Henry IV, Part 1 and my BIG question

The relationship between Henry IV and his son Hal is very important in the play. The two have very different opinions on the topic of honor and the path of the noble. The two are not very close and Hal seeks an outside father figure. He finds refuge with his good friend and partner in crime, Falstaff. Henry is appalled by Hal's wantonness, wishing for another son. Hal thus questions his desire to act this way and tries to break free of his immoral actions. Under his father's pressure, Hal joins the military and becomes a great leader. In the end of the big battle against the Scots, he jumps in and saves his father from death. Because of his father's disapproval, Hal is led to greatness. His father and him also reconcile their relationship in the end because Henry sees Hal's display of nobility and honor in the battle.

Oedipus' Relation To My Question

Ultimately, Oedipus' family situation leads him to his death. He is so distraught by his fate of marrying his mother and killing his father, he kills himself. He escapes what he thought were his birth parents in order to avoid his fate, but eventually runs right into what the god's predicted. Not only does he kill himself, but his mental state is severly out of whack. It guides his every decision and from that point on he is driven to escape his miserable family situation.

Big Question!!

What impact does family have on one's life, personality, and outlook?!?

This question interests me because family plays a big role in the characters' lives and especially in my life. I come from a large, blended family. Something is always going on in my family's lives that causes it to be hectic and dramatic. Without the role of my family, I would not be who I am today. I have learned how to deal with diversity and how to not be influenced by other's decisions. I have also become very independent because my parents must attend to my sibling's needs. I also have learned the importance of family in one's life.

I wonder about this question because I want to know the role of family in other's lives. Does it influence others as heavily as it influences me? How are the main and minor characters affected by family? Do they do what they do because of they way their family is?