Some thoughts on free will and virtues in premodern literature

Abstract

The question of free will is one of the central questions of the humankind. In what measure are humans capable of deciding by themselves and in what measure are they determined by the circumstances that surround them? Are the humans indeed free to decide on their own or are they forced to decide because of what they are, because of their character, or if we go even further, is their character really their own or is it a combination of factors that formed them. These questions are not only philosophical but also philological, literal and religious questions that are often interrelated and interdisciplinary. The article will use some examples from Spanish and Croatian literature, especially taking to account the epics and religious themes. The result of this article is the proposal to establish a moral equilibrium through scholastic thought and epic literature but also to synthetize the baroque struggle between the free will and predestination.