Essay on Oedipus and Hamlet - 1424 Words

Efthimios Mariakakis Professor Mihailovic 5-14-01 Though Shakespeares Hamlet and Sophocles Oedipus the King were written in two different eras, echoes of the latter can be found in the former. The common theme of Hamlet and Oedipus the King is regicide. Also, like in Oedipus the King, there is a direct relationship between the state of the state and the state of their kings. Furthermore, there is also a relationship between Oedipus armed entrance into the bedroom in which Jocasta hanged herself, and Hamlets confrontation of Gertrude in her bedroom. Both plays share the emphasis on a tragic irony in the chain of events that lead up to ritual of catharsis, but the plot of Hamlet makes a much more complicated character than†¦show more content†¦You are the murderer, you are the unholy defilement of this land(Knox, 23). Tiresias goes on to say I say that without knowing it you are living in shameful intimacy with your nearest and dearest. You do not see the evil in which you live (Knox, 25). Mariakakis 3 The other majo r ingredient of the tragic equation, the purging emotion, is worked out by Sophocles. The hubris of Oedipus is demolished when he confides in Jocasta concerning the predictions of the seer Tiresias; she tells him the story of the murder of Laius, and as she speaks, Oedipus comes to recognize the scene and circumstances of the regicide as being the same as those encountered on the road to Thebes. The full hypothesis of his doings come to him and he cries out to Jocasta, Oh, it is all clear as daylight now (Knox, 54). However, when he faces the shepherd who had found the child Oedipus, and who now reveals that the child was the same infant who was cast out to the wolves by Laius; Laius had feared the fulfillment of a prophecy that he would die by his own sons hands, and Oedipus now sees that the prophecy has indeed come true, for he has killed his own father and committed incest with his mother. He then blinds himself, as if to acknowledge the charge of the blind seer Tiresias that h e was blind in his pride. Oh God! It has all come true. Light, let this be the last time I see you. I stand revealedShow MoreRelatedHamlet vs. Oedipus1493 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet vs Oedipus Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Oedipus the King by Sophocles are both tragic stories which contain many elements of which are similar and different. Although both Hamlet and Oedipus suffer from fate, Hamlet’s father is murdered by his brother Claudius, while Oedipus kills his own father. Both Hamlet and Oedipus have the opportunity to shun their fate, but the two men believe themselves to be the only individual who can resolve the predicament which they are faced with. TheRead MoreHamlet And Oedipus The King1668 Words   |  7 Pagesgood, but end up causing their own death. Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus the King† tells the life of a king named Oedipus who is trying to solve the murder case of the former king. A similar plotline is seen in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet†, where Hamlet tries to uncover who killed his father, who was also the king before his untimely death. Both characters set out to do something good, but create many problems and ultim ately find themselves corrupted. Oedipus’ initial introduction presents the character as a well-roundedRead MoreHamlet And Oedipus The King1544 Words   |  7 Pagesliterature, Hamlet and Oedipus the King. Oedipus the King was written by Sophocles and Hamlet was one of the famous dramas of Shakespeare. There were some similarities and several differences between the two tragedies. Although the plays were both set in different time periods, they had similar themes about fate and free will. Their plots were also analogous. However, the two main character had a major vital difference that Hamlet is a tragedy of inaction and Oedipus is a tragedy of action. Hamlet and OedipusRead MoreHamlet and the Oedipus Complex1537 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a play about indecision, apprehension, and inner turmoil. Hamlet, the main protagonist, struggles within himself, attempting to muster the courage to avenge his father’s death by the hand of the current King, Claudius, who is also his late father’s brother. There seem to be many possible reasons for Hamlet’s delay in doing so. However, the one theory that answers all the questions is that Hamlet was possessed by his own Oedipus Complex , that is, he was deeply in loveRead MoreComparing Hamlet And Oedipus The King1263 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s Hamlet, and Sophocles, Oedipus the King, both of the main characters conform to the same classic tragic hero formula. Oedipus suffers a life based on a pre†birth prophecy, whereas Hamlet finds himself burdened with the task of avenging his father’s death. In both situations , two kings must leave their innocence behind as the truth leads them first, to enlightenment and then to their downfall. They battle between the light, the truth and the darkness, the lie. Both Hamlet and Oedipus are similarRead MoreOedipus Complex in Hamlet Essay805 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus Complex in Hamlet In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet’s personality can be explained by the Oedipus Complex. Throughout the play there are many times where he proves that he has Oedipus Complex. Oedipus Complex was not around at the time that that Hamlet was written. It just shows that Shakespeare saw the same personality complex’ as Freud. Freud first named the Oedipus Complex Theory in his book , An Interpretation of Dreams, in 1899. Freud states The child takes both of its parents,Read More Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet and the Oedipus Complex  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeares play Hamlet contains very similar elements to Sophocles Greek Myth, Oedipus Rex. In the late 1800s through early 1900s, a Doctor based out of Vienna, named Sigmund Freud, developed a theory based on the events of the play Oedipus Rex, which has since been coined the Oedipus Complex.   Ernest Jones also applied his knowledge of Freudian psychology and wrote a persuasive paper suggesting that Hamlet cannot kill his uncle Claudius becauseRead MoreHamlet vs. Oedipus Essay898 Words   |  4 PagesCharacter Analysis of Prince Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Oedipus in Oedipus King by Sophocles In Aristotles literary discourse, Poetics, he discusses his theory of tragedy, wherein he introduces the concepts of tragic flaw or hamartia, which serves as the catalyst for the protagonists downfall or the tragedy of the story to happen. He determines a tragedy as a drama that brings about a sorrowful conclusion, arousing fear and pity in the audience (Roberts and JacobsRead More Comparison of Oedipus and Hamlet Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesComparison of Oedipus and Hamlet Compare and contrast Oedipus and Hamlet. Is Oedipus more a man of action? Or is he more a man driven by whim and sudden, rash decisions? Which character is more selfless? Does Hamlet show any signs of selfish motives in his actions or inactions? Which protagonist seems more learned? wiser? more religious? more loving? more incestuous? Which seems to be a better murder investigator? Does Oedipus have any of Claudius motives when he kills the king, Laius? ThenRead More Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet and the Oedipus Complex Hamlet is the typical kind of son almost every father and mother would want: intelligent, loving, caring, strong and loyal. Yet, some scholars believe that he is just another emotional character, defying our eyes to think that his acts are innocent, when his real purpose is to take his mother for himself. This gives scholars, like Ernest Jones, the impression that Hamlet’s actions were encouraged by an Oedipus complex, characterized by feelings of intense