Review Of Oedipus Rex - 1267 Words

Hadi Berbari Professor Bucher Honors 100 September 16th, 2015 The Role of Hubris in Determining Fate Hubris is a Greek term which means excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus and his biological parents, Laius and Jocasta, were overcome by hubris and attempted to outsmart the gods,using what little knowledge is available to us humans, in an effort to escape their own fate. Along with hubris, Oedipus posses hamartia. Hamartia is a tragic flaw. In Oedipus’s case, his flaw is extreme pride and determination. Oedipus and Jocasta may seem to have been fated to certain tragedies, but it was their actions, provoked by excessive pride, that brought about their downfall. The first act of hubris took place when Oedipus was three days old. Jocasta claimed that she had received an oracle, not directly from the gods, but from those who assisted them. The prophecy stated that Laius was to be killed by his own son, conceived during Laius and Jocasta’s marriage. In light of this knowledge, Laius bound Oedipus’s ankles together and ordered that he be thrown out into the deserted mountains and left to die. After having disposed of their son, Laius and Jocasta tricked themselves into believing they were able to outsmart the gods by fleeing their destiny (770-790). And thus, the first of many acts of hubris had been committed. Blinded by arrogance, Jocasta publicly discredited the oracle by saying â€Å"human beings have no part in the craft ofShow MoreRelatedReview Of Oedipus Rex 1342 Words   |  6 PagesJake Gilman Modern Mythology Period 8 Fusaro Oedipus Rex Reading Questions What appears to be the function of the Chorus? - The chorus in Greek tragedies has a similar function to the narrator in various books and plays. It is an outside source that describes the actions of the characters, as well as their thoughts or feelings. Just like a narrator, the chorus can be used to foreshadow an upcoming event and provide more detail than what is said on stage. However, theRead MoreOedipus in Sophocles Oedipus Rex and Young Colonel Sartoris Snopes in William Faulkners Barn Burning: A Comparative Analysis of Characters1034 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿When attempting to compare the characters and the lots of Oedipus in Oedipus Rex and Young Colonel Sartoris Snopes in William Faulkners Barn Burning, there are a number of immediate and salient points of similarity for one to consider. One of the principle points of similarities between these two is related to their personalities both male characters are prone to fits of action which they can only fully understand (if at all) in hindsight. Another is the fact that the quandaries they find themselvesRead MoreA Comparative Tragedy Study of Fatalism and Determinism: Oedipus Rex and Thunderstorm2489 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿A Comparative Tragedy Study of Fatalism and Determinism: Oedipus Rex and The Thunderstorm 1. INTRODUTION The Thunderstorm and Oedipus Rex, the representatives of Chinese and Greek play, both tell tragic stories about incest and unexpected destiny. The two masterpieces reveal much about the literature patterns and philosophical implications of the different cultures. The exploration of the two plays could help further understand the oneness of world literature and the tragedy of unlike cultureRead MoreFate and Ignorance in Oedipus Rex Essay2564 Words   |  11 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus Rex is a story that can be interpreted on many different levels of thinking. The ancient tale has existed for centuries and has been subjected to countless forms of analysis. What is it that makes Oedipus the King such a fascinating story? Is it the suspense of a developing mystery that captivates the audience? Or perhaps the wonderful feeling the readers get after vicariously experiencing the horror Oedipus feels? And if not that, could it be that the reader is intrigued at SophoclesRead MoreSpeech And Silence In Conrad Aikens Secret Snow, Silent Snow1112 Words   |  5 Pagesgifted would rise above the rest no matter what. This can be seen in Miss Buells seemingly rote memorization style of teaching. Her lesson quickly covers the entire globe. Deirdres questioning of the equator indicates that the lesson is not merely review. However, Miss Buells questioning of Paul as he daydreams shows she expects them to have memorized the information. Similar to the educational narrative, the parental narrative has a strict style and makes the parents quick to act. 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Castration anxiety is when male children begin to review their fathers as rivals for their mother’s affection. Penis envy is when female children envy their fathers for what they have thatRead MoreAuthority versus Truth in Sophocles Antigone and Shakespeares Twelfth Night2444 Words   |  10 Pagesthe people, he loses authority. Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex can be said to possess both Traditional and Charismatic Authority. As the King of Thebes, Oedipus possesses the Authority traditionally ascribed to the King in ancient Greece. This is brought to focus in the opening scene of the play where the citizens of Thebes are gathered in front of the King’s Palace in â€Å"attitudes of supplication† (Watling 25). As the scene progresses we become aware of Oedipus’ charismatic authority over theRead More The Effective Use of Imagery in Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea2796 Words   |  12 Pagesan image of natural harmony, would certainly seem more congruous than if he made a miraculous recovery. Classical imagery in The Old Man and the Sea is nearly as common as biblical imagery. DiMaggios bone spur invokes classical images of Oedipus. Keiichi Harada clarifies the significance of the athletes bone spur to Santiago: [The] bone spur . . . has made DiMaggio . . . a symbolic significance to . . . the old man. To him DiMaggio symbolizes a man who both endures sufferings and achievesRead MoreAristotle s theory of the Tragic Hero1888 Words   |  8 Pagesgreat tragic poets of Ancient Greece, wrote many plays that violated the logical and structured principles of Aristotle’s  Poetics  in a conscious effort to depict a world that he saw as neither logical nor structured. Aristotle himself gives mixed reviews to Euripides’ troubling plays, but they are still performed two and a half millennia after they were written. Aristotle’s concept of mimesis helps him to explain what is distinctive about our experience of art. Poetry is mimetic, meaning that it invites