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Trying to Explain Tragedy in Oedipus the King, a Play by Sophocles
Sophocles' Oedipus the King tells the tale of Oedipus, the King of Thebes, who became king by marrying the widow of the previous king, Laius. From Oedipus, I studied the passage from line 249 to line 322. In an effort to "make sense" of the passage, I was able to recognize inconsistencies between what Oedipus was saying and the common beliefs of the time, which would distort the passage's meaning if read out of context. The passage is written in…...
Oedipus The King
Female Playwrights & Fate in Spanish Plays
The Spanish Golden Age and La Vida es Sueno According to Wilson and Goldfarb, there were several recognized women playwrights during the Spanish Golden Age (p. 201. Of them, the works of six are fairly well known. Unfortunately, of these women playwrights, the only one of whom we know much about is Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. Juana was a nun (Sor means sister in Spanish), a scholar, and a writer of many genres. It is said that she…...
Oedipus The King
The Messages of Sophocles in Oedipus the King
I think Sophocles message to his audience was that fate is very important and that the gods control what goes on in your life. You will always fulfill your fate but when, depends on your actions you take in life. The gods do not control everything that you do in life but they set up your fate before you are born. No matter what you do to stop your fate it will not work; it may take longer to get…...
Oedipus The King
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The Blessing and Curse in Oedipus the King, a Play by Sophocles
Oedipus is the problem and the solution in Sophocles's "Oedipus the King." Actions of his from the past negatively affect his present life and entire city. While on his way to the city of Thebes, Oedipus encountered and murdered a man who he did not know. He then proceeded to marry the Queen, Jocasta, as she recently became a widow. Oedipus's actions unknowingly fulfilled his destiny, and upset the god Apollo. The city of Thebes was cursed until the murderer…...
Oedipus The King
Sophocles Use of Syntax and Diction in Oedipus the King
Oedipus Diction and Syntax Response Sophocles proves how the gods have ultimate control over ones fate through the strategic use of syntax and diction. The punctuation is a vital tool to make the reader relate to the character. The select words persuade the reader to side with the character, even though they do not want to. Fear? What should a man fear? It's all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping…...
Oedipus The King
Oedipus and the Perfect Tragedy
The Golden Standard of Tragedies: Oedipus the King Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a former student of Plato, and teacher in philosophy. As an important Western philosopher, he influenced many scholars and philosophers work. Aristotle wrote The Poetics in 350 B.C., which lists and explains the requirements for a good tragedy. Aristotle mentions several plays in The Poetics; however, it is clear Oedipus the King stands alone in Aristotle's estimation because it fulfills most of Aristotle's criteria for a good…...
Oedipus The King
Oedipus: Themes & Devices
Oedipus the King is a popular Greek play also known by its Latin title Oedipus Rex. Oedipus was written by Sophocles and was first performed in 429 BC. Over the thousands of years since its publication, Oedipus the King has been reviewed and analyzed by several renowned scholars who have all conceded that it is one of the best tragic drama pieces that draw their descent from ancient Greece (Rao, Wolf and Sophocles.). The current paper is a critical review…...
Oedipus The King
An Analysis of Physical and Mental Blindness in Oedipus the King by Sophocles
In Sophocles' Oedipus the King, the running theme of blindness--whether physical or mental, unknowing or willful-- takes center stage throughout the play. The main character Oedipus is completely oblivious (blind) to the mess his life has become until, ironically, he actually physically blinds himself. His father, King Laius of Thebes tosses the baby Oedipus out after hearing a bleak prophecy from an oracle. Laius is told that his son will murder him and marry his own mother, Jocasta. Oedipus, after…...
Oedipus The King
A Modern Reenactment of Oedipus the King by Sophocles
Theater has been around for thousands of years for the purpose of entertaining an audience. Plays have a way of capturing a crowd and releasing them from their current reality where they are then placed into the universe of the characters in the show. From the first play in Greece to those showing in New York City, plays have been altered throughout their history. At Randolph we have taken it upon ourselves to try to close the gap between ancient…...
Oedipus The King
Greek Theatre Transformation and Oedipus Theme
Classical Greek theatres didn't look much different from what you might expect today in their layout. The main parts included the skene, what we might call backstage today, the orchestra, what we call the stage, the theatron (audience), and the parados, what we consider the entrance (Wilson and Goldfarb, 44. One of the notable differences from what we might expect in a theatre is that in classical Greece, the orchestra (stage) was round. Nearly every angle of the performance was…...
Oedipus The King
Death of Valencia Pilgrim in the Novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
SlaughterhouseFive is a book about the bombing of Dresden. The book describes the state of mind and life of a person who has experienced World War II. It is an anti-war book, Kurt Vonnegut, the author of Slaughterhouse-Five, has fused together various literary allusions in this book, some have been taken from the Bible and some are taken from other authors. One of the literary illusions that Mr. Vonnegut mentions is taken from the famous play Romeo and Juliet which…...
FictionLiteratureRomeo And JulietSlaughterhouse Five
Responsibility in Fences and All My Sons
Responsibility is the key to success in ntany families all throughout the world. Within August Wilson’s Feltrex and Arthur Miller's All My Sons. Troy and Joe‘s commitment to responsibility inside of their family is demonstrated by their hard work in fulfilling necessary fatherhood duties as well as by their constant providing for their family: the strain for the perfection of these two goals has caused the fathers to each “crack" in their own ways. severely injuring the structure of their…...
All My SonsEthicsPhilosophyPsychology
Deceit in A Doll’s House & All My Sons
Consider and evaluate the different ways in which the writers of your chosen texts present different interactions within families. You should: “A Doll‘s House” was written by Henrik Ibsen in 1879, the play was set in the late 1800’s in Norway, and follows the marriage of Nora and Torvald Helmer “All My Sons” was written by Arthur Miller, and was completed and first performed in 1947. The play is set in the post-war USA, some years after the Wall Street…...
A Doll'S HouseAll My SonsCulturePsychology
The Misogynistic Character of Iago in Othello by William Shakespeare
When we need advice, we turn to various people who we believe will play the pan of sympathetic listeners. What we do not want is for these individuals to betray our trust and take advantage of us in our time of need to fulfill their own agenda, Sadly, this is exactly what the supposedly honest Iago does to Othello, the blackamoor protagonist of Shakespeare‘s Othello, which is performed for the first time three years after Queen Elizabeth I’s 1601 proclamation…...
CultureDramaFictionOthello
Setting and Cultural Climate in Othello
The setting and cultural climate in which Shakespeare’s Othello is based and contributes largely to many thematic elements of the play as well as directly to the events that occur within it. A question that is often raised by literary researchers and audiences alike is the significance of the setting in correlation to the course of action that transpires throughout the play; that is— how impactful are factors such as ideology, racial attitudes, and gender roles of the time to…...
CrimeOthelloPrejudiceSocial Psychology
The Villainy of Iago in Othello, a Play by William Shakespeare
The action and plot of Shakespeare’s Othello is driven almost explicitly by the play‘s main antagonist, Iago. Iago’s villainy is perhaps the most integral component of the play, as the entire plotline and ultimate demise of the protagonist, Othello, as well as others along the way, are resultant of Iago’s plotting. In this way, Iago’s villainy not only enhances the meaning of the work but in and of itself shapes and defines the work to be what it is. The…...
CultureEthicsOthelloPhilosophy
Trust and Deceit in Othello, a Play by William Shakespeare
Lies are everywhere in society today, and perhaps most prominent within the recent election season, as politicians say whatever they think will get them elected. The same was true in medieval times, as shown in Shakespeare's Othello. He tells the story of Othello, who is lured into believing Iago’s lies and deception, while one of the only characters to balance out those with good intentions is Roderigo. First, we have to examine why it's Othello who becomes the victim of…...
DeceptionFictionOthelloWilliam Shakespeare
The Use of Language to Reveal the True Character of Othello
Explain the importance of this scene as a turning point in our understanding of the character of Othello. How is the change in his character revealed through language? In his play Othello, William Shakespeare shows the deterioration of the tragedy’s protagonist as he is consumed by jealousy. Shakespeare is able to provide the audience with a greater understanding of Othello’s character through the use of various techniques. At the beginning of the play, Othello was portrayed as a character who…...
CultureDramaFictionOthello
Fullest Life in Walden and Hamlet’s Blackberry
Walden, written in 1854, and Hamlet‘s Blackberry, written in 2010, seem to be entirely about technology at first glance. However, excerpts from these texts both identify a common train of thought other than this technology theme, one of being able to make the best of one’s own life, The excerpts from Walden by Henry Thoreau and Hamlet‘s Blackberry by William Powers both identify a common theme of being able to live life to the fullest. According to Henry David Thoreau,…...
HamletPhilosophyPsychologyWalden
Cultural Values in Othello and Caged Bird
Throughout literature writers use various ways of showing the reader a new way of life with different values, rituals and customs. These aspects can been seen in the works of William Shakespers Othello, and Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings. These books are very good examples of showing the importance of value and different culture to readers. In the Autobiography I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings Maya Angelou tells the story of her life. She…...
CultureI Know Why The Caged Bird SingsOthello
The Poison as a Symbol of Love in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a tragic play about Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, who fall in love with each other, but discover that they are meant to be enemies. This state between the families results in the death of these lovers, ironically ending the fetid between the two households Poison is present in several scenes of the play, such as Juliet taking the mixture to escape her marriage and Romeo requesting for a vital to…...
DramaFictionPoisonRomeo And Juliet
Hamlet’s Revenge Failure
"Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today," is a phrase expressed throughout the world. With matters of great importance and urgency, procrastination can be fatal. In the case of Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet's inability to act swiftly and avenge his father's murder sets off a chain of events that brings about the deaths of Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, and himself. The wheels of impending doom are set in motion when Hamlet is stirred to revenge. The ghost of king…...
Hamlet
Romeo and Juliet: Tragic Tears, Smiles, and Wonder
A tragedy that jerks your tears, makes you smile, and causes you to wonder why. In William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juilet many things make this in to a tragedy but, the main parts were, Romeo and Juilets immaturity and impatient, Tybalts hot-headed nature, and capulets controlling nature to have everything his way. Two children one named Romeo and the other Juilet were to immature to be truly in love after only a few minutes talking. For example, in the…...
DramaFictionRomeo And JulietWilliam Shakespeare
A Description of “Romeo and Juliet” By William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare‘s ”Romeo and Juliet", is a romantic tale about a young man and woman who continue to be in love with each other, knowing the fact that their families are warring rivals. This loving play depicts love at first sight and shows how powerful love can be. However, I believe that Romeo and Juliet’s ”love" is just a teenage infatuation because the couple constantly admires the other's looks, make serious decisions too quickly, and question their love for the…...
LiteratureLoveRomeo And JulietWilliam Shakespeare
The Greater Love in Romeo and Juliet Love Death by Carla Freccero
In the article “Romeo and Juliet Love Death”by Carla Freccero, an alternative approach to the reading of Shakespeare’s classic play is taken. Freccero makes the case that the young rebellious lovers may have been in love wiLh a concept greater than just their affections for each other, She points out the numerous references and obsessions with death that lead to the couple‘s unLimely demise and the societal statement it makes as a result. She begs the question of whether or…...
CultureLiteratureLoveRomeo And Juliet
Feud in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet, by WilliamShakespeare, is a story of two lovers kept apart by their feuding families. The two families hate each other for generations. Romeo, the son of Montague, madly falls in love with a girl named Juliet, the daughter of Capulet, at the Capulets' party. The young couple loves each other so deeply that they marry the next day at Friar Lawrence's cell. On the other hand, Juliet's parents think that Paris, a kinsman of the Prince, is…...
DramaFictionLoveRomeo And Juliet
The Motif of Astrology in William Shakespeare’s Play Romeo and Juliet
Beginning with the prologue, Shakespeare informs the readers about a longstanding conflict between the two main families, the Montagues and the Capulets. This issue becomes multi-dimensional when Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet, and subsequently fall in love. Therefore, the rift between the two households becomes an overarching conflict within the narratives of the two lovers. To fully express the challenge of Romeo and Juliet’s future relationship, Shakespeare reveals “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/ A pair…...
FictionLiteratureRomeo And JulietWilliam Shakespeare
Immaturity in Romeo & Juliet
In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is intelligent, handsome, impulsive, immature, moody, and intense, He chooses his emotions over his responsibility to be loyal to his family. Though Romeo’s decision is ultimately ineffective, it helps with the play’s development of tragedy and the illustration of Romeo as a tragic hero, Being immature and impulsive, Romeo lacks moderation in any and all aspects of life, but particularly love. At the beginning of the play, Romeo is deeply in love with…...
FictionPsychologyRomeo And JulietTragedy
The Role of Friar Lawrence in the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet
The pressure to please others can often surpass the idea of doing what is most logical in the situation. In William Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet", although well intentioned, Friar Lawrence is responsible for the deaths of the star-crossed loverst His attempts to please the lovers were ruined by his confusion on the situation and pressure to choose the correct choices. Firstly the Friars secretive ways caused much damage; finally his carelessness in the importance of the situation was the biggest…...
DramaEthicsLoveRomeo And Juliet
Love and Violence in Romeo and Juliet
Fights and love should not be combined. William Shakespeare shows this in the most famous love story of all times, “Romeo and Juliet." In the city of Verona, Italy, many centuries ago, two lovers try to be together despite the fight held between their families Romeo’s family, the Montagues, and Juliet’s family, the Capulets, haven been enemies since unmemorable times. Before meeting Juliet, Romeo is in love with Rosaline, who does not return his love. He wanders around feeling miserable…...
FictionLovePsychologyRomeo And Juliet
Light and Dark in Romeo & Juliet
Light and dark are contrasting imagesi They represent love and hatred William Shakespeare uses light and dark images throughout the romantic comedy The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, These images appear in many different scenes, The light and dark images are most significant in the scene following the wedding night. In the beginning of scene five after Romeo spends the night with Juliet right after their wedding Shakespeare uses light and dark images to show how they effect Romeo and…...
DramaFictionRomeo And JulietWilliam Shakespeare
Juliet’s Passion in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
“My only love sprung from my only hate". Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is the story of two star-crossed lovers. Derived from two feuding families. the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo and Juliet‘s love is forbidden. The teenagers' relationship speeds up within the span of a day. soon getting married after they met. Their relationship faces even more troubles when Romeo is soon banished from the area after killing Tybalt. Juliet's cousin. The play is a tragedy. thus meaning…...
DramaFictionLiteratureRomeo And Juliet
Sara Begelman Romeo & Juliet
Today my parents are having a ball. They are making go. My nurse and my servants are helping me get ready. The nurse picked out a lovely red and gold dress and my servants put my hair in a braid. Before I went to the ball my parents told me there is a man named Paris who would make a great husband you. I was a little shocked. I was too young to get married; I am only 13 years…...
DramaFictionRomeo And JulietWilliam Shakespeare
Michael Cassion in Othello: Reasonable Character?
Within the Othello play, William Shakespeare portrays Michael Cassio as a reasonable character. Such reasonableness causes Cassio to be hesitant about heeding to the directives of the unreliable Iago. Further, reasonableness causes Cassio to refuse to engage in drinking while working as a watchman Moreover, being reasonable, Cassio chastises Iago for praising England while sewing Cyprus. Given that he seeks forgiveness from General Othello after being involved in a drunken brawl, Cassio further illustrates his reasonable character. This essay analyses…...
CultureForgivenessOthelloPsychology
False Love in Othello
From Romeo and Juliet to the Macbeths, Shakespeare incorporates a loving relationship between two main characters. But do they actually love each other? In Othello, Shakespeare focuses on Othello and Desdemona’s relationship the most. And while many readers plainly interpret them as genuine lovers, Shakespeare hints to the contrary. He argues that Othello doesn’t truly love Desdemona. Shakespeare uses Othello’s tone about his reputation, the handkerchief, and his jealousy of Cassio to criticize Othello‘s true motives for marrying Desdemona. Othello’s…...
DramaFictionOthelloWilliam Shakespeare
Triangle of Love in Othello by William Shakespeare
Known as one of the most dramatic stories that Shakespeare has written, the play of Othello unravels in to a tragic epidemic of murders all strategized by the antagonist, Iago. Displayed with a wonderful love story depicting a couple working together to defeat all social criticism, popular stereotypes, and the manipulation of others. The main character Othello was tricked by others into believing his Desdemona promiscuous with the man who had taken his power, which infuriated him, and led to…...
HamletLoveOthelloWilliam Shakespeare
The Role of Iago as a Reporter in Othello, a Book by William Shakespeare
What is a man spoken of, but not seen? He is a name, a memory, a surface of a deep pool of water. After all, history is written by the historian, and reports are made by the reporter. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago is Othello's reporteri Othello eats up Iago's lies and rumors about other people and acts to safeguard his reputation, or what others would see him as. Shakespeare uses Othello to show how reputation is the driving force of…...
EthicsFictionOthelloWilliam Shakespeare
The Revenge of Iago in Othello, a Play by William Shakespeare
In the play, Othello, written by William Shakespeare, the theme revenge appears multiple times. One of the main characters of the play was Iago, who wishes to get revenge on Othello. Iago is extremely jealous of Othello’s fortune and lifestyle, and believes that he needs to get revenge on him because of it. He is very motivated to get revenge on Othello because of the life that Othello lives compared to the life he lives. He is jealous that Othello…...
FictionOthelloPlaysRevenge
Shakespeare’s Othello: On Othello’s Love to Desdemona
In past critical essays, Othello has been described as “one of the most romantic figures among Shakespeare’s heroes," and judging by his seemingly flawless relationship with his wife, he certainly appears to be so. However, despite its appearance of perfection, Othello and Desdemona’s relationship is inherently flawed to begin with. In a perfect relationship, the love between two people should be nothing but unconditional and everlasting. However, Othello’s love for Desdemona is entirely conditional, based on her loyalty to him…...
EthicsLoveOthelloPride
Dark Manipulation in First Scene of Othello
This extract from William Shakespeare‘s play ‘Othello‘ is derived from the preliminary scene of the play, in which the reader is introduced to Iago, who has convinced Roderigo to follow his plan of waking up Brabantio and delivering the news of his daughter‘s discreet marriage to Othello, From the extract provided, one can see that Iago’s plan has succeeded and that his knowledge of the characters has led him to properly predict how they will react. Such proximity to the…...
CultureFictionLanguageOthello
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