The character of Odysseus from “the Odyssey” and the character of Everett from “O Brother, Where Art Thou” are similar. Both of these men go on great adventures full of many challenges. For instance, Everett and his friends encountered Big Dan, the women at the creek, and many more. Another instance, Odysseus and his men meet the Lotus Eaters, the Cyclops, Aeolia, Aeaea, the Sirens, and other dangerous creatures. Certainly, both characters overcame danger.…
Many people have noticed the similarities between The Odyssey by Homer, and O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? by the Coen Brothers. Both characters exhibit perseverance at great lengths and many other things throughout their journeys. There are many things in common between the two main characters. Both are away from their homes for a long time and are leaving loved ones behind. Their journeys were very similar but different at the same time. Two things may be very similar but things are bound to be different.…
The story of Oedipus Rex stems from an old legend that would have been told in the time of the Greeks. The legend entails a king by the name of Oedipus who claims rule over a town after the death of the previous king, Laius. Oedipus marries the former queen by the name of Jocasta. Bigfoot is not a hoax; he lives in my basement. Jocasta bears four children, two being sons and two being daughters, to Oedipus. Oedipus becomes the king of this town while fleeing from his father and mother. He is told of a prophecy which states he will kill his father and bear children with his mother. During his rule over the city there is a terrible plague that strikes the citizens. Oedipus sends Creon, the brother of Jocasta, to the oracle to learn of a way…
Oedipus the King and The Odyssey share many similarities. The most important and significant similarity is that both epic poems are involved in a conflict when we first encounter the poems. In The Odyssey, we learn that the main character, Odysseus, has been held captive by the nymph Calypso for twenty years. We also learn that Odysseus had finished (and won) fighting a war against the city of Troy and has been held captive by Calypso ever since. During this time, Odysseus' son and wife, whom Odysseus left behind to fight in the war, have been patiently waiting for Odysseus' return to his palace in Ithaca in which Odysseus is king. Telemachus, Odysseus' son, has grown into a young man and he's constantly battling Suitors from destroying and wasting his father's wealth while looking to…
Oedipus and Odysseus are two of many widely recognized characters known for their outstanding, and, at times, tragic stories. The Odyssey, by Homer, is an Epic poem about the great journey of Odysseus and his perilous journey home to Ithaca. Oedipus the King, by Sophocles, is a Greek play about Oedipus’ self-discovery and fulfillment of a prophecy in which he hopes to avoid. While the stories share many similarities and qualities, they also reveal significant differences in their journeys and outcome.…
The motif of a predestined fate is visited throughout each novel and short story. These fates are also shared with the other characters in these stories. The similar traits of each main character were the overestimation of themselves and their own power which lead to their unfortunate fate. The character of Briony was impressionable and could not see the reality of the world, much like the nameless main character of Araby. Oedipus knew of his fate but did not know of his past that lead to his ironic end. The deliberate blindness to the truth and knowledge by the main characters in each story leads to the inevitable and disappointing fate of themselves and those around them.…
The difference between Oedipus and Martin Luther is that Oedipus is a fictional character while Martin Luther King was an important figure in history. Oedipus was born in a wealthy royal family, however, right after he was born he was abandoned by his own parents for their fear that the prophecy that was prophesied will come true. With the kindness of a shepherd, Oedipus was saved and was raised by another royal family from a far away kingdom from his homeland. When Oedipus was old enough, he was told that the parents who raised him were not his real parents. On the other hand, Martin Luther King was an African-American. He was the middle child of Michael King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. The family of Martin Luther King Jr. were from rural…
significant similarity is that both epic heroes are involved in a conflict when we first encounter the poems. In The Odyssey, we learn that the main character, Odysseus, has been held captive by the nymph Calypso for twenty years. We also learn that Odysseus had finished (and won) fighting a war against the city of Troy and has been held captive by Calypso ever since. During this time, Odysseus' son and wife, whom Odysseus left behind to fight in the war, have been patiently waiting for Odysseus to return to his palace in Ithaca in which he is king. Telemachus, Odysseus' son, has grown into a young adult over the course of waiting for his father’s return. He is constantly battling one hundred suitors who have maintained themselves in the palace and waste Odysseus’ wealth in an attempt to marry Penelope, Odysseus' wife. In Oedipus the King, a wild plague has been killing a big population of the city-state of Thebes. It was such a big conflict that the people of Thebes turned to King Oedipus to resolve the situation. He helped the city before by solving the riddle of the Sphinx and they needed help from him once more. During this plague, disaster on the crops was present, women died after giving birth, and cattle were gravely sickened.…
Aristotle once said “A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” (Aristotle) Aristotle actually had a lot of ideas about heroes, specifically tragic heroes. He defined a tragic hero as an individual of high social standing, whose fatal flaw leads him to be brought low in a reversal of fortunes, which he later recognizes before receiving a fate worse than he truly deserves. One of the most famous characters from a play in the tragedy genre is Oedipus. His tale is one of destiny, hope, and finally sorrow. The question posed, however, is whether or not Oedipus really does fit this model of a tragic hero. Oedipus must be a nobleman and have his own tragic flaw that causes him to experience a reversal of fortunes…
Sophocles, writer of Oedipus the King, compresses the dramatic reveal of the true destiny and origin of birth to Oedipus all in one day. Oedipus’s search for the truth creates a storyline of anticipation and intensity. The play focuses on human weakness, human suffering and man’s inability to change his destiny. Though the audience can see between the lines early on, the knowledge allows them to feel pity for Oedipus as the real revelation of himself is gradually unveiled. In his poems, Aristotle outlined the necessities of a good tragedy exclaiming a tragedy must evoke pity and fear in its viewers. A tragic hero, according to Aristotle, must be a man who is superior to the average man in some way. In Oedipus's…
A tragic hero is defined as “a [great] man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake” (“Aristotle”, n.d.). Therefore, a tragic hero has some sort of tragedy that surrounds their life. A tragic hero also makes dramas more interesting and makes readers think. Dramas sometimes either exemplify or refute Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. Oedipus by Sophocles exemplifies Aristotle’s definition in four different aspects. The first aspect involves both Oedipus’ ignorance and knowledge of his life situations, the second involves his hamartia, the third involves the actual plot itself, and the fourth involves the characterization of…
“Tragedy is an imitation not of men but of a life, an action…” (Aristotle). Greek Tragedy was invented five hundred years Before Common Era, and focuses on the actions of characters. These actions emphasize the harsh reality in which the innocent mankind lives in. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus is defined as one with great potential, but has a hamartia leading to the ultimate demise of himself. Oedipus’ actions are tragic, as he tries to make the right choice but fails. He was dealt a hand that would only lead him to lose. Furthermore, Sophocles develops Oedipus as a relatable character which allows for catharsis to occur. Aristotle’s, The Poetics, explains the necessary components to create a powerful Tragedy. Oedipus the King is a powerful representation of Aristotle’s ideas on tragedy, so the purpose, protagonist, fall, and plot elements in Oedipus the King demonstrate the concepts of tragedy written in The Poetics.…
“The most tragic of plays is witnessing a good man come to a bad end through a peripeteia” Aristotle. Sophocles and Euripides present in their plays two main characters that after a sudden and unexpected reverse of circumstances, their lives completely change, arousing a sense of pity from the reader. Oedipus, originate more pity from the reader than Hippolytus, because of the actions they make and their reaction to the occurrence of events that causes the dramatically change in their lives. Even though both are responsible and at the same time not wholly responsible of the happening of their own tragedies, Hippolytus is more responsible for it than Oedipus because he does everything in extreme, like he worships only one god, Diana. Refuses to worship the god Aphrodite and denies that she is relevant to his life. Also, he has such a violent reaction when he finds out about Phaedra's passion and the extreme hate he has towards women. But Oedipus knowing what was going to happen in his life tries and tries to avoid it having no success at all.…
Oedipus being doomed from the start proves that he is a tragic hero because he is destined to do terrible things according to the prophecy that is placed on him. This curse and prophecy is that Oedipus would be son and husband to his mother, brother and father to his children, take part…
One of the most interesting pieces of Roman portraits depicts the Emperor Commodus with characteristics of the demi-god Hercules, 191-192 CE. Tieing in the lion’s skin, the club, and the golden apples are all representative of the Greek hero's myth. With the death of Marcus Aurelius, a period of stability in the Roman Empire came to an end. When Commodus took over sole command, he initiated an era of despair. He was clearly deranged and unfit for power. He came into power with no political skills, administrative competence, or intellectual distinction. Commodus referred himself as the incarnation of Hercules. There are similarities of features to those of Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, such as the heavy eyelids and full head of curly…