Végzet

Végzet is a Hungarian noun meaning fate, destiny, or doom: the inevitable course of events believed to be beyond a person’s control. The term often carries a stronger sense of inexorability and a negative or ominous nuance, compared with sors, which can be more neutral or mixed in tone. In everyday language végzet can describe a sense of doomed outcome, while in literature it is frequently used as a larger-than-life force shaping a character’s life.

Etymology and form: linguistically, végzet is formed from vég meaning "end" with the suffix -zet, creating an abstract noun that denotes a state or result. Historically it broadened from "the end" to "the end result of events," i.e., fate or doom.

Cultural usage: in Hungarian literature, film, and music, végzet is a common motif to express inevitability, fatal flaws, and irreversible outcomes. It can be personified as a lurking force or presented as an impersonal principle governing existence.

Philosophical and religious context: the concept relates to determinism and fatalism. Debates about végzet often appear alongside discussions of free will (szabad akarat), chance, and divine providence, asking to what extent individuals can influence or escape their predetermined paths.

In modern usage, végzet remains a familiar literary and cultural concept in Hungarian, appearing in titles, expressions, and analysis as a way to capture experiences of inescapable consequence. See also sors, determinism.