Lecture 3.3.5 – The Question of Fate in Literature
Lecture Overview
Recap Parts 1 and 2 The theme of the story is stated early in Part 1 with the following paragraph “It had a spell put on it by an old fakir,” said the Sergeant-Major, “a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who tried to change it would be sorry. He put a spell on it so that three different men could each have three wishes from it.” Is Mr. Smith the second (after the Sergeant-Major) or the third man to have his wishes granted? The third. The first man wished for death. That might suggest foreshadowing. Teacher discusses the idea of Fate. This will be a central theme in the Shakespeare play Macbeth. Three witches tell Macbeth what lies in his future – what is his fate. It all comes true, not because he follows their promises but because Fate dictates our lives. Do you believe in Fate? That’s a question you will be asked to answer later in the Drama Unit.