Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - The Para

A Paradox: Oedipus's Free will in the Play Oedipus Rex William Shakespeare once wrote, "Who can control his fate?" (Othello, Act v, Sc.2).  A hero and leader must acknowledge above all else his honor, and the pride of his image.   In ancient Greek beliefs, a hero was a man who stood taller than the rest; he was able to better any conflict.   He did this not for himself or for any token award that may be given to him, but for the security of his fellow man.   Physical strength and superior wit are the two major characteristics of a hero.   These characteristics may be destined; but the use of them to help his fellow man is will.   Sophocles's short play Oedipus Rex is a tale of a hero's ascent to King and tragic fall.   The young Prince Oedipus leaves his home in Corinth and arrives at Thebes, only to find that the town is cursed by the Sphinx.   After solving the riddle given by the Sphinx, the blight is lifted, and the town declares Oedipus as their new leader and King.   After a long rein Oedipus's ruling comes to a h eartrending fall.   Through his journey, we as readers are able to see the perils and obstacles facing the hero.   Yet we are never sure if the voyage was predetermined by the gods, or whether Oedipus alone is responsible for his actions?   Greek beliefs show Oedipus's realization of the truth and horrific blinding can be thought as a direct consequence of his actions taken from free will. Oedipus is a hero.   Oedipus makes an unaided choice to follow his destiny, (A destiny that he imagined for himself) to become a man that has no fear and will pursue justice at any cost.   The choices made by Oedipus makes him a touching character and not merely a puppet of the gods.   This can be more clearly seen in the quote of Oedi... ...egardless he pays no attention and hard-headily continues his investigation. My own good Snaps my patience, then; I want none of it. (55) From the above quotes and text it may be projected that indeed Oedipus was a man of free will.   To conclude, the life and path of Oedipus can be looked at as his own.   His intensions and thoughts throughout the entire play were nothing but pure. My old lacrosse coach, a man that has been through what seems the worst in life once said,"10% of life is given to us, and 90% is what we do with it."   Oedipus was a hero and had the ability to carve his own trail, though his persona of the hero made it easy to fall into many of the traps he fell in to.   Regardless, to look Oedipus's life as a predetermined story demoralizes the morals and heart of this play. The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves (Oedipus Rex Pg. 65) Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - The Para A Paradox: Oedipus's Free will in the Play Oedipus Rex William Shakespeare once wrote, "Who can control his fate?" (Othello, Act v, Sc.2).  A hero and leader must acknowledge above all else his honor, and the pride of his image.   In ancient Greek beliefs, a hero was a man who stood taller than the rest; he was able to better any conflict.   He did this not for himself or for any token award that may be given to him, but for the security of his fellow man.   Physical strength and superior wit are the two major characteristics of a hero.   These characteristics may be destined; but the use of them to help his fellow man is will.   Sophocles's short play Oedipus Rex is a tale of a hero's ascent to King and tragic fall.   The young Prince Oedipus leaves his home in Corinth and arrives at Thebes, only to find that the town is cursed by the Sphinx.   After solving the riddle given by the Sphinx, the blight is lifted, and the town declares Oedipus as their new leader and King.   After a long rein Oedipus's ruling comes to a h eartrending fall.   Through his journey, we as readers are able to see the perils and obstacles facing the hero.   Yet we are never sure if the voyage was predetermined by the gods, or whether Oedipus alone is responsible for his actions?   Greek beliefs show Oedipus's realization of the truth and horrific blinding can be thought as a direct consequence of his actions taken from free will. Oedipus is a hero.   Oedipus makes an unaided choice to follow his destiny, (A destiny that he imagined for himself) to become a man that has no fear and will pursue justice at any cost.   The choices made by Oedipus makes him a touching character and not merely a puppet of the gods.   This can be more clearly seen in the quote of Oedi... ...egardless he pays no attention and hard-headily continues his investigation. My own good Snaps my patience, then; I want none of it. (55) From the above quotes and text it may be projected that indeed Oedipus was a man of free will.   To conclude, the life and path of Oedipus can be looked at as his own.   His intensions and thoughts throughout the entire play were nothing but pure. My old lacrosse coach, a man that has been through what seems the worst in life once said,"10% of life is given to us, and 90% is what we do with it."   Oedipus was a hero and had the ability to carve his own trail, though his persona of the hero made it easy to fall into many of the traps he fell in to.   Regardless, to look Oedipus's life as a predetermined story demoralizes the morals and heart of this play. The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves (Oedipus Rex Pg. 65)

Modernism in “A passage to India”

Modernism refers to a classification of literature that was written between 1914 and 1965.   E. M. Forster's A Passage to India was published in 1924, placing it in the early years of the Modernist Period as well as within the Georgian Age (Harmon 597).   In art and literature, Modernism paralleled the rise of industrial technology and advances in science. In music, atonalism – that is, music which deliberately avoids key centers and is often dissonant – was produced by composers such as Arnold Schoenberg. Visual art found expression in cubism. Theories by Sigmund Freud also had a powerful influence on this movement. In literature, the Modernistic writing style is characterized by breaking with tradition.   It is inner-self oriented, and that inner-self is often explored using a stream of consciousness manner.   Modernism rejects traditional values and assumptions.   The individual takes pride of place while the social and outward are cast aside.   Some scholars see Modernism as a reaction to the practical and systematic sensibilities of Realism and Naturalism (Harmon 326). Not surprisingly, the Modern Era was also when Existentialism came into prominence – a related philosophy in which human beings are expected to create their own meaning for existence.   Forster's â€Å"Oriental-leaning† characters in this novel provide examples of a Modernistic mindset contrasting with the traditional English Imperialist mindset provided by other characters. Forster uses the symbol of water to represent the idea of renewal in the â€Å"Temple† chapter. There is an event in which the Hindus are â€Å"preparing to throw God away† (Forster 308), and part of the ceremony involves a replica of the village of Gokul that is placed on a tray and is to perish.   Meanwhile, the British and others are in boats out in the water, observing the festivities, and the boats collide, expelling the passengers.   The symbolic village perishes so that it can be renewed, and is representative of the renewal of mindsets of some of the passengers in the boats. Aziz in particular in the latter portion of the â€Å"Temple† section, exhibits several examples of stream of consciousness thinking.   In one instance Fielding asks Aziz to meet with Stella and Ralph, and Aziz does not reply.   Instead, the reader is allowed into his thoughts, which are not linear but circular, and is one example of how a human mind jumps around from topic to feeling to emotion and back (Forster 314). Because Forster is examining traditional values through a Modernistic lens in this novel, material detail is much less important than what the characters are thinking.   The action in this story is in each character's mind, and how they grapple with new ideas concerning culture, religion, and morality. Professor Godbole and Mrs. Moore express their inner character and the workings of their minds in an â€Å"Oriental† manner, embodied in the Hindu sensibility.   Mrs. Moore, although a Christian, is accepted into Oriental culture, and she clashes with Heaslop prior to Aziz's trial.   Heaslop does not understand his mother because he does not recognize her spirituality, and he sides with the English Imperialist mindset against Aziz, the Oriental.   Mrs. Moore will have no part in helping her son succeed to the detriment of an Oriental.   She ultimately leaves India and the trial (Forster 201). In A Passage to India, Forster uses Modernism to explore the inclusive attitude of the â€Å"Oriental† and how diverse people make their passages in coming to terms with this sensibility.   Forster makes use of a Modernistic approach to help him tell a story with great depth, complexity and surprise. Works Cited Forster, E. M.   A Passage to India.   New York:   Harcourt, 1924. Harmon, William and C. High Holman.   A Handbook to Literature. 7th ed.   Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:   Prentice Hall, 1996.   

Science Changes The World Of Science - 1463 Words

Brandon M Daniels 2/23/15 CH 202 Essay #1 Science Changes the World Science has taken people to places far beyond the stars. Physicists, Scientists, Mathematicians, and Philosophers have shaped most of society’s views of the world we live in. Through theory, experiments, and ideas of the scientific revolution Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes, and Francis Bacon have not only changed the geocentric past but also have had me welcome the heliocentric view. Heliocentrism is the idea Earth as well as other planets revolve around the sun; the sun being the center of our Universe. Geocentrism on the other is a belief all planets as well as the sun revolve around the Earth. Reformers and astronomers had ideas of their own challenging the wisdom of the geocentric past. Isaac Newton, a physicist and mathematician, is known as one of the most influential scientists to date as well as a main symbol in the scientific revolution. Rene Descartes, a French philosopher, is described as a genius is another key figure in the scientific revol ution. Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, created inductive reasoning and is also a main character in the scientific revolution. These men and a few others began what we know as today as the scientific revolution. The scientific revolution is the development of science that changed the views of society and nature. Due to the scientific revolution, scientists, mathematician, physicists, and philosophers, have all challenged the geocentric past. 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