Life Lessons -- Life's A Dream
These days, it seems that everything we encounter poses uswith a question; however, there is no more important question tobe answered than Life -- what is it? Is it merely the days wespend here on Earth, or is there some larger life that we allaspire to? Though none of us can answer these questions, wecontinue to plague ourselves with questions such as: What is itto be alive? As humans are we subject to a predetermined fate,or do we have free will, or is there really some combinationbetween the two? Life's A Dream takes these age old questionsand gives us answers; answers that are meant to serve as a lessonfor each of us in how we should live our lives. Basilio believes the prophecy of the stars to be the fatefor his son Sigismund; thus, he locks Sigismund in a dungeondepriving him of two very important tenants that are essential togrowth as a human being, social interaction and love. On asomewhat selfish whim, Basilio releases Sigismund in hope ofdefying this destiny; however, he quickly sees that Sigismund'sbehavior seems to be fulfilling the prophecy that has alreadybeen laid out by the stars. Basilio decides to re-imprisonSigismund, forcing his only son back into
We are not supposed to know what lies ahead, that's why we aregiven free will. Then noble hearts, show mercy thus, And for our worst faults gently pardon us (III, ii, 281). I hid a thing, and hiding it Ifound it" (III, ii, 43). Barca's lesson for us is the same as it was for Sigismund. Ibelieve that his assertion, and my own, is that life is a gift,much like our dreams, and a window to the bigger picture ofeternity, which is our fate: In this strange world to live's a kind of dreaming And each of us must dream the thing he is Till he awakes. This idea lends itself to theChristian teaching in the humanity plays Abraham and Isaac andEveryman, asserting that while fate and free will both exist,what is important is our faith in eternal life and that we liveour lives so that we may die in peace and go to heaven. Ibelieve whole-heartedly that this was Pedro Calderon de laBarca's intention in writing this play. a dungeon to believethat his single day of real freedom was only a dream. For every King that rules men in his King-dream Must wake at last in the cold sleep of death. Because Sigismund treats his new life infaith that it is not a dream, he will reap the reward he sodesires. The reader, or audience, assumes that fate is at work and theprophecy will come true; however, Pedro Calderon de la Barcasubtly foreshadows the reversal of our expectation in Clotaldo'slesson to Sigismund: But you would do well, even in your dreams, To honour those who care for you each day. Therefore, the prophecy is a hoax because the only predeterminedfate is death, and when Sigismund does ascend to the throne heproves to be even more learned and great than his father.
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Acceptance Essays
