Character Analysis of Prince Hamlet in "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare and Oedipus in "Oedipus King" by Sophocles In Aristotle’s literary discourse‚ "Poetics‚" he discusses his theory of tragedy‚ wherein he introduces the concepts of tragic flaw or "hamartia‚" which serves as the catalyst for the protagonist’s downfall or the tragedy of the story to happen. He determines a tragedy as a "drama" that brings about a "sorrowful conclusion‚ arousing fear and pity in the audience" (Roberts and Jacobs
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similarities between them. The underlying themes of Shakespeare ’s Hamlet and Sophocles Oedipus King excite the reader yet leave us with the desire of wanting more. There are significant similarities between Oedipus King and Hamlet‚ especially when it relates to the theme of the tormented king‚ incest‚ and Shakespeare ’s and Sophocles metaphorical references to vision and hearing. Sophocles Oedipus King and Shakespeare ’s Hamlet both contain the basic elements of tragedy‚ although the Shakespearean
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The theme of sight vs. blindness is a very prevalent theme in Oedipus the King. The two most affected characters by this main theme are Oedipus‚ the king‚ and Tiresias‚ the blind seer. Oedipus is affected because while he is not literally blind‚ he is blinded by ambition to find the killer of Laius‚ and blind to what is happening around him. Tiresias‚ who is actually blind‚ is a prophet and understands what is happening around him. Oedipus does not understand what is happening around him‚ but can
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Shakespearean terms‚ blind means a whole different thing. Blindness can normally be defined as the inability of the eye to see‚ but according to Shakespeare‚ blindness is not a physical quality‚ but a mental flaw some people possess. One of Shakespeare’s most dominant Theme in his play King Lear is that of blindness. King Lear‚ Gloucester‚ and Albany are three prime examples Shakespeare incorporates this theme into. Each of these characters’s blindness was the primary cause of the bad decisions they made;
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The Oedipal Relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude Throughout William Shakespeare’s Hamlet‚ Shakespeare portrays Hamlet with the same types of behaviors and frustrations in humans that Sigmund Freud saw at a much later date. When the relationship between Hamlet and his mother is analyzed Freud’s oedipal complex theory comes to mind. Sigmund Freud first wrote about his theory in his book An Interpretation of Dreams in 1899. Simply put‚ Freud states that it is normal for children to have sexual
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10th Grade‚ English Sight or Blindness? Throughout the play‚ Oedipus Rex‚ Sophocles makes several references about sight and blindness. Even though Tiresias is a blind man‚ he is the one that knows the truth and is insinuating that Oedipus doesn’t want to face it. Oedipus develops into a character blinded by all the greatness that Thebes has given him. The oracle prophesized by the gods is the main reason that led him to become the tragic hero of this play. First and foremost‚ Sophocles’
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"Still‚ the Truth Remains" An immense desire for personal satisfaction‚ and extraordinary reputation can often result in a sickly‚ perverse distortion of reality. In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex‚ a man well known for his intellect and wisdom‚ finds himself blind to the truth of his life‚ and his parentage. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet also contains a character that is in search of the truth‚ which ultimately leads to his own demise‚ as well as the demise of many around him. Arthur Miller’s play‚ The Death
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“Hamlet”‚ writen by William Shakespeare‚ and “Odeipus Rex”‚ written by Sophocles have a similar tie-in of innocence and bond. In these plays‚ two kings are forced to forget about their innocence‚ man up and face the truth which leads to both highs and lows in these characters lives through the play. It is a battle between truth and lies. As I read‚ and analyzed these two plays‚ I see that both of these characters are in their own world‚ negligent of the real world and truths around them. In the case
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Symbol of Blindness in King Lear Blindness is usually defined as the physical ability of the eye to see. But in King Lear by William Shakespeare‚ blindness is not just a physical quality but also a mental flaw that people possess. This mental flaw can then lead to people making bad decisions because they can’t see the truth. In King Lear‚ the recurring images of sight and blindness that are associated with the characters of Lear and Gloucester illustrate the theme of self-knowledge and consciousness
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Othello‚ although Emilia plays a small role‚ she makes a powerful impact. Her omnipotent bravado brings us to the conclusion that she is the reincarnation of Esther from the Bible and that she is a mirror image of today’s risk taking woman. Emilia’s insight brings perspective to not only what is righteous but also to the darkness of bestiality portrayed throughout the play. Although the maiden is underestimated because she is a woman‚ she proves herself time and time again that her bold demeanor is
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