Oedipus Rex And The Mountains Echoed - 1575 Words

The debate whether our lives are controlled by our own choices or fate, is an ongoing question that we could never have the answer to because we can never fully prove one side. I believe that both personal choice and fate have a great effect in our lives. Both Oedipus Rex and the novel and the mountains echoed show how both personal choice and fate have a great influence in our rises up and our falling downs in life. In the Elizabethan era it was believed that our lives were predestined. People’s lives were destined to end a certain way begin at a certain place and time, which was all determined by the stars and how they were aligned at birth. In the play Oedipus Rex it is evident that life is predetermined by fate along with personal choices. In other words the choices we make along our path are our choices and ours alone, but the â€Å"higher authority/power† had already planned where we are going. In Oedipus Rex the issue of fate and personal choice is evident in the play; Sophocles shows how fate and freewill has the greatest influence in both the rises up and the downfall, through Oedipus. Oedipus was a young man who lived in Corinth where he was cursed and it was foretold that he would marry his mother and kill his father. On Oedipus journey to Thebes he had killed a man, fulfilling part of the prophecy, unknowingly. (The man he killed was Laius his father) As Oedipus, reaches the city of Thebes that was being terrorized by a sphinx. The sphinx gave Oedipus a riddleShow MoreRelatedHow to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes3608 Words   |  15 Pagesrecognize the correspondences, it’s ok. If a story is no good, being based on Hamlet won’t save it. 6. When in Doubt, It’s from Shakespeare†¦ a. Writers use what is common in a culture as a kind of shorthand. Shakespeare is pervasive, so he is frequently echoed. b. See plays as a pattern, either in plot or theme or both. Examples: i. Hamlet: heroic character, revenge, indecision, melancholy nature ii. Henry IV—a young man who must grow up to become king, take on his responsibilities iii. Othello—jealousyRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesmental focus. Transcendental meditation (TM) advocates recommend concentrating on one word, phrase, or object. Benson (1975) suggests the word â€Å"one.† Others suggest picturing a plain vase. The ancient Chinese used a carved jade object that resembled a mountain and sat on a desktop. The purpose of focusing on a word or object is to rid the mind of all other thoughts. 4. Controlled breathing (i.e., deliberate breathing) with pauses between breaths. Thoughts are focused on rhythmic breathing, which helps