The Significance of Fate and destiny in Two Novels

Topic: The significance of fate and destiny in the outcome of the main characters in Oedipus and Fathers and Sons

Fate and destiny possess enormous importance in the outcome and change of the traits of all characters in a novel, especially the main characters. Sophocles and Ivan Turgenev’ novels both stress a lot on the significance of fate and destiny, increasing the degree of intrigue in the plot. In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons the theme of fate and destiny is very evident and contributes a great deal to the outcome of the main characters.

In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, the main character, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, an excessively proud man, who continuously tries to escape the destiny and the fate that has been set for him. Throughout the novel there is constant foreshadowing about what would become of him and what events should occur throughout his life. Teirasias, a blind prophet, and Delphi, a fortune teller, both tell him that he will kill his father and marry his mother. In both cases Oedipus refuses to accept is in denial of his true life. Another event that shows foreshadowing of Oedipus’ life is when a drunken man calls him a bastard. There are also elements of irony in this play. When

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His destiny is portrayed through his death. As a result, their true character led to their fate therefore and justified their destiny. The nihilistic opinions and ways of living make him very close-minded, and later make him a hypocrite. Basarov is a nihilist with extremist points of view.

No matter how much he tried to escape his fate he was unable to keep all his feelings tied up inside. His fate was to be defeated by the opposition, emotionalism. With all their efforts his true fate was unavoidable and all the prophecies came true. The one idea that he rejects most is that there is one force that will contributes to his death. After all this arguing and Basarov’s constant denunciations of the romantic aristocratic society he reaches a point from where he could not return. He works on the basis of everything being scientific and absolute. He reaches Thebes, where he marries the queen, who is really his mother. He leaves Corinth in fear of the prophecy and as a result he actually walks straight into his destiny. This all proves that no matter how far he runs he will not be able to escape his fate. He also thinks he is escaping his fate by ignoring and prosecuting Teirasias for accusing him of being the murderer of king Laius.

Approximate Word count = 1250
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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