Professor James Place October 15‚ 2012 Pham 1 In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (rpt. in James P. Place‚ Literature: A reader for Freshman Composition II‚ 1st ed. [Boston: Pearson‚ 2011] 122-168)‚ the oracles had prophesied that Oedipus would kill his father and beget children by his mother. Oedipus does not want to do the things that Apollo predicted; he is no puppet‚ but indeed the controller of his own fate. Oedipus was unwilling to have his fate come true; he was frightened that he
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kingship‚ who eventually end up killing each other. And the new hereditary ruler becomes their uncle‚ Creon. He declares that Eteocles should be buried honorably‚ while Polynices’ body should lay unburied on the battlefield. One of the main characters‚ Antigone strongly opposes the declaration of her brother’s unjustful burial and believes it’s the law of the Greek gods to bury people. While‚ Creon‚ the new ruler‚ upholds his law
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Aristotle said “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles is the best Greek play ever written. The audiences might agree with Aristotle depending upon their understanding of the “healthy confusion” of both pleasure and perplexity portrayed. “Oedipus Rex” is one immense riddle that lifts the audience’s minds’ to a higher understanding of the human life. Greek culture would call this: Catharsis‚ which is purification of the mind. Thematic ideas in the play are derived from the axial age‚ which concentrated on logos
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prophecy forecasted. Oedipus‚ king and benefactor of Thebes‚ succumbs to the prophecy once set forth by the gods and interpreted by oracles‚ to a fate of incest and murder. “I‚ Oedipus whom all men call the great” yields to the darkness of his life and blinded eyes as the revelation of his identity is revealed and the fulfilled prophecy that once was. “Oedipus is completely fated. He simply has no free choice.”‚ this is an agreeable understatement for King Oedipus.
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Antigone‚ from the play Antigone‚ is like her father Oedipus‚ from the play Oedipus Rex‚ through the two classical values‚ justice and courage. Antigone showed justice by doing what she believed was right. Her brothers body‚ he was killed in war‚ was cast from the city with no rights and without a proper burial‚ and no one was allowed to bury it. Antigone‚ seeing this as an injustice decided to make it right by burying her brother anyway at the expense of herself. This shows justice because to do
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awaken to find out the truth. In Oedipus the King‚ A Doll’s House‚ and Fences‚ Oedipus‚ Nora and Corey experience an awakening from secondary characters through their interactions. Oedipus‚ the main character in Oedipus the King by Sophocles awakens when he realizes the truth has been in front of him the whole time. There is a plague destroying the city of Thebes‚ Oedipus learns that the killer of Laius needs to be prosecuted so Thebes can be restored. Oedipus wants to find out who murderer of
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Causing our own grief In Oedipus Rex‚ written by Sophocles‚ some of the characters cause their own problems. The idea applies not only to the story but to real life as well. In fact‚ “The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves.” The significance of this quotation is that people bring on their own sadness by their own doings. Other people do not cause the grief. In Oedipus Rex‚ Oedipus causes his own grief by trying to escape the fate of the oracle’s prophecy. He cannot blame his grief on
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appear to be total opposites can be best friends? In literature‚ the person who appears the opposite of the main character is commonly known as a foil and often is used to highlight another character’s defining traits. By doing so‚ a foil can be used to capture the essence of the main character. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley‚ Victor Frankenstein’s foil is Henry Clerval. Clerval is used to illuminate the meaning of the work by showing the effects of Frankenstein’s actions on his well being‚ emphasizing
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Oedipus Symbolism Many stories from ancient times as well as present times use symbolism to prove a point or to help with the understanding of the story. Symbolisms are used in stories and plays of all kinds to help get a point across or to help clarify the meaning of the story‚ and the play‚ Oedipus the King‚ is no different. There are many things throughout the play that are symbolic and very important to the understanding of the play. Two of the major symbolic things in the play are blindness
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In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini‚ the main protagonists‚ Amir foils the qualities‚ behavior‚ and ideas of Hassan. Hassan’s contrasting characteristics to Amir highlight the main characters strengths and weaknesses. By contrasting and comparing the behavior‚ ideas and acts of Amir and Hassan the meaning of the novel are enhanced. To begin‚ Amir and Hassan have different social status’s that contribute to the contrasting characteristics of them. While Amir is sheltered‚ protected and spoiled
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