Classical Self-fulfilling prophecy

1 classical

1.1 greek
1.2 roman
1.3 arabic
1.4 hinduism
1.5 russian
1.6 european fairy tales
1.7 shakespeare

classical

many myths, legends , fairy tales make use of motif central element of narratives designed illustrate inexorable fate, fundamental hellenic world-view. in common motif, child, whether newborn or not yet conceived, prophesied cause in power not want happen. may death of powerful person; in more light-hearted versions, marriage of poor or lower-class child own. events come about, nevertheless, result of actions taken prevent them: child abandonment sets chain of events in motion.

greek

oedipus in arms of phorbas.

the best known example greek legend of oedipus. warned child 1 day kill him, laius abandoned newborn son oedipus die, oedipus found , raised others, , in ignorance of true origins. when grew up, oedipus warned kill father , marry mother. believing foster parents real parents, left home , travelled greece, reaching city biological parents lived. there, got fight stranger, real father, killed him , married widow, oedipus real mother.

although legend of perseus opens prophecy kill grandfather acrisius, , abandonment mother danaë, prophecy self-fulfilling in variants. in some, accidentally spears grandfather @ competition—an act have happened regardless of acrisius response prophecy. in other variants, presence @ games explained hearing of prophecy, attempt evade cause prophecy fulfilled. in still others, acrisius 1 of wedding guests when polydectes tried force danaë marry him, , when perseus turns them stone gorgon s head; polydectes fell in love danaë because acrisius abandoned @ sea, , perseus killed gorgon consequence of polydectes attempt rid of danaë s son marry her, prophecy fulfilled in these variants.

greek historiography provides famous variant: when lydian king croesus asked delphic oracle if should invade persia, response came if did, destroy great kingdom. assuming meant succeed, attacked—but kingdom destroyed own. in such example, prophecy prompts action because led expect favorable result; achieves another, disastrous result nonetheless fulfills prophecy.

people not have unsuccessfully avoid prophecy in order prophecy self-fulfilling. example, when predicted zeus overthrow father, cronos, , usurp throne king of gods, actively waged war against him in direct attempt fulfill prophecy. makes prophecy self-fulfilling 1 because prophecy gave zeus inspiration in first place.

roman

romulus , remus feeding wolf.

the story of romulus , remus example. according legend, man overthrew brother, king. ordered 2 nephews, romulus , remus, drowned, fearing someday kill him did brother. boys placed in basket , thrown in tiber river. wolf found babies , raised them. later, shepherd found twins , named them romulus , remus. teenagers, found out were. killed uncle, fulfilling prophecy.

arabic

a variation of self-fulfilling prophecy self-fulfilling dream, dates medieval arabic literature. several tales in 1 thousand , 1 nights, known arabian nights, use device foreshadow going happen, special form of literary prolepsis. notable example ruined man became rich again through dream , in man told in dream leave native city of baghdad , travel cairo, discover whereabouts of hidden treasure. man travels there , experiences misfortune after losing belief in prophecy, ending in jail, tells dream police officer. officer mocks idea of foreboding dreams , tells protagonist himself had dream house courtyard , fountain in baghdad treasure buried under fountain. man recognizes place own house and, after released jail, returns home , digs treasure. in other words, foreboding dream not predicted future, dream cause of prediction coming true. variant of story later appears in english folklore pedlar of swaffham .

another variation of self-fulfilling prophecy can seen in tale of attaf , harun al-rashid consults library (the house of wisdom), reads random book, falls laughing , weeping , dismisses faithful vizier ja far ibn yahya sight. ja far, disturbed , upset flees baghdad , plunges series of adventures in damascus, involving attaf , woman whom attaf marries. after returning baghdad, ja far reads same book caused harun laugh , weep, , discovers describes own adventures attaf. in other words, harun s reading of book provoked adventures described in book take place. example of reverse causality. in 12th century, tale translated latin petrus alphonsi , included in disciplina clericalis. in 14th century, version of tale appears in gesta romanorum , giovanni boccaccio s decameron.

hinduism

krishna playing flute radha.

self-fulfilling prophecies appear in classical sanskrit literature. in story of krishna in indian epic mahabharata, ruler of mathura kingdom, kamsa, afraid of prophecy predicted death @ hands of sister devaki s son, had cast prison planned kill of children @ birth. after killing first 6 children, , devaki s apparent miscarriage of seventh, krishna (the eighth son) born. life in danger smuggled out raised foster parents yashoda , nanda in village of gokula. years later, kamsa learned child s escape , kept sending various demons put end him. demons defeated @ hands of krishna , brother balarama. krishna young man returned mathura overthrow uncle, , kamsa killed nephew krishna. due kamsa s attempts prevent prophecy led coming true, fulfilling prophecy.

russian

oleg of novgorod varangian prince ruled on rus people during tenth century. old east slavic chronicles say, prophesied pagan priests oleg s stallion source of oleg s death. avoid sent horse away. many years later asked horse was, , told had died. asked see remains , taken place bones lay. when touched horse s skull boot snake slithered skull , bit him. oleg died, fulfilling prophecy. in primary chronicle, oleg known prophet, ironically referring circumstances of death. story romanticized alexander pushkin in celebrated ballad song of wise oleg . in scandinavian traditions, legend lived on in saga of orvar-odd.

european fairy tales

many fairy tales, such devil 3 golden hairs, fish , ring, story of 3 wonderful beggars, or king stronger fate, revolve prophecy poor boy marry rich girl (or, less frequently, poor girl rich boy). story type 930 in aarne–thompson classification scheme. girl s father s efforts prevent reason why boy ends marrying her.

another fairy tale occurs older children. in language of birds, father forces son tell him birds say: father son s servant. in ram, father forces daughter tell him dream: father hold ewer wash hands in. in such tales, father takes child s response evidence of ill-will , drives child off; allows child change father not recognize own offspring later , offer act child s servant.

in variants of sleeping beauty, such sun, moon, , talia, sleep not brought curse, prophecy endangered flax (or hemp) results in royal order remove flax or hemp castle, resulting in ignorance of danger , curiosity.

shakespeare

shakespeare s macbeth classic example of self-fulfilling prophecy. 3 witches give macbeth prophecy macbeth become king, afterwards, offspring of best friend rule instead of own. macbeth tries make first half true while trying keep bloodline on throne instead of friend s. spurred prophecy, kills king , friend, he, arguably, never have done before. in end, evil actions committed avoid succession s bloodline him killed in revolution.

the later prophecy first apparition of witches macbeth should beware macduff self-fulfilling prophecy. if macbeth had not been told this, might not have regarded macduff threat. therefore, not have killed macduff s family, , macduff not have sought revenge , killed macbeth.