Whether success follows the character’s dreams becomes irrelevant, considering the campaign they endured gives them opportunities that otherwise could have not materialized, emphasizing that one should follow their aspirations regardless of the consequences. Oedipus from Oedipus The King is a prince who was abandoned by his royal parents due to the prophecy which preceded him, of him killing his father and marrying his mother. Oedipus eventually became king and thus kills his father and marries his mother in the process, a fulfillment of the prophecy. A synopsis of his life is given near the end of the play, “Oedipus,- Him who knew the famous riddles and was a man most masterful; not a citizen who did not look with envy on his lot- see him
Sophocles was one of the greatest playwrights of antiquity, and this of course is not without reason. In his play Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses a catastrophic tale to both teach and tell us that no matter what we do, our fate cannot be avoided. Oedipus is the wisest mortal man in Thebes, so it is up to him to find out who killed Laios, a fact unknown to him though, is that he is the murderer of the ex-king Laios. Both his hot temper and the endless pursuit of truth will lead Oedipus into a sticky situation. In order to find the killer of the old king and save his city, Oedipus will learn things about himself he wishes he never had, and in the process fulfill an old prophecy.
The author uses Othello’s death to show all of the events that have led to this dramatic disaster. Shakespeare also uses Othello’s death to portray the theme of the power of vengeance. The idea that Desdemona would betray him hurt him deeply, but once Othello realizes he has killed her in vain he cannot live with the pain. After Othello’s death Cassio reminds bystanders that Othello is “full of heart” meaning he embodies love and kindness (V.ii. 776).
Dorian blames Basil for his sins, and Basil essentially dies for Dorian’s sins. This is likened in the Bible because Jesus Christ “was delivered over to death for our sins” (Romans 4:25). The aptitude of self-sacrifice is perhaps the most prime characteristics of God, and as Basil displays this quality it makes him godlike. Basil loves Dorian despite everything, and it physically hurts him to see how his pure creation has been altered, how his muse has been changed. Even when it seems that all is lost, Basil begs Dorian to “Pray” and to repeat the verse from the Bible that says, “‘Though our sins be as scarlet, yet I will make them white as snow’” (Wilde 162).
Nix 2 Throughout this tragedy, our first view of deception comes from Claudius and Polonius, as they do whatever it takes to keep the power in their hands. In the fifth scene, the audience is introduced to the first use of deception against Hamlet, with Claudius. The ghost of King Hamlet tells Hamlet that “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown.”( Hamlet 1.5.38-9) These lines demonstrate the deceit Claudius has towards Hamlet. Claudius killed Hamlet’s father in order to wear the crown and gain the power of the title, “King”. Not only did Claudius kill King Hamlet, but he also married Hamlet’s mother only a month after he did so.
Throughout William Shakespeare’s tragic play, King Lear, the goal of gaining control over the kingdom and boasting about one’s status drove the characters to deceive each other through the use of lies and manipulation. Right from the start, King Lear demanded that his daughter profess their love for him, causing Regan and Goneril to exaggerate their love all to flatter their father and gain the most of his land. When it was Cordelia’s turn, even though she spoke from her heart about how much her father means to her, her words did not praise her father enough as he insisted she revise her confession. Act 1 Scene 1 started the destruction of the Lear family as Regan and Goneril proved successful in gaining their father’s land by spreading lies and insincere remarks regarding their love for their father, while Lear regretfully banished Cordelia only because she spoke her truth instead of saying what her father wanted of her. Within Act 1 Scene 1, Lear questions his daughters to tell of how much they love him, so he can determine how much land of his kingdom to give them.
Tragic Ambition Julius Caesar once wisely reckoned, "If I fail it is only because I have too much […] ambition." The playwright William Shakespeare, if alive today, would earnestly confirm the truth in this quote, as demonstrated in his elegant tragedy, Macbeth. A tale of a thane named Macbeth 's quest for the throne, his life quickly spirals downward as he wholeheartedly believes and acts upon the prophecies revealed by the Weïrd Sisters regarding his fate. As he brutally murders and betrays several fellow royals, Macduff eventually returns the favor, taking Macbeth 's life, restoring the Order of the Universe. Macbeth and his wife are prime examples of how harboring too much ambition is the root of selfishness, which lends itself to
Though he associates himself with the murder of the leader of Rome, Brutus bases his honesty on the genuine truth that it solely benefits his beloved country. The truly puzzling significance of corrupting the boundaries pertains to the ability of Brutus to use his power in any way he sees fit to justify murder and manipulate the multitudes. Brutus, “the noblest of Roman of all,” arguably epitomizes a man devoting anything to the success of his homeland whether it be his life or that of another’s (Shakespeare 3.2.76). Furthermore, it can be inferred that passion and commitment overwhelms moral codes and principles. However, before Brutus can settle his case, the interest of the crowd must favor him.
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was a noble and loyal person, but by the end of the play, his “vaulting ambition” had taken over him. This caused him to become malicious and nihilistic and above all murderous, Macbeth portrays a tragic hero. Shakespeare portrays a tragic hero as someone who is noble and valiant but turns out to have a tragic flaw and Macbeth portrays this by fighting for his country and king but then murdering the king because of his hamartia, “his vaulting ambition”. Macbeth is greatly responsible for his downfall, but the witches have an impact on Macbeth’s actions. In Greek tragedies characters face a point in which they turn towards death, almost all plays have someone die and, in the end, justice prevails.
If the god is taking revenge he should do it only on evil beings, Why the hardship to innocents, harmless and those who do good and are good also? If he is that powerful why can’t he do something about the problem of evil? Well this is a tough question that I still struggle with for an answer. I have realised that the evil is in every one, you and me and indeed everyone. May he has to be very radical like destroy one and all.