The Tragic Ending Of King Oedipus - 1060 Words

Swain 1 Michelle Swain English II PIP- 3 Mrs. Gauen 27 October 2014 The Tragic Ending of King Oedipus Following the victories of the Greeks invading the Persians at Marathon in 490 B.C. and Salamis in 480 B.C., Athens experienced a period of social optimism and period expansion during the first half of the fifth century B.C. The second half of the fifth century B.C. was also very successful in that Athenians tremendously developed culturally and intellectually. This was the era of Sophocles and a period where everything and anything seemed possible through man effort and reason. Sophocles wrote a trilogy of tragedies, which contained of 3 Theban plays. Oedipus Rex, the first play in the trilogy, was written during a period of political instability and plague. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, many themes such as the quest for identity, the nature of innocence and guilt, and the abuse of power are portrayed and are pivotal for the play to build up to the tragic ending. Throughout the play Oedipus is driven by many factors to find the killer of King Laius, and while on that mission, he inquires much about his past and himself. One of his main strives is to find out his true identity. The city of Thebes is struck by a plague due to the death of King Laius. The Oracle of Delphi states that in order to rid of the plague, Oedipus has to commit himself to finding the murderer of the dead King Laius. Oedipus shows allegiance by going on a Swain 2 quest to find the identity of theShow MoreRelatedOedipus the King: A Greek Tragic Hero Essay516 Words   |  3 Pagesanalysis of the â€Å"tragic hero† of Greek drama. In his work, Poetics, he defines a tragic hero as â€Å"...The man who on the one hand is not pre-eminent in virtue and justice, and yet on the other hand does not fall into misfortune through vice or depravity, but falls because of some mistake; one among the number of the highly renowned and prosperous.† Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is clearly shown by the main character in the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Oedipus, the protagonistRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1724 Words   |  7 Pagesthe story of Oedipus, Oedipus is considered a â€Å"Tragic Hero† because of the tragic fate and effect that he had upon his life. My definition of a tragedy is a great loss that has a unhappy ending to which concluded me to state that Oedipus falls under that category. Throughout the book, Oedipus is leading himself to his own destruction when trying to find the killer of the late King Laios. So when a journal article I found published by The John Hopkins University Press stated that a â€Å"tragic hero is aRead MoreOedipus The King And Oedipus At Colonus Essay1261 Words   |  6 Pagesmotifs denoting author’s thought in different time.Without any doubt, the tragic essence goes through the Three Theban Plays. As Sophocles meditates the philosophy of the tragedy all along his life, the tragic essence expands from individuals in a society. The conflict in each play becomes increasingly complicated. In Antigone, we can clearly distinguish the conflict between Antigone and Creon, family and politics. However, in Oedipus at Colonus, the play merges all the conflicts happened to former playsRead MoreOedipus Essay767 Words   |  4 PagesSophocles Oedipus the King is a tragic play which discusses the tragic discovery of Oedipus that he has killed his father and married his mother. The story of Oedipus was well known to the athenian s. Oedipus is the embodiement of the perfect Athenian. He is self-confident, intelligent, and strong willed. Ironically these are the very traits which bring about his tragic discovery. Oedipus gained the rule of Thebes by answering the riddle of Sphinx. Sophocles used the riddle of the sphinxRead MoreOedipus : The King Of Thebes And Tragic Hero Essay728 Words   |  3 PagesOedipus: The King of Thebes and Tragic Hero Ancient Greek Literature encompasses an assortment of poetry and drama to include the great masterpieces of tragedy. In Classic Literature, tragedies were commonly known for their elaboration of a protagonist fitting the classification of a tragic hero. This type of a tragic hero often collectively described as a character of noble birth, facing an adversity of some nature and a fate of great suffering. The characteristics of what encompassed a tragic heroRead MoreA Comparative of Shakespeares Othello and Oedipus Rex1511 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s Othello and Oedipus Rex In Shakespeare’s work Othello: The Moor of Venice, Othello’s over trusting nature was revealed when his trust in false accusations about his wife Desdemona’s unfaithfulness causes him to kill her and himself, conveying Othello as a tragic hero. Oedipus, the main character in Oedipus Rex, is characterized as a tragic hero when he tries to run away from his fate and finds out that the cause of his fate was his attempt to escape it. Oedipus Rex and Othello share aRead MorePlay Analysis: Oedipus the King1353 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Oedipus the King is one of the most representative plays of ancient Greek theater and has contributed greatly to the development of the theatrical concept and influenced the writing techniques to this day. Sophocles made use of a story that was well known for the Greek audience in the 4th century BC. The subject is rather complex for the time and focuses on the tragedy of a man from Thebes, a Greek city, who becomes king after a series of events that lead to the salvation of the city from theRead MoreAristotle s The Oresteia And Sophocles The Three Theban Plays1342 Words   |  6 PagesThe tragic self which appears in Aeschylus’s The Oresteia and Sophocles’ The Three Theban Plays, is a self which is caught between the choice of two evils and between following natural and civic laws. However, the philosophical self in Aristotle’s The Nicomachean Ethics focuses on choice as well, but the choice of the highest good such that the fundamental aim of the self is happiness and to become rational human beings. The topic of choice also relates to the discourse between fate and free willRead MoreOedipus And The Wife Of Bath Comparison861 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å" Life is a Tragedy for those who feel, and a Comedy for those who think† said Jean De La Bruyere. Like in Oedipus, Oedipus feels all the pain when he learned the truth. In The Wife of Bath, the knight think through his decision maki ng when the aged women ask him to pick a question. A tragedy is about human potentiality, while comedy is about the struggle between the youth and the old. Although comedy and tragedy both have character’s flaw, comedy and tragedy are completely contradictory. One startsRead MoreOedipus the Tragic Hero1390 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus; The Tragic Hero In the Fourth Century BC, a famous philosopher named Aristotle wrote about the qualities that a tragic hero must possess. Ever since that time, there have been many examples of tragic heroes in literature. None of those characters, however, display the tragic hero traits quite as well as Oedipus, the main character from the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Oedipus is, without a doubt, the absolute quintessence of a tragic hero. His example shines as clear as a sunny summer

Essay on The Book of Genesis Sets the Stage for the Bible

The Book of Genesis has served as a work of literature to the western civilization for the past two-thousand years. The word Genesis simply means â€Å"origins† or â€Å"beginnings†. This book sets the stage for the bible, telling us of God’s ultimate plan for humanity. It also speaks about the nature of God as creator and redeemer as well as the value of human life. Consequences for disobedience and sin are shown; separating man from God. We will also see the promise of salvation and forgiveness of man due to God’s grace. However, what does the book of Genesis say about the portrayal of women? From the very beginning of Genesis, in the description of the Eden story, tension arises between Eve and the divine process. Eve is tricked by the serpent†¦show more content†¦After the seven years, Jacob goes to Laban and asks for Rachel’s hand. Laban instead tricks Jacob and gives his eldest daughter Leah. Jacob finds out the next morning and is th en tricked again into working another seven years so he can marry Rachel. Jacob is then married to both women. Jacob loved Rachel and despised Leah and because of this, God made Rachel barren. Jacob continued to hate Leah until she conceived and bare him four sons. Rachel begins to feel worthless because she cannot give her husband any children. Rachel comes up with a plan to give Jacob children. Bilhah, Rachel’s maid is offered to Jacob by his wife to carry his child. Bilhah conceives and bare Jacob another son. All throughout Genesis, a woman’s value relies on her ability to conceive and her subservience to her husband. Women are never allowed to travel alone and must remain under their father or their husband’s authority. As a whole, the women in Genesis are portrayed as obstacles to dominant goals due to nonfulfillment of roles. Since Rachel and Leah both offered up their maids to Jacob to bare children, Jacob ends up with four wives. Polygamy is documented throughout the Bible and there is no evidence of disapproval from God portrayed.. However, when we talk about marriage today, using the Bible as reference, it is said that it needs to be between one man and one woman. God is lookingShow MoreRelatedThe Documentary Hypothesis Of The Bible1026 Words   |  5 PagesThe Documentary Hypothesis Throughout the decades the traditional belief of the author of the first five books in the Hebrew Bible is believed to be Moses. The Pentateuch is the first division of the Hebrew Bible which consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Contrary to traditional belief, it is thought that the Pentateuch is a conglomeration of early written documents. The Documentary Hypothesis explains the issues of how and why the Pentateuch was written. The DocumentaryRead MoreBiblical Eras Of Creation, The Patriarchs, And The Ketuvim1540 Words   |  7 PagesReferred to as â€Å"Tanak† by Jews, the Hebrew Bible contains twenty-four books characterized by three categories: The Torah, the Nevi’im, and the Ketuvim, which outline the history and beliefs of the Jewish faith. The Torah, commonly known as the â€Å"Law of Moses,† contains the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These five narrative books cover the Biblical eras of creation, the patriarchs, and the exodus. In Genesis 1, God created everything from nothing at His will in sixRead MoreThe Fantasy Of The Garden Of Eden : The Erotic Nature Of Man1282 Words   |  6 PagesName: Jenna Bachew Prof: Kristin Rajan Class: World Literature Date: December 5, 2014 The Serpent in the Garden of Eden: The Erotic Nature of Man The book of Genesis chronicles the process of Creation and highlights the story of the first man and woman who lived in God s paradise or the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were both innocent and carefree people until the serpent tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Many scholars interpreted this scene as the fall of manRead MoreGENESIS AND ANCIENT MYTHS OF THE NEAR EAST930 Words   |  4 PagesWhen one approaches the biblical text, it is important to explore the cultural context in which the text occurs. With regard to the Book of Genesis, it is important to examine the writing with other contemporary works of similar geography and topics. The people of ancient Mesopotamia, where the oldest civilizations originated, produced a number of stories of creation and natural occurrences. It is important to note that many of the stories of the Sumerians, Akkadians and Hebrews began as oral traditionsRead MoreBelieving in Evolution Essay1171 Words   |  5 PagesEncyclopaedia) The traditional Christian view of the creation of the world is that God created everything after much thought, planning and design in just six days, these beliefs are based on the narrative written in the first book of the old testament, Genesis, the design and purpose of humans within Gods creation brings a sense of personal meaning and value into the lives of Christians. However, supporters of the theory of evolution have challenged their beliefs by natural selectionRead MoreCrow Testament Analysis1627 Words   |  7 Pagesconstantly suppressed and not given any respect from the characters that represent the white man. Religion is a prominent theme in many of Alexie’s works however, â€Å"Crow Testament† revolves around the influence of white religions on native people. In the bible, crows and ravens stand for evil and impurity. Alexie exploits this by having the crow represent natives because the white man, throughout manifest destiny, view the natives as crows. Another metaphor that Alexie uses for the white man is a falconRead MoreReligion By John Steinbeck s East Of Eden1379 Words   |  6 PagesHebrew word timshel, and the presence of God and Fate in the novel. Throughout the book, the characters struggle with the ideas of good and evil, and choice and freewill. As the story unfolds and progresses, we see the characters deal with these things with religion being the base and the root that the book lays upon. The biblical story of Cain and Abel plays a central role in the novel East of Eden. In Genesis, Adam and Eve s sons, Cain and Abel, offered sacrifices to God. The shepherd AbelRead More Comparing Creation Myths of Ancient Egypt and The Christian Bible1218 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Creation Myths of Ancient Egypt and The Christian Bible Creation in Ancient Egyptian religion can be much different than the creation account taken from The Bible. Genesis has a set description of â€Å"The Beginning† while there are several different versions and variations in Egyptian mythology. The versions range from a â€Å"one god† myth (Ptah; see picture) to the more common creator out of Nun, which in itself has several derivations. The Ogdoad is a grouping of eight gods that existedRead MoreSimilarities Between Christianity And Christianity891 Words   |  4 PagesThe book of Genesis chapter 17 verses 20 and 21 in the Holy Bible state â€Å"My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year. When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him† . This covenant between God and Abraham would plant the seeds of Judaism and Christianity; it prophesized a great nation who would be the descendants of Abraham and Isaac This nation of people would be called the Jews, and with the crucifixion of Jesus this nation wouldRead MoreChristianity in Shakespeares Tempest Essay1268 Words   |  6 Pagesthis fact known.   The main plot and the subplots of the Tempest   can be extracted directly from the Bible. Prosperos character is largely the same as the god found in   Christianity.   Shakespeare wrote the Tempest   with the portrayal of a   Christian god and Christian motifs in mind.   Consider the following facts as evidence.   Both works begin with gods who possess power in the forms of words or books, and both gods use the written power to create. The power of the gods is mainly white magic, a magic

Barbaulds Prophecy and Blakes Imagination The Romantic Era was a time of widespread cultural, social, and political reform Essay Example For Students

Barbaulds Prophecy and Blakes Imagination The Romantic Era was a time of widespread cultural, social, and political reform Essay Barbaulds Prophecy and Blakes Imagination The Romantic Era was a time of widespread cultural, social, and political reform. Industrialization was taking the place of the agrarian lifestyle, which introduced problems such as higher poverty, a larger segregation of class, and overworking of both adults and children. The wars in America and France paved the way for political upheaval by introducing new ways of thinking and radicals who wanted change. With all of this turmoil and chaos many writers turned to escapism, which involved both imagination, and prophecy. Imagination and prophecy are merely two ways the writers of this time thought, hence, being deemed the Romantic Era. Anna Laetitia Barbaulds Eighteen Hundred and Eleven displayed a great deal of prophecy while William Blakes use of imagination and opposing opposites is clearly evident in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. The element of prophecy was common in the poems and prose of the Romantic period. Prophecy didnt necessarily mean that the events were actually going to happen. When encountering the word prophecy or prophetic we tend to think about those visionaries as Moses and Nostradamus, but their use of prophecy was different. Writers such as Anna Barbauld wrote in accordance with what was going on at that time American and French Revolutions. It wasnt as though she was saying that the demise of Britain was going to happen, but that it could if things didnt change. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The apocalyptic vision of England in decayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Damrosch, 29, that is how Barbaulds Eighteen Hundred and Eleven is described. Although the majority of this piece is synonymous with the above quote, there are a few instances when Barbauld indicates that no matter what happens, England will flourish and will never be left in the shadows. Thine are the laws surrounding the states revere, Thine the full harvest of the mental year, Thine the bright stars in Glorys sky that shine, And arts that make it life to live are thine. If westward streams the light that leaves thy shores, Still from thy lamp the streaming radiance pours, Wide spreads thy race from Ganges to the pole, Oer half the Western world thy accents roll Barbauld conveys that even though England is losing her grasp on America, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦If westward streams the light that leaves thy shoresà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, She will still prevail and stand strong, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Still from thy lamp the streaming radiance pours. Barbaulds style of writing seems to sugar coat the message she is sending by her use of rhyme and rhythm; yet, it is evident that this poem is prophetic. Her prophecy, however, is filled with contradictions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦That time may tear the garland from her brow/ And Europe sit in dust, as Asia now.Barbauld, 38 insinuates that one day, America will prosper as England had, and that Europe will be left in the dark as Asia is. Ultimately I believe that the prophecy of Britains demise is her intention, as by the end of the poem she writes, But fairest flowers expand but to decayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦thy glories pass awayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The imagination was a useful and necessary tool for the writers and poets of the Romantic Era. There was often debate about using ones imagination rather than facing what was true and real. Poets found imagination particularly important and rather than defining what it was, their definitions would explain what it wasnt. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Thus, imagination vs. reality; imagination vs. reason; vs. science; vs. the understanding; vs. mere fancy; even vs. religious truth.Damrosch, 4 In other words, the imagination had nothing to do with the material world. William Blakes The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a product of the dark side of imagination and religion. .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 , .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .postImageUrl , .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 , .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4:hover , .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4:visited , .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4:active { border:0!important; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4:active , .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4 .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc48dd37342bbdea5b79c1d9ff0896ce4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Hollandpoetryproject EssayHe taps into the dark side of his readers minds by telling the tale of the fall of man from the Devils perspective the evil side of the story. Its far more exciting to read something that society may consider to be morally bad than to read a story through the eyes of the good guy. Damrosch wrote, Blake presents devils who are a lot more fun than his angels. We are so used to reading the Bible and related stories from the perspective of God and Heaven that Blakes perspective, while being laden with satire, still shocks us. He seems to be toying with the minds of his readers by narrating it from a more negative point of view; its almost as if he kne w that The Marriage between Heaven and Hell could be controversial. He also uses the binary device, which is opposites working against each other, such as Love and Hate, Good and Evil, and Passive and Active. Ultimately they all tie in, love equals good and passive while hate is equivalent to evil and active. The Proverbs of Hell, while evidently satirical, catches the readers eye, and even though it is the evil point of view there are many proverbs that are humorous. The proverbs, alone, must have taken a great deal of imagination to invent. The rat, the mouse, the fox, the rabbet; watch the roots/ the lion the tyger, the horse, the elephant, watch/ the fruits. That is such an inane line, I really have no idea what to think of it, and I believe that might be his point. There are also many proverbs that are serious and good. Improvent makes strait roads, but the crooked roads/ without Improvement. are roads of Genius. This simply means that often times the straight and narrow isnt always the smartest path to take. It also implies that the true genius may lie within the mind of the person who is eccentric, the non-conformist. Blake was a non-conformist in his writing and today is a part of the canon. He refers to his illuminated poems as The Bible of Hell. In Plate 4 he claims that imagination is the only life. I think that is stated in the first contrary, Man has no Body distinct from his Soul/ for that calld Body is a portion of Soul discernd/ by the five Senses,  the chief inlets of Soul in this age.Blake, 128 Of course, the entire Plate exemplifies it better, but I understood it more when reading the first contrary. The Romantic Era produced a great many writers and poets. Escapism was also a product, which included the use of imagination and prophecy. Through the turmoil of what was taking place in reality, the writers of this time such as Blake and Barbauld, saw the importance in the strength of the mind and subjective writing. Blakes use of imagination in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell was both important and exciting. Barbaulds prophetic Eighteen Hundred and Eleven was insightful and enabled us to see the chaos of that time.