Essay on Pride in Oedipus and Othello - 1727 Words

Pride in Oedipus and Othello In literature, the tragic heroes Oedipus and Othello allow the pride they have to cause their own demise by putting too much emphasis on the lives they have created for themselves. Oedipus, who blinds himself after finding out he has killed his birth father and married his birth mother, refuses to believe he has truly fulfilled his fate because he is so proud of what he has accomplished since he left Corinth. Othello demonstrates his pride by believing that the people closest to him would never betray him because of his powerful position as a General of the armies in Venice. Both characters example of hubris, or excessive pride, causes the downfall in their lives, which eventually leads to life-long†¦show more content†¦Since he is the man he is looking for, it is impossible to tell if he will go through with his word and kill the true â€Å"murderer† as he says in his soliloquy. The only credit that Sophocles will give Oedipus is when he begins to piece the different stories together. The story that the people say about Laà ¯os’ death is that he was murdered by many men, not just one man whereas Oedipus was one man who killed many when he fled Corinth. â€Å"Oedipus: This much: If his account of the murder tallies with yours, then I am cleared. Iocastà ª: What was it that I said of such importance? Oedipus: Why, â€Å"marauders,† you said, killed the King, according to this man’s story. If he maintains that still, if there were several, clearly the guilt is not mine: I was alone. But if he says one man, singlehanded, did it, then the evidence all points to me† (Sophocles 184 lines 309-319). In this passage Oedipus questions whether or not he is truly to blame for the murder of Laà ¯os, but in his heart, he doesn’t think it could be his fault. Sophocles uses this moment to allow the reader to see what is really going on in the play. Because of this, the plot becomes a little clearer and we begin to see how the story will play out in the end. After making the oath to kill the man who murdered Laà ¯os, his pride allows him to feel obligated to do what he can when he finds out that he is the reason the king isShow MoreRelatedEssay on Pride and the Tragic Hero in Oedipus Rex and Othello1217 Words   |  5 PagesPride and the Tragic Hero in Oedipus Rex and Othello   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Most proud people will never consider themselves to be truly proud until they come face to face with the consequences of their pride. Sophocles and Shakespeare both address this dilemma in their plays Oedipus Rex and Othello. Through their nobility, their tragic flaws, the fall these flaws cause, and the suffering and wisdom they derive from these falls, Oedipus and Othello reveal the true characterRead MoreThe Secrets They Kept Essay examples1185 Words   |  5 Pagestheir stories are vastly different, Othello, Oedipus and Nora had different personal flaws that led to the downfalls in their lives. However, they all shared two common flaws, dishonesty and pride. Dishonesty is a monster that transforms and manifests itself in several ways until it is exposed. For Othello, Oedipus, and Nora the monster of dishonesty was present in their lives and marriages, and resulted in pain, heartache, and regret. In Shakespeare’s play Oth ello the Moor of Venice, instead of communicatingRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Oedipus And Othello 982 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus and Othello are two of the most known tragic heroes throughout all of literature. While there are some noticeable differences between the two there are also many similarities between the two characters. With the amount of similarities between the two plays Shakespeare must have been inspired by Oedipus and Sophocles when he was writing Othello. Oedipus the king’s main conflict is based around Greek mythology in that from the time Oedipus is born it is prophesied by the Gods that he is goingRead MoreComparing the Downfalls of Sophocles Oedipus and Shakespeares Othello1262 Words   |  6 Pages Oedipus and Othello were both honorable and heroic men that became the victims of tragic downfalls that can be compared and contrasted with each other. Sophocles, the writer of Oedipus the King, and Williams Shakespeare, the writer of Othello, were both enormously influential playwrights of their respective generations and their legacy continues today. The two playwrights made their masterpieces during different eras; Sophocles life coincided with the Golden Age of Greek tragedy and ShakespeareRead MoreTo What Extent are ‘Othello’ and Oedipus Rex Perfect Examples of Tragedy1149 Words   |  5 Pages‘Othello’ was written between 1601 and 1603. It was first performed in the Elizabethan courts during the Christmas season. The idea of a ‘perfect’ tragedy is the idea that the tragedy is faultless; it does what is expected; so makes the audience feel empathy and sympathy for the characters who suffer. There are two different types of tragedy: c lassical tragedy and Shakespearean tragedy. The tragic hero in this play is the main character, Othello. Othellos misfortune comes about because of hisRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Oedipus Rex And Shakespeare s Othello And Oedipus 2344 Words   |  10 Pagesgood man. Both Othello and King Oedipus Rex Fall into this class of literature, even though they were written by two totally different authors and in two utterly different time periods. These two works share several comparisons to every different, while having an honest quantity of variations similarly. Pride is characterized as one of the seven deadliest sins. Most pleased individuals will never see themselves as to be genuinely glad until they encounter the results of their pride. Sophocles andRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Oedipus Rex, And Willie Loman1204 Words   |  5 PagesAlthough Oedipus, Othello, and Willie Loman can all be said to fall within Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero, each represents a very different interpretation of the concept. Oedipus, the tragic hero of Oedipus Rex, written by the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles, is inarguably a tragic hero. In fact, Oedipus was the model which Aristotle used to define tragic heroes. Oedipus’ story certainly is tragic. After going on a manhunt to find the murderer of his subjects’ former king, Oedipus eventuallyRead MoreEssay on Oedipus and Othello 1793 Words   |  8 Pagesliterature, particularly, the will of the gods is commonly attributed to human experiences. In Oedipus the King, for instance, the oracle’s message that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his own mother suggests that he was a puppet in the hands of the gods, who manipulated the events that led to his fall. However, the character’s fate is not entirely attributable to the work of the gods. In the play, Oedipus meets his fate due to his determination to unravel the mysteries surrounding the king’s deathRead MoreEssay about Universal truth (Shakespeare)1860 Words   |  8 Pages In both â€Å"Othello† and â€Å"Oedipus Rex† to a great extent, the emotions provoked by familiar human experiences are acceptable to all people of all times. It is a fact that â€Å"Human nature remains the same (Kiernan Ryan 1989).† Both plays explore issues surrounding emotions like love, envy, jealousy and pride provoked by life experiences such as racism, fate, rifts between parent and child, a quest for position through deception or for justice or an intoxicating sense of being all powerful which transcendRead MoreCompare And Contrast Oedipus And Othello1816 Words   |  8 PagesWhen asked to think of a classic play that shaped the whole of literature, some of the most common answers will include Oedipus by Sophocles and Othello by William Shakespeare. Both of these texts are held in high regard as some of the greatest writing of our time, not only for their command and use of language but for their intricately woven storylines an d tragic endings. Both title characters were written as tragic characters, and as such their stories result in unhappy endings for all involved