From Vasily's position as king, he acts to rob his son of his right to the throne, from his position as a father, he treats him is a way that Sigismund believes "denied me my humanity." (Calderon de la Barca, 118). In this way, Vasily violates his legal obligation to his son, as well as his patriarchal responsibilities to him. This second responsibility is immoral from a seventeenth century point-of-view in Europe, since a Christian father must raise his children with compassion and understanding; the first is illegal.
Unlike Agamemnon, Vasily behaves in such a way in the hopes of avoiding the fulfillment of prophesy -- Agamemnon felt that he had to fulfill it. As a result, Vasily sacrifices his son's well-being to preserve his position. Additionally, the death of Sigismund's mother in childbirth is her symbolic sacrifice to fulfill the prophecy for her son. Vasily's choice of his own well-being over that of his son, however, is precisely what threatens to bring about his downfall. Certainly, it is a personal sacrifice as well: he expects that he will never know his son, and that his lineage will end.
The prophesy illustrates the central role of astrology within the lives of many in the seventeenth century. Unlike the oracle in Greek tragedy, Vasily's visions are accurate; his mistake is that he misjudges the cause. Sigismund points out this error when he says, "If anyone were told, 'One day you will be killed by an inhuman beast,' would it be a good solution to wake one up while it was sleeping?" (Calderon de la Barca, 150)....
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