Essay on Oedipus and Othello - 1793 Words

The role of the gods/fate in human affairs is a central theme in most works of literature. In Greek literature, particularly, the will of the gods is commonly attributed to human experiences. In Oedipus the King, for instance, the oracle’s message that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his own mother suggests that he was a puppet in the hands of the gods, who manipulated the events that led to his fall. However, the character’s fate is not entirely attributable to the work of the gods. In the play, Oedipus meets his fate due to his determination to unravel the mysteries surrounding the king’s death, despite warnings by the prophet Tiresias and his wife/mother, and his quest to prove the oracles wrong in their declaration that he is†¦show more content†¦When he learns from the oracle Delphi that he will kill his father, Oedipus runs away from Corinth to avoid the prophecy’s fulfillment. Unknown to him, he embarks on a journey that brings him c loser to fulfilling the prophecy that he will defile his mother’s bed and murder the father who engendered him (951-954). It is while he is on the run from his foster father that he comes face to face with his fate; he meets and kills King Laius, his own father, at the three crossroads. Oedipus’ obsession to unravel mysteries is a factor in his fall. In fact, an ignorant Oedipus would have been far better off than a knowledgeable Oedipus (Will 44). During his stay in Corinth, a visitor calls him a bastard. His curiosity takes him to an oracle to seek an explanation, where he learns about his fate. On the other hand, Oedipus would not have embarked on this journey for ‘self-discovery’ if he had dismissed the drunkard’s remarks. Oedipus, as king of Thebes, learns from his wife that they had disposed off the son who was to kill his father; therefore, there was no possibility of the prophecy’s fulfillment. Regardless, he becomes even more determined to dig deeper. He states that he will start afresh and, once again, unravel the mystery (159-160). Indeed, Oedipus takes a step closer to his fate with every piece of information he gathers. Thus, his unyielding desire to unravel truths that could have been better left buried, leads him to t he tragic revelation about hisShow MoreRelatedOedipus and Othello Essay573 Words   |  3 Pagesconsciousness. In tragic plays catharsis is the emotion that makes the audience feel pity, fear, and a sense of relief instead of hopelessness in the end of the play. In the tragedies Oedipus the king by Sophocles and Othello the moor of Venice by Shakespeare we feel these same emotions towards Oedipus and Othello. We pity them as the audience is faced with their tribulation. We fear because failure can hit anyone and it shows that we humans are easily susceptible. In the end the audience comes toRead MoreEssay on Pride in Oedipus and Othello1727 Words   |  7 PagesPride in Oedipus and Othello   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In literature, the tragic heroes Oedipus and Othello allow the pride they have to cause their own demise by putting too much emphasis on the lives they have created for themselves. Oedipus, who blinds himself after finding out he has killed his birth father and married his birth mother, refuses to believe he has truly fulfilled his fate because he is so proud of what he has accomplished since he left Corinth. Othello demonstrates his pride by believing thatRead MoreCompare And Contrast Oedipus And Othello1816 Words   |  8 PagesWhen asked to think of a classic play that shaped the whole of literature, some of the most common answers will include Oedipus by Sophocles and Othello by William Shakespeare. Both of these texts are held in high regard as some of the greatest writing of our time, not only for their command and use of language but for their intricately woven storylines and tragic endings. Both title characters were written as tragic characters, and as s uch their stories result in unhappy endings for all involvedRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Oedipus Rex And Shakespeare s Othello And Oedipus 2344 Words   |  10 PagesThe definition of a tragedy is a narrative poem or story that describes the downfall of a good man. Both Othello and King Oedipus Rex Fall into this class of literature, even though they were written by two totally different authors and in two utterly different time periods. These two works share several comparisons to every different, while having an honest quantity of variations similarly. Pride is characterized as one of the seven deadliest sins. Most pleased individuals will never see themselvesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Oedipus And Othello 982 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus and Othello are two of the most known tragic heroes throughout all of literature. While there are some noticeable differences between the two there are also many similarities between the two characters. With the amount of similarities betwe en the two plays Shakespeare must have been inspired by Oedipus and Sophocles when he was writing Othello. Oedipus the king’s main conflict is based around Greek mythology in that from the time Oedipus is born it is prophesied by the Gods that he is goingRead 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 a commonRead MoreComparison of Othello and Oedipus the King Essay525 Words   |  3 Pages *INTRO*The character Oedipus in the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles, and the character Othello in the play Othello the Moor of Venice by Shakespeare are both tragic characters. Oedipus ends up killing his father, and marrying and having children with his mother, whereas Othello ends up mistrusting and killing his wife. These two individuals have similarities and differences in several aspects such as the roundness of their characters, the retribution that they incur upon themselves and uponRead MoreComparing the Downfalls of Sophocles Oedipus and Shakespeares Othello1262 Words   |  6 Pages Oedipus and Othello were both honorable and heroic men that became the victims of tragic downfalls that can be compared and contrasted with each other. Sophocles, the writer of Oedipus the King, and Williams Shakespeare, the writer of Othello, were both enormously influential playwrights of their respective generations and their legacy continues today. The two playwrights made their masterpieces during different eras; Sophocles life coincided with the Golden Age of Greek tragedy and ShakespeareRead MoreEssay on Pride and the Tragic Hero in Oedipus Rex and Othello1217 Words   |  5 PagesPride and the Tragic Hero in Oedipus Rex and Othello   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Most proud people will never consider themselves to be truly proud until they come face to face with the consequences of their pride. Sophocles and Shakespeare both address this dilemma in their plays Oedipus Rex and Othello. Through their nobility, their tragic flaws, the fall these flaws cause, and the suffering and wisdom they derive from these falls, Oedipus and Othello reveal the true characterRead MoreTo What Extent are ‘Othello’ and Oedipus Rex Perfect Examples of Tragedy1149 Words   |  5 Pages‘Othello’ was written between 1601 and 1603. It was first performed in the Elizabethan courts during the Christmas season. The idea of a ‘perfect’ tragedy is the idea that the tragedy is faultless; it does what is expected; so makes the audience feel empathy and sympathy for the characters who suffer. There are two different types of tragedy: classical tragedy and Shakespearean tragedy. The tragic hero in this play is the main character, Othello. Othellos misfortune comes about because of his