods will ( Act 3, scene 4, ll. 249.255 & Act 5, scene 3, ll. 10-73 )

- fate is dependent on circumstances that may change it ( Act 4, scene 4, ll. 42-90 )

- fate is unpredictable, death can be very sudden ( Act 5, scene 2, ll. 268-287 )

To what extend is Hamlet trying to change his fate through his different ruses?

- the play

- pretending to be mad

Was Hamlet destined to die from the moment he decided to kill Claudius and therefore commit a sin and disrupts the order and peace in Denmark?

The Great Chain of Being

- god put everything and everyone in order, from material things to spiritual things

- humans are said to have a soul made of spirit ( placed in the middle )

- ones role cant be changed, one is what one has been assigned from god

The four Humors

- 4 bodily fluids were associated with one of the 4 elements

- when you're healthy, all the fluids are in the right proportion to each other

- if 1 is more present, you get ill and it defines your temperament

The Wheel of Fortune

- fate is main controlling

- one is not necessarily determined to have

the same fate all life long

Read the extracts A & B on p. 193 and tell us which of the 3 presented elizabethan beliefs fits the most :)

- rage of Hamlet regarding Claudius is the main plot

- many people linked to Claudius get killed in the conflict between Hamlet and Claudius

- Claudius' death restores order and peace in the whole kingdom as he represents corruption and sins ( because he murdered the old king )

- Claudius' death is his one fate through the actions he did with free will