King Lear

* Defying fate can lead to the protagonist’s downfall. Oedipus' hubris influences him to fulfill the prophecy and further intensify his punishment from the Gods.

* Pg.36

* Pg.79

* “look, you can't blame me for trying to hide the fact that I had an affair with her. I know that it's not the most honorable thing to cheat on your wife, but that does not make me a murderer.”

* Both protagonists display a sense of guilt because of their actions

* Pg. 82-83

* “It would be fitting if I were apprehended... and punished. At least there would be some small sign of justice - some small measure of hope for the possibility of meaning.”

* “You have to learn to push the guilt under the rug and move on, otherwise it overwhelms you.”

* Because of the protagonists greed and determination to fulfill their goals

* 12-13

* “I got involved with a woman. Very nice. Family's got nothing but money.”

* “The innocent are sometimes slain to make way for grander schemes. You were collateral damage.”

INTRO example: Although it is widely alleged that destiny is by choice, there are a vast number of people who believed that it is by fate. Those who believed it is by choice follow the directions and guidance of their elders. For example, they will try to hold on to the values that their parents instilled in them and use them to guide their entire lives. Others who believed that destiny is by fate, believe that the outcome of their lives is determined by luck, and that no matter what they do or how careful they are, whatever has to happen to them must happen. These proponents that emphasize that destiny is by fate may have gotten their belief from myth such as the story of Oedipus, which is a perfect illustration of how destiny is by fate. Just like most mythical stories, the characters in this story tried unsuccessfully to change fate to suit them. However, fate cannot change. It can only be redirected, but will still...