While fate plays a significant role in our lives, it is clear to see
             through the characters of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Walter Younger that our
             choices often dictate the direction of our lives. While the plays, Oedipus
             Rex, by Sophocles; Hamlet, by William Shakespeare; and A Raisin in the Sun,
             by Lorraine Hansberry represent different cultural and social issues, the
             issue of fate versus free will is a predominant theme in each of them.
             Oedipus, Hamlet, and Walter Younger demonstrate that we are often more in
             control of destiny than we might want to believe.
             Each man has particular circumstances that exist beyond his realm of
             control. Oedipus' situation almost seems destined by fate because we know
             that the gods predict his future. However, what we must remember is what
             the gods predicted is different from what they knew. No doubt the gods
             knew the truth about Oedipus and his life and were therefore aware of
             Oedipus' fate but this fact does not change that Oedipus was the one who
             controlled his own destiny. The gods never forced Oedipus to do anything
             nor did they attempt to prevent him from doing anything. In short, Oedipus
             made intentional decisions that not only shaped but also changed his
             future. With the character of Hamlet, we find another character that
             discovers himself in the midst of a situation of which he had no control.
             Unlike Oedipus, Hamlet is crestfallen because his father was murdered and
             Gertrude remarried very quickly, upsetting the balance of the courtly life
             to which Hamlet was accustomed. Hamlet suffers from melancholy that
             impedes his ability to make a decision and avenge his father's death. In
             Hamlet's situation, we learn that sometimes inaction is the worst possible
             thing one can do. Similar to Oedipus and Hamlet, Walter Younger is also a
             victim of circumstances--to a certain extent. His character represents the
             plight of many working-class Af...