Essays On Play

Western literature has produced significant mythical figures and among the most prominent figures are the kings, Oedipus and Odysseus. The two stories on the two kings have both stood the test of time and although similarities exist between the kings, their fates took different paths. The Greek culture has witnessed more legendary stories that have […]

The Odyssey by Homer and Hamlet by Shakespeare are two types of literal works that despite being written in different time periods and regions, they possess several differences and similarities. During the ancient and the renaissance periods, writers employed the themes of vengeance and justice in their works to illustrate that despite the dire consequences […]

Hamartia simply means to miss a mark when someone is trying to deliver or pass some information, a concept that is clearly identifiable in this scenario. The two tragedies, in their portrayal of main protagonist Oedipus and Willy Loman can be said to illustrate the actual concept of tragedies. Tragedy as defined by the Aristotle […]

The primary purpose of literature is to communicate, inform or educate the society. Although, readers of literal work embrace different cultures, these cultures too have similarities thus making a piece of art directed to one community to find meaning in another society. In the literature world, there are several significant differences and similarities existing between […]

The notion of revenge and justice appear to be seen as harmful yet necessary qualities found in Hamlet and the Odyssey. In Hamlet, Shakespeare attempts to show people how brutal revenge can be. In the Odyssey, the act of revenge appears to be seen as an adverse although occasionally necessary part of life. These killings […]

Sophocles Oedipus the king and Shakespeare hamlet both contain basic elements of tragedy. The Shakespearean tragedy managed to expand its setting far beyond the Greek tragedy. In the hamlet, the tragic hero is burdened with his father’s death from the start of the play. Sophocles gets Oedipus to foretell his own strategy whilst speaking to […]

The play Death of a Salesman explores the themes of character loss, inability to accept change in oneself and society, and the struggles faced by the protagonist, Willy Loman. Through a montage of memories, dreams, encounters, and arguments, the play unfolds over the course of Willy’s last 24 hours. Denial, contradiction, and order versus disorder […]

Sophocles, a Greek play writer puts it clearly in his ‘Oedipus the King’ that people’s fate and destinies are prearranged by God. This literary piece can be used as a witness to the Christian belief that God predestines every person’s life and however much one can struggle to change their fate, they are deemed to […]

The theme of appearance and reality is such a dominant one in Oedipus Rex and Othello, and the obsession with appearance plays such an important part in bringing them closer to Oedipus’ and Othello’s tragedy, that the plays can be termed a tragedies of appearance in human life, in which the opposite of appearance is […]

Oedipus Rex has an extremely unusual plot but it has a recognizable beginning. Oedipus the King relates the story of Oedipus who reached Thebes, having killed on the way an old man with whom he picked a quarrel. The city of Thebes was then suffering terribly because of the monster, the Sphinx. He solved her […]

The King of Thebes, Oedipus, was cursed and abandoned as a baby. The city is under a plague, causing Oedipus to seek guidance from the priests of Thebes. To find out how to end the plague, Oedipus sends Creon to the oracle Delphi for instructions from the gods. Creon returns with news that to end […]

Sophocles often wrote about ancient myths that were common knowledge to the people who viewed his plays. “Oedipus The King” was written knowing that the audience is aware of the outcome of the play, and therefore utilizes that foreknowledge to create various situations in which irony plays a key role. More specifically, this dramatic irony […]

Textual literature provides individuals with the opportunity to encounter and gain insight from life’s lessons, often through the utilization of literary irony. The idea of irony is based on the difference between what is anticipated and what actually happens, which can lead to a contrast between appearance and reality. This technique in literature often brings […]

In his work Nature and Elements of Tragedy, Aristotle outlined the characteristics needed in order to create a compelling tragic hero. He states that this particular character must be “better than we are,” a man who is superior to the average man in some way. At the same time, a tragic hero must evoke both […]

The main character of the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus Rex, embodies the classic traits of a tragic hero. He possesses exceptional talent and noble lineage, but also has a tragic flaw that leads to widespread suffering. Despite this, he ultimately acknowledges his own culpability in his downfall. Oedipus’s remarkable abilities and aristocratic background are […]

The role of men and women has always been unique and deferent to every eye. Some may base their pollens off of own experiences and some may base theirs off of what they see or hear. Has It ever occurred to you why people, men and women, are different from each other? In time, the […]

To achieve my desired audience response to the scene in which Terrifies confronts Croon, I would stage it in a minimalist thrust configuration with a plain black background. This would give the audience a strange impression of the setting, setting the overall atmosphere of the play. The goal is to draw attention to the character […]

Surely this is not well, when all our thoughts should be, how to discharge the gods command. ’ In the ply Oedipus Rex, it is impossible to turn away from the power of the gods. They are in control of life, destiny and fate. Queen Jocasta discovers that there is no way to thwart a […]

The utilization of dramatic irony in Oedipus the king serves to progress the play by invoking feelings of pity towards the tragic hero, generating suspense, and hinting at the forthcoming events within the play. Despite Oedipus’ awareness of the prophecies, he remains ignorant of their fulfillment. However, as readers, we are aware of all the […]

The birthplace of tragedy was the city of Athens, and here it also reached its full flower in the fifth century B. C. with the masterpieces of the three great Greek tragedians: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Among these Sophocles is often held to be the greatest dramatist of all, at the least Oedipus Rex, following […]

When contemplating the notion of ‘tragedy’, various plays are immediately brought to mind, including Shakespeare’s renowned tragedies: Othello, Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear; as well as Sophocles’ classic play from ancient Greek times, King Oedipus. On first inspection, there are numerous similarities between these works. Both King Oedipus and King Lear are rulers who explore […]

Imagery of Oedipus the King All good works of writing use imagery to give the reader a sense of realness and reality to their stories. Imagery in literature is defined as the formation of mental pictures or images in likeness of things. Oedipus the King uses the imagery of light and darkness throughout the entire […]