Macbeth's lust for power becomes blatantly obvious based upon his fears that "to be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus", prompting him to kill Banquo and make an attempt at his son, Fleance. To relieve himself of his insecurities, he manipulates two murderers to believe than Banquo is their "enemy" and the source of all of their problems, displaying his twisted nature. He does not, before the act is already committed, share news of the "deed of dreadful note" with his "dearest chuck", Lady Macbeth, proving he has made his face a "vizard to [his] heart" not only for the public, but also to his once-cohort. Macbeth's peers' opinion sinks so low that he is often merely referred to as a "tyrant" rather than by his name. He is not only a traitorous and cruel king, but the extent to which he is "unfit to govern" makes him "unfit to live" - deserving of death for how he has let down Scotland.
To add on, everyone holds high expectations of Telemachus, Those who knew Odysseus and his great
In the novel, Okonkwo’s fear of becoming like his father drives him to become the polar opposite of Unoka: emotionally hardened and distant. This is truly displayed in his hate for all things seemingly meek and calm, as the narrator explains, “Even as a little boy he resented his father’s failure and weakness, and even now he still remembered how he had suffered when a playmate told him that his father was agbala... And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion-to hate everything that his
Power razes all of its enemies to the ground, and its enemies are ignorant of its presence. Power negatively affects others by turning someone with power on their allies, making the owner paranoid, and diminishing common sense. In Antigone, King Creon turned on his own niece in order to preserve his self-serving law. Power turns the holder onto their allies. Creon created fear in the hearts of his own sentries who selflessly worked hours keeping him safe.
This leaves her outraged, makes her begin to question his manhood and label him a coward. This then motivates him to commit the treacherous deed. Overall, the message of this scene is that greed and an ambition for power corrupts us, no matter how ‘pure’ we believe we are. PERFORMANCE Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?
He did not realize his flaws like arrogance, having a bad temper, and selfishness. Once Tiresias gets it through Oedipus’s thick skull that he was the one who killed King Laius, he takes one of the brooches from Jocasta’s dress and stabs his eyes out. After he blinds himself physically he feels pity for his two daughters, saying that no one will ever love them because they are the product of incest, he also says that his sons will make due because they are strong men. His downfall was that he was way to arrogant to put two and two together, and realize that he was the murderer whom need to either be exiled or killed, the prophecy that Jocasta and Laius got was the same that Oedipus got. After Oedipus is exiled Creon takes his place and becomes King of Thebes.
A Double-Edged Sword “The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing” (Socrates). Regarding many ancient Greek tales, tragic heroes with growing egos who determine that they are all-knowing often face downfall because of their hubris. In the ancient Greek play Antigone, Sophocles writes about the tragic hero, Creon, an unmerciful ruler who refuses to acknowledge the opinions of others. After a blood bath between two royal brothers which leads to their own deaths, Creon imposes a law stating whoever buried the traitorous brother Polyneices, is sentenced to death. Despite the law, Antigone, the audacious sister to the two brothers, perilously buries Polyneices.
This abuse of power ended up affecting many of their citizens. Tarquinius is symbolic of the abuse inflicted by the Tarquin family who was in power over Rome in the fifth century BCE. The heinous act of raping a woman who is the embodiment of Roman values is a metaphor for how the kings were neglecting their values and citizens, while still wanting to assert complete control over them. The people of the time obviously needed to do something and an act such as this is the perfect spark to light a revolution. This tale was a cautionary warning during the first century BCE when the Republic became an Empire.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” said historian Lord Acton. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Oedipus the King of Thebes newly departs after disgracing his people, and his successors to the throne, Polynices and Eteocles die in battle, thus leaving his brother Creon to inherit his throne. From the beginning, Creon uses his newfound power to impose excessive punishments against not only the people of Thebes, but also his family. As a result, the Thebans recognize his abuse of power, and express their fears through not only the chorus, but also his son. To finalize his play, Sophocles exposes how Creon uses his power to manipulate the hierarchy in Greek society; consequently offending the gods.
His thought process seems irrational towards these individuals and is developed by his insecurities. To begin with, Iago is enraged by the rumors that exist of Othello sleeping with his wife, Emilia. Before the people of Venice head of to Cyprus, Iago considers these rumours to be true, “If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor,/ And it is thought abroad that’ twixt my sheets/
Amongst the mist of the fighting Macduff is finding Macbeth, who murdered his family. When he eventually finds him, they both engage in a duel. In which Macduff tells Macbeth that he is not born of woman which is stated “Despair thy charm, And let the angel whom thou still hast served Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother 's womb Untimely ripped” (V.VIII.13-16). Macbeth who heard of this reluctant news is shocked, but tries to keep his guard on, he responds back by stating“Accursèd be that tongue that tells me so,For it hath cowed my better part of man!”(V.VIII.17,18).Subsequently Macbeth does not believe every word that Macduff has told him because Macbeth believes that it is a trap to get him to lose his courage in the duel and lose. Which would result in Macbeth’s death for which he believed that he would be invisible in a way or another.
In history and literature power can be abused by a strong leader. Power has a negative effect because King Creon abuses abuses his power for his needs and wants and is also unfair with his decisions and his rule. For example, Creon over uses his power to unfairly kill his niece Antigone. This was unfair because he is going to kill her for just wanting to give her brother a proper burial.
I used this quote from Antigone because it properly states Antigone’s viewpoint on Creon’s decree. As told in the story, Creon's decree was that no one could grieve for or bury Polyneices. Creon made this proclamation because when Eteocles and Polyneices fought over Thebes, Eteocles was pronounced king and exiled Polyneices from Thebes. Polyneices, in turn, formed an army to take on the city, ending up with Eteocles and Polyneices killing each other, thus putting Creon in the position of power. Creon then proceeds to label Polyneices a traitor and finally, makes his decree.
In the play Antigone, Eteocles and Polyneices are The brothers of Antigone. The brothers killed eachother in battle fighting over the throne of Thebes which caused calamity. The brothers defiled their reputation fighting over power. Antigone's uncle, Creon, the new king, gave Eteocles a proper burial but refused to give Polyneices a proper burial because he believed he was a traitor. Antigone transgresses king Creon's law and berries Polyneices.
Why do people do things? Why are laws created, laws broken, and crimes committed? Behind every action is a motive. In Sophocles’ work of art Antigone, there are many possible motives for the character’s actions. Creon forbids Polyneices burial, sentences Antigone to death, locks Antigone in a stone chamber, and decides to free Antigone because his motives are to be a liked by the Greek Gods and the people of Thebes.