Fate's Role in Life - Essay Example

Module Module ID: Fate’s Role in Life By critically examining the life of the people at large, it becomes crystal clear that destiny plays vital role in everyday activities of humans, and haunt them for the mistakes they have committed even in the old past. The same could also be observed while going through several pieces of literature, which assert the imperative significance of fate in life. Since literature serves as the mirror of real life, it depicts the same which the writers and poets observe in their natural and social phenomena.

The present paper looks for examining the importance of destiny in the light of two different literary pieces, including A Doll’s House (1879) by Henrik Ibsen and Death of a Salesman (1949) by Arthur Miller. The play A Doll’s House revolves round the young bank official Torvald Helmer and his simple, childlike and innocent wife Nora. Act I of the play reveals that the couple had spent initial years of their married life under financial worries, which have been overcome by now. The play shows that the protagonist couple has been in love with each other; it is especially the case with Nora, who had made forgery by putting the fake signature of her departed father during Torvald’s illness, in order to draw money to be spent for Torvald’s treatment.

However, she has not revealed the very secret until her accomplice Krogstad discloses to Torvald through a letter out of sheer rage for Torvald’s act of dismissing Krogstad from the job. Since his is not aware of the reason behind Nora’s committing forgery, she declares her as a hypocrite, liar, worse than a criminal, and thoughtless woman, which is not worthy of raising his children. (Act III, p. 193) Somehow, as soon as the truth comes before him from the poor Nora’s mouth, in the aftermath of receiving the papers from Krogstad, he feels great pity on behaving Nora in such a cruel and harsh manner.

He strives to pacify her by declaring her as dearest fellow and the person he had loved more than anyone else. (Act III, p. 195) Somehow, it is too late to make amends in Nora’s eyes, and she leaves the house out of sheer rage and disappointment. Nora’s character also depicts the very fact that past mistakes turn out to be fatal and painful for the individuals for the future years to come, and they have to pay ransom amount against the mistakes they have to get indulged into in one way or the other.

Nora committed forgery in order to save the life of her ill husband, and concealed the sacrificial service she had rendered for Torvald’s medical treatment. (Act I, p. 16) It created troubles in her domestic life, and invited the resentment of her husband, who mentally tortured her and declared her as criminal. Although she spends her time in book binding as well as makes savings to return the money she once had forged (Act I, p. 130), she has never realized her husband about the same. Consequently, she has to face the music as soon as Torvald comes to know about the blackmailing at the hands of Krogstad.

Nora looks at a precarious state of affairs, where it is really hard for her to conceal the truth from her husband. Mrs. Linde also turns out to be a weak support, who is unable to convince her lover Krogstad to be rational and sympathetic towards Nora. (Act II, pp. 51-52) Somehow, she cannot avoid the fateful end of her matrimonial life, as she has to leave her house for good in the aftermath of bitter quarrel between the spouses. (Act III, p. 199) Arthur Miller’s famous Death of a Salesman also points out towards the role of destiny in respect of deciding the future of the individuals.

The story concentrates upon the protagonist Willy Loman, a salesman by profession, has led a very active life as sales personnel, and spends his time by travelling wide in order to enhance the sales volume of his company. Since he has made long term investment of his time and energies for his company, he is justified in claiming reward from his superiors in the form of promotion and appointment in his native city. Since he is growing old, he is not in a position to travel wide as he has got involved into it in past.

It is therefore he makes request for his appointment at the local city. Somehow, instead of complying with his request, the company terminates him from his service, which shatters his dreams and drags him into the ravine of disappointment. (Act I, 12-13) His wife consoles him, and tries to pacify him by declaring that he has two young sons in the form of Happy and Biff, though none of them is capable of providing the father with financial assistance. Somehow, in order to comfort the father, they disclose false plan of launching a business the very next day; though they also meet the same fate faced by their father.

Since Loman is unable to manage money for the business plan of his sons, even after dedicating his precious decades in the service of his company, he takes his life by colliding his car with another vehicle in order to generate take money through his life insurance after his death. (Act II, 100) Consequently, his life ends in fiasco, and he obtains no reward throughout because of the irony of fate. Biff’s character also points out towards the life’s labor lost, where he appears to be determined to perform something in practical in order to escape his family from the financial worries.

(Act I, 14) Although he is not interested in any type of business venture, yet he assures his parents that he would consult his ex-boss and other people in his acquaintance in order to earn something for the progress and prosperity of his family. He has already got engaged in different jobs, though none of them could turn out to be fruitful for his professional career at large. (29) However, he does not receive any positive response from any side. As a result, he is unable to display any optimism while his meeting with his father at the restaurant at night.

His self sufficiency undergoes a deadly blow, and he leaves his father alone in the restaurant after exchange of bitter words. (Act II, p. 86) Somehow, he is unaware of the very reality that he would never meet his father in future, as Loman commits suicide for the bright future of his sons. To conclude, it becomes evident that fate plays decisive role in the life of the people, and all their efforts turn out to be futile even they maintain positive and constructive intention to perform for the welfare of others.

Nora commits forgery in order to take his husband to Italy for his medical treatment, but receives rebuking and censure in return; and Biff makes struggle by making requests to his ex-boss as well as his friend Bernard for the best interest of his family. However, he is unable to start a professional career. In addition, his self sufficiency is also unable to provide him any relief. Consequently, both Nora and Biff meet with a gloomy end in life. Works Cited Abcarian, Richard., Klotz, Marvin.

, & Cohen, Samuel. “Literature: the Human Experience: Reading and Writing” Tenth Edition Bedford/St. Martin’s 2009 Ibsen, Henrik. The Doll’s House 1879 Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman 1949